Game Recap: Parise, Kuemper Solid, Wild Top the Avalanche 3-0

Thanks to solid goaltending by youngster Darcy Kuemper, an invigorated Minnesota Wild squad starts the season 2-0-0 with consecutive shutouts of the Colorado Avalanche. Despite aggressive play by Patrick Roy‘s team, the Minnesota Wild top the Avalanche, 3-0.

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Eyes On Isles

It was another record-setting night for your Minnesota Wild, fans. Zach Parise tied a career high for shots on goal with 10. Jared Spurgeon set a Wild franchise record for most blocked shots in a single game with 9. Darcy Kuemper became the youngest NHL goalie to post two consecutive shutouts in his first two regular season starts. Despite a retooled line-up for the Avalanche, the Wild spoiled Colorado’s home opener, beating the Avalanche 3-0.

 First Period Thoughts:

We knew going in that the Avalanche would come out fighting, tying to prove they weren’t the team the Wild beat 5-0 just two nights before. The Wild opened with their top line of Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund, and Jason Pominville up front with Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin on the blue line. The Avalanche, getting the last line change, countered with Jamie McGinn, Matt Duchene, Jarome Iginla, Nick Holden, and Erik Johnson.

Granlund won the opening face-off cleanly and set up in the offensive zone. It took the Parise line no time to return to their form from the season opener, churning through the offensive zone, with Suter registering the first shot on goal which Semyon Varlamov held. Thomas Vanek, who looked inconsistent, registered the next shot, which Varlamov controlled. Nathan MacKinnon, who was held without a shot on goal Thursday, picked up the first shot for the Avalanche. He took his own rebound and elevated a great chance over the goal, allowing the Wild to break out and set back up in the offensive zone.

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An icing by the Avalanche followed by a face-off win by Erik Haula helped the Wild open the scoring. Centering Charile Coyle and Nino Niederreiter, the Wild set up in the offensive zone with Coyle camped out at the goal mouth. Niederreiter fought along the half wall and ended up in the face-off circle. Niederreiter dropped a pass off to a uncovered Brodin at the right point. Brodin dropped off for Suter who ripped a monster slap shot from the blue line. Coyle tipped the shot past Varlamov who had no chance to stop the re-direct. With just their third shot on goal, it’s  1-0 Wild at 01:51.

The Wild would maintain zone pressure for a few minutes following the goal, forcing a second icing by the Avalanche in three minutes. Vanek would try for a nifty tip in that was blocked thanks to an alert Avalanche defender. A tired Avs squad would earn a reprieve when Erik Johnson would blast a shot from the neutral zone right on to the Wild crest in the center of Kuemper’s jersey, forcing a stoppage. Back and forth play through the neutral zone would follow for about 7 minutes, with no team registering a shot on goal. Several huge hits would take place, including a few questionable checks by both sides drawing cheers and jeers from a restless Denver crowd.

Parise took a slashing penalty at 10:46, sending the Avalanche to the man advantage. Colorado, who had been held without a shot on the power play on Thursday, mustered only one on their first attempt.

Towards the end of the first, Minnesota would earn their first power play, with Erik Johnson holding Jason Pominville. More on Johnson later. The Wild had a heart pounding power play, registering 8 shots on goal and coming very close to scoring. Varlamov stood on his head, looking like the goalie he was last season for the first time.

Good first period, the Avalanche kept it interesting and looked like a physical team that wanted to win.

Shots after one period: Wild 15, Avalanche 9

Second Period Thoughts:

Colorado won the opening face-off, but a well placed hit by Pominville (you read that right) led to a takeaway for the Wild. Setting up in the offensive zone again, the Matt Duchene would slash Pominville and send the Wild to their second power play in under 3 minutes. Nothing materialized thanks to an aggressive Avalanche PK.

Oct 11, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson (6) checks Minnesota Wild center Erik Haula (56) into the boards in the second period at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

With two seconds left in Duchene’s penalty, the Wild would attempt to re-enter the zone for one last rush, with Haula leading Matt Cooke, Niederreiter, Christian Folin, and Marco Sacndella. As soon as Haula entered the offensive zone, Erik Johnson would come all the way across the offensive zone from Haula’s Right. Johnson would then check Haula at full speed, Making initial contact with his elbow to Haula’s head. Haula went down in a heap. Johnson would take a 5 minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct. Haula would leave for the locker room but return later in the frame. Absolutely unnecessary hit and display of aggression by Johnson. I imagine supplemental discipline is in order, more on that later.

