The Minnesota Wild headed northwest for their second back-to-back of the week. This time, they began with the Edmonton Oilers and started things early with a goal waved off due to offsides. The game went back and forth all period before the Wild got the first goal for the second time, and this one was onside with just over 20 seconds left. The lead held, and they completed the first up 1-0.
The first half of the second period was mainly in the Wild’s favor until the Oilers jumped on their power play and scored almost immediately to tie things at one. That woke the Oilers up, and the Wild were on their heels. The second stayed tied at one apiece despite the Oilers finding their game and pressuring the Wild all period.
The third is where all the goals came from as the Wild scored back-to-back to give themselves a two-goal lead. The Oilers answered back and pushed hard to tie the game, but the Wild scored on the empty net to secure another two-goal lead and held on to win 4-2. The top line stood out again, and that’s where we’ll start.
Wild’s Top Line is Golden
The Wild have bounced their top line around quite a bit this season, from Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Kirill Kaprizov to what it is now Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Kirill Kaprizov. The only player that stays on that top line is Kaprizov, but that might include Boldy after their game against the Oilers.
Boldy scored the game’s first goal after his linemate Eriksson Ek’s goal was waved off due to offsides. He continued to have chances and added his second late in the third to give his team a two-goal lead. That entire line was buzzing all night, with Boldy getting the goals while Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov had plenty of chances, but they both assisted on other goals.
Zuccarello and Kaprizov are a great pair, but this new line has brought some new chemistry they need to keep around. They work together well and have a way of finding each other through a crowd. Hopefully, this line can keep things going as they lead the Wild to more wins.
Wild’s Brodin & Gustavsson Key
The top line stood out, but so did the defensive efforts of both Jonas Brodin and Filip Gustavsson. Brodin helped stop the Oilers several times and kept his team in the game with his strong defense. He’s one of the Wild’s best and added to his game by scoring a goal. He’s been on a roll since the All-Star Break with three goals in the last six games, and Brodin isn’t known as a big goal scorer.
Gustavsson’s performance was also on the defensive side of things. He stood up to Connor McDavid multiple times throughout the night, which is hard for a 10-year veteran goaltender to do, let alone Gustavsson, who’s in his third full season and second with the Wild. He wasn’t able to score a goal like his defensive counterpart, but his efforts were equally important.
Gustavsson faced 43 shots and stopped 41 for a .953 save percentage. The Wild have some big games ahead of them against division opponents, and they will need Gustavsson at the top of his game, so hopefully, this strong performance continues.
Wild’s Power Play Eerily Quiet
The Wild had trouble staying consistent all night, which is a trademark of their play this season, but what was worse was their power play or lack thereof. They had four opportunities to score on the man advantage and couldn’t convert on any of them. They wasted their chances by passing the puck too much again or waiting until the defense was set before taking the shot.
Related: Joel Eriksson Ek Is the Minnesota Wild’s Prized Possession
This is a broken record, but the Wild need to shoot constantly on their power plays. They have players with exceptional shots who should utilize them or cut down on the passes. The Wild could’ve gotten several goals ahead and relieved some of the stress had they converted on their power plays. Before this game, their power play was on a hot streak, but it ended against the Oilers; hopefully, this is a minor problem, and they bounce back right away.
Wild Face Kraken
The Wild won’t have long to rest as they’ll quickly pack their bags and head back to the United States to face the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, Feb. 24. It’ll be another late start for Wild fans as puck drop is scheduled for 9 pm central time. If they want to win, they must stop top scorers Jared McCann, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Vince Dunn, Jordan Eberle, and Eeli Tolvanen.
However, their offense will need to continue its efforts and find a way to score on either Joey Daccord or Philipp Grubauer. Hopefully, the Wild didn’t use up all their energy and scoring against the Oilers, as they need to get past the Kraken as well. If they can score on their power play and keep the pressure going, they’ll get that win.