Minnesota Wild GIFs of the Game vs New York Islanders

Here’s a handful of GIFs from Tuesday’s 5-4 Minnesota Wild win over the New York Islanders. Check out the Gone Puck Wild game recap for full details on the game. GIFs courtesy of @myregularface when marked with watermark. Other GIFs created by me..

Michael Grabner opened the scoring for the New York Islanders in Tuesday’s game with assists to Anders Lee and Griffin Reinhart.

With the first period coming to a close, Brock Nelson tips in a Nick Leddy shot to make it 2-0 Isles.

Just seconds after the Nelson goal, Matt Martin scores to make it 3-0. All credit to Thomas Hickey on this one though. He salvages the play, kicking the puck to his stick and getting it on net.

Into the second, the Wild held the Islanders at bay, allowing only one shot in the period, but Keith Ballard takes a really ugly hit from Martin that results in Ballard having to go to the hospital for further evaluation. Martin will not face supplemental discipline for the hit.

That hit lights a fire under the Wild — or so the narrative goes, but at that point the Wild were already in control and hadn’t allowed the Islanders to take a single shot in the period — and the game starts getting pretty physical. Kyle Okposo wasn’t very fond of this hit from Mikael Granlund and gives him a slash afterward, which leads to a Minnesota Wild power play. The Islanders really had no reason to be scared of a Wild power play, because, you know.

On the ensuing power play the Wild score with Jason Pominville tipping in a Ryan Suter shot. Mikko Koivu grabbed the secondary assist. The 29th 28th ranked power play in the league is super dangerous. The Wild have turned the Isles’ 3-0 lead into a 3-1 lead.

Before the close of the second, at the 17:17 mark of the period, the Islanders finally get their first shot of the period. Unfortunately that shot is a Josh Bailey goal. The Islanders have re-opened a three-goal lead.

Almost three minutes into the third period, Angry Mikko makes an appearance and scores to make it 4-2. Assist to Jason Zucker.

The Wild have to wait until the 11:03 mark to pull within one off a much-needed goal from Erik Haula. Assists to Ryan Carter and Jared Spurgeon.

How relieved does Craig Leipold look after that goal?

Speaking of much-needed goals, Thomas Vanek ties the game digging in front of the net following a Zach Parise shot. There’s just over eight minutes left in the game.

With the game tied up, John Tavares has a break on Niklas Backstrom to give the Isles the lead. Marco Scandella dives and tries to poke the puck away from Tavares. Instead he gives Tavares a pretty vicious slash. Tavares returned to the game.

Four and a half minutes to play. Nino Niederreiter digging hard in front of the net following a Vanek shot, and the Wild have erased two three-goal Islander leads to go up 5-4.

Scandella stood up through Brock Nelson and took an illegal check to the head penalty after that. Scandella will have a Department of Player Safety hearing for the hit on Wednesday. It’s his second illegal check to the head in the last ten days.