So, five-minute power play for the Wild. The first minute went well, with three shots on goal. Thomas Vanek would take an interference penalty, creating two minutes of four on four. Colorado looked much better than a gassed Wild squad, forcing the Wild to use their time out. The Wild would stave off the Avalanche and resume their power play for about two minutes. Coyle would slam home a tip-in that Niederreiter had been fight for in the crease, but Jan Hejda pushed Niederreiter down on top of Varlamov, disallowing the goal. The NHL considered the play unreviewable as the referee waved the goal off immediately

Just after the power play, Niederreiter would attempt a tip-in and chase the puck behind the net. Gabriel Landeskog would chase Niederreiter behind the net and knocked him down. An otherwise banal play became all the more interesting when Landeskog would slam Niederreiter’s head in to the ice twice. Landeskog took a two-minute penalty for roughing, but Charlie Coyle would also take a roughing minor for the ensuing scrum. back to four on four hockey. Minnesota would fare better, holding the offensive zone for most of the four on four time and registering two shots; however, after the penalty expired, the Wild would ice the puck twice and give Colorado an extended look at the offensive zone.

Just after the midway point in the game, the Wild would add to their lead. Dumba set up Vanek from the point, but Vanek would be swarmed by Avalanche defenders. Vanek used some of his trademark creativity to drop a pass to Jason Zucker in the slot. Zucker roofed a one-timer past Varlamov’s glove. 2-0 Wild at 11:50

Not much else to report in the second. Colorado had some sustained zone pressure, but Kuemper turned each shot aside with ease. Spurgeon and Scandella had a rock solid game, blocking several shots and making the Kuemperor’s job easy.

Shots Through Two Periods: Wild 25, Avalanche 20

Third Period Thoughts:

Final frame. Will the Avalanche rally late? Will Roy pull the goaltender with ten minutes left? Well, no.
Minnesota would sustain zone pressure for much of the first seven minutes with a few good shots by Scandella and Spurgeon. Colorado also came dangerously close to scoring their first goal of the night a few times, but Kuemper played out of his mind, although he did freeze the puck a few times.

Around the seven minute mark, Tyson Barrie would try to flip the puck out of the defensive zone and instead knock it out of play, taking a delay of game penalty. Despite nearly killing the penalty off, Gabriel Landeskog would fire his clearing attempt hard enough to put the puck in the stands. two more minutes of power play for the Wild yielded nothing except preventing the Avalanche from making an offensive rush.

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Puck Prose

Now, on to the cliff hanger. With just less than three minutes left, Varlamov is off to the bench. 6 on 5 for the Avalanche. Then, as if the NHL overlords wanted the Avs to score their first goal of the season, Matt Cooke took an interference penalty. 6 on 4 for the Avalanche. Again, the Wild PK was good, allowing zero shots and coming gut wrenchingly close to putting away an empty netter. In a case of cosmic irony, Kyle Brodziak‘s empty net attempt hit the goal post, hopped funny, and came to rest behind the goal.

Penalty killed, 37 seconds left. Parise would pull the puck out of the zone with ten seconds left and work as hard as I’ve ever seen for an empty netter. Parise finally tucked it home from just behind the goal line. 3-0 Wild at 19:57

Roy tried to put his fourth line out for the final face-off, but the referees sent them back to the bench. Game over. Wild top the Avalanche 3-0. Wild move to 2-0-0, Avalanche 0-2-0.

Final shots: Wild 34, Avalanche 30

Trembley’s Take:

The Avalanche put up the fight we thought they would, but the Wild were better, plain and simple. The offense seems to be clicking and Kuemper looks great. Kuemper will enter the 4 day break with a shutout streak of 119:44. Some other fun stats: The Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks are the first two teams since 2005 to open the season with back to back shut outs. Jason Pominville led all Wild Skaters with a Corsi for percentage of 66. Niederreiter was second with 62% The Avalanche have only been shut out 4 times since the beginning of the 2013 regular season (counting the playoffs.) Kuemper is responsible for three of them. Zucker spent some time on the second line with Vanek and Mikko Koivu and rewarded the Wild with a goal. I imagine that sticks for a bit. The other two lines (Parise line and Haula line) look good, so why fix what’s not broken?

On to the Johnson hit. If you read Roy’s quotes in the Denver Post, you have to believe the Avalanche wanted retribution for the Cooke-Barrie incident. I understand that tempers flare and the Avalanche were playing with a certain gusto after playing the Wild 9 games in a row between the playoffs and the opening of the regular season, but this isn’t hockey. There is no place for malicious behavior and I sincerely hope the Department of Player Safety takes a hard look at Johnson and Roy in the coming days. I’m not here to stand up for Matt Cooke. I like Matt Cooke and the leadership he brings to a young Wild squad, but I’m here to give my take on hockey. There’s no place for this. I’m glad Haula’s okay.

The Wild will get a 5 day break before taking on the Anaheim Ducks on the 17th. Talk to you then!