Game Recap: Rivals Routed as the Wild Blank the Avalanche 5-0
98. 0. 103. Final. 5
The Minnesota Wild set a franchise record for shots on goal in regulation with 48 during the 2014-2015 home opener. Chasing Semyon Varlamov out of the crease after two periods, the Wild blank the Avalanche with a final score of 5-0.
What a great way to open the season, Wild fans. In front of a crowd listed at 19,098, the Minnesota Wild thoroughly dominated the visiting Colorado Avalanche, scoring in the first and adding a four goal second period. I think there’s a lot to be excited about for our hometown team, here are my thoughts on the game.
First Period Thoughts:
It only took fifteen seconds for the Wild’s opening line of Matt Cooke, Mikko Koivu and Thomas Vanek to register the Wild’s first shot on goal. It was all Wild from there. Cycling through the offensive zone at a dizzying pace, the Wild tallied six shots on goal in the first minute before icing the puck at 01:27.
New Wild energy forward Ryan Carter took a hooking penalty against Avalanche forward Dennis Everberg, sending the Avalanche to the man advantage at 01:51. Matt Cooke was absolutely spectacular on the PK, placing clean checks on the Avalanche forwards allowing the Wild to clear the zone. Colorado would be held without a shot through the man advantage. The line of Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville would enter and hold the zone at the end of the shorthanded attempt and in to the following minutes.
It would take the Avalanche until 05:17 to register their first shot on goal, which was easily handled by Darcy Kuemper. Poor play by a listless Avalanche squad would allow the Wild to quickly re-enter the offensive zone and fire off another shot, their 8th in less than 6 minutes. Marco Scandella would then take a senseless interference penalty at 06:30. Again, the penalty kill unit shined, allowing zero shots on goal and two shots wide of the net. The PK unit of Koivu, Cooke, Christian Folin, and Jared Spurgeon seemed to click and I imagine it stays throughout the season.
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Scandella would be paired with Mathew Dumba following the penalty kill, generating several good chances from the point and setting up Parise with a good look that Varlamov froze. Brad Stuart took a holding penalty 8:57 in, sending the Wild to the man advantage, but it failed to click, with the Wild registering no shots on goal. The Wild would come close to planting it home several times, with the Wild logging several shots and forcing an Avalanche icing.
Finally, the Wild would plant home one of their many close looks. Mikael Granlund, who was buzzing through the offensive zone all night, broke loose with Zach Parise, entering the zone as a two-on-one. Granlund would fire a wrister at Varlamov, which he stopped off his pads. Varlamov stayed in the butterfly, giving up the rebound which found its way on to Jason Pominville’s stick. With Varly caught still looking, Pominville planted the Wild’s first goal home in to a wide open net. 1-0 Wild at 14:54. Ryan Suter earned the assist for passing off to the breaking Granlund.
Colorado would finish the period in the Offensive zone for spurts, but were unable to sustain pressure.
was held silent for the first frame.
Shots After One Period: Wild 17 (one shorthanded) Colorado 5
Second Period Thoughts:
The Wild opened up the frame with an icing, which allowed Jarome Iginla to win the following face-off and fire off two shots, both from the point. Minnesota would turn right back in to the offensive zone and register a few shots on goal, forcing an icing.
Carrying much of the play in the offensive zone through the opening minutes of the second, the top line of Parise Granlund Pominville would again find the net. After nearly a full minute of zone pressure, Pominville won a board battle and handed off to Parise. Spurgeon cruised down the zone and accepted a perfect pass from Parise, snapping home the Wild’s second past Varlamov on his glove side. Remember how I said glove side? 2-0 Wild at 04:37.
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Eyes On Isles
That wouldn’t be all for our Minnesota Wild, who continued to buzz around an Avalanche squad that looked lifeless. Even the 4th line would get in the action, with Jason Zucker and Ryan Carter firing a few shots off, forcing Varlamov to freeze play. Carter would end up tussling with Erik Johnson, each taking two for roughing. Carter looked to have torn the skin on the bridge of his nose open on the play.
The following 4-on-4 would prove beneficial for the Wild, with Granlund, Parise, Suter and
taking the ice against Nathan MacKinnon,
,
, and Brad Stuart. Granlund beat MacKinnon cleanly on the face-off, Parise collected the puck and fired three shots against Varlamov in three seconds, recovering his own rebound each time. The third shot found its way home past Varlamov on the glove side from just outside the paint.
3-0 Wild at 07:01.
Granlund picked up the single assist.
Colorado would need 8 minutes to find another shot on goal, thanks to defenseman Jan Hejda. Matt Dumba would take a holding penalty against Matt Duchene, at 09:05, but the Wild would again chase the Avalanche out of the zone, holding them shotless.
The Wild’s third line, consisting of Nino Niederreiter, Erik Haula, and Charlie Coyle found their success with an aggressive forecheck and an unwillingness to give up. Niederreiter, who dumped the puck in to the zone stick handled past the Avalanche defenders, shot the puck off to boards and won the ensuing board battle to set up his own goal, deflecting a shot past an indecisive Varlamov. 4-0Wild at 13:21. One of my favorite parts of the night was Wild announcer Adam Abrams announcing the goal as “all alone!” as there were no registered assists.
Colorado would fire 4 shots off following the Niederreiter goal, all deftly handled by a bored Darcy Kuemper. The Avalanche never seemed to quite click in the offensive zone, and they paid in spades for it. Just twenty seconds after the longest onslaught by the Avalanche (three shots on goal) Suter put the Wild up 5-0.
With Parise, Coyle, and Brodin fighting to keep the offensive pressure alive, Parise dropped a pass off for Suter at the top of the left face-off dot and Suter slapped it home. 5-0 Wild at 16:58
Erik Johnson would take a penalty as the Wild buzzed around the zone, but the Wild power play again failed to click. Headed to the Locker room, Semyon Varlamov looked shaken, allowing 5 goals on 38 shots.
Shots After Two Periods: Wild: 37 (2 power play) Avalanche: 13
Third Period Thoughts:
Not much to report here. Varlamov would be replaced by Reto Berra. Much to my surprise, the crease would stay occupied for a full 60 minutes. Landeskog would lay a nasty check on Ryan Carter and take two for boarding, but Zucker would take a concurrent minor for roughing Landeskog. Nothing quite clicked for the entire frame, although Berra stopped all ten shots he faced. The Avalanche would only register 3 shots through the final frame. Like I said, not much to report. Game over, Wild blank the Avalanche 5-0.
Final Shots on goal Wild 48, Avalanche 16. New franchise record for the Wild
Trembley’s Take:
Great win for the Wild. Colorado, who was only shut out once last year, gets blanked. First time the Wild shut out the Avalanche in the regular season since 2010. This was also the largest margin of victory for the Wild in a season opener. Zucker and Brodziak had a Corsi for percentage of 100%. Granlund and Parise were above 90%; Suter, Brodin, and Pominville were above 80%. Just insane stats across the board.
Now, Mike Yeo wasn’t nearly as optimistic as I am. This was a flat Avalanche team that did not play like Central Division champions. Expect a very different game in Colorado on Saturday. That being said, the percentage numbers alone point towards a turnaround for the Wild. For today, the Wild are in first place in the Central, so that’s pretty cool.
I can’t give out three stars tonight, the entire team was just great. Who was your Wild star, Wild fans?