Game Recap: Minnesota Wild Outplay Los Angeles Kings, Wild lose 2-1
2. 67. 1. 98. Final
In a matinée game where the Minnesota Wild thoroughly outplayed the reigning Stanley Cup champ Los Angeles Kings, a flaccid power play and outstanding goaltending by Jonathan Quick led the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 loss.
The title says it all, but the score sheet doesn’t. Minnesota, Fresh off a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks took a quick trip up I-5 to take on the reigning champs at the Staples Center. Despite out shooting the Kings by an insane margin of 41-16, Jonathan Quick was a brick wall, allowing only one goal. Minnesota’s power play unit is now 0 for 16 on the season through four games, allowing a shorthanded goal. Here are my thoughts on the game:
First Period:
The Wild would start with the same lines used in Anaheim, but veteran keeper Niklas Backstrom would take over the crease for Darcy Kuemper. I imagine this is so Backy could get some playing time in anticipation of the back-to-back games next week.
Minnesota came on a little slower against a Los Angeles Kings squad that has won three straight. Despite shifts by the top two lines, the Wild’s third line carrying Nino Niederreiter, Erik Haula, and Charlie Coyle took the Wild’s first shot on goal 1:06 in, Which superstar Quick gobbled up immediately. With the speedy youngsters still on the ice, L.A. countered with “that 70s line,” made up of youngsters Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson centered by veteran Jeff Carter. This line has been very, very good especially with Marian Gaborik injured. Remember Gaborik?
Anyway, the Carter line managed to push the Wild out of the zone and cut through the neutral zone to give the Kings a chance to catch their breath. Andy Andreoff gave Backstrom his first work of the night, followed quickly by Robyn Regehr. Backstrom froze and The Wild iced on the following face-off. Sloppy play in the defensive zone to start. After the icing, Minnesota would clear and the Haula line would re-take the ice. 5 shots in the next two minutes would follow for Minnesota, With Zach Parise coming extremely close and Jason Pominville zipping a shot wide. Quick never seemed flustered or overworked, stopping them all as if it was practice. Unable to hold the zone, the Kings would get their next opportunities, holding the zone with stingy offensive play for about a minute. Anze Kopitar had a great shot that Backstrom caught with his blocker.
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Later in the first, Charlie Coyle took a high-sticking penalty against stud defenseman Drew Doughty. The Wild PK cleared the zone almost immediately thanks to a give away by Jeff Carter. The following rush would end the Wild’s perfect penalty kill record, though. Mike Richards shook off a couple defenders and sent a centering pass for Carter. The pass would glance off Ryan Suter‘s skate and find its way on to Toffoli’s skate right in front of Backstrom. From there, Toffoli only needed a light slap shot to put the Kings up by a tally. 1-0 Los Angeles Kings at 13:54
Minnesota would get their first chance on the power play 4 minutes later, after Brad Meier finally noticed that L.A. had at LEAST 7 players on the ice. Brad Meier is the bane of the Wild. Served by Tyler Toffoli, A shuffled power play made its way on to the ice, featuring Mikko Koivu, Parise, Pominville, Vanek, and Suter. Pominville and Vanek have chemistry! This is gonna be great! It wasn’t. Two blocked shots and a brief shorthanded bid by the Kings.
The second power play unit looked a little better and maintained better pressure, with Niederreiter coming painfully close from just outside the crease as Coyle came crashing in. Mikael Granlund looked really good on that unit. Quick was insanely good, reading the telegraphed plays by the Wild as if he sat in on practice. This power play needs help. It looks cachectic.
The Wild limited chances and controlled much of the first frame, but Quick was incredible and the team ahead of him wasn’t bad either. The Wild head to the locker room 0-12 on the power play through 3 and 1/3rd games.
Shots After One: Minnesota Wild 12, Los Angeles Kings 7
Second Period:
Quiet opening to the middle frame. I really Like Justin Fontaine on the line with Vanek and Koivu, though. He always seems to know exactly where to be. He had a takeaway that set up the Wild for a pair of shots three minutes in, including one of his own about three minutes in.
Lots of hits in the opening five minutes by both sides. Marco Scandella had a really great blocked shot. Matt Greene tripped up Zach Parise (they were college teammates) sending the Wild back to its maddening ways on the power play. Three shots, including a beautiful chance by Coyle from the slot made it through to Quick. Unsurprisingly, he stopped them all. A freshly placed brick wall might be easier to beat than Quick. Wild power play now 0-13. Oy. Vanek took a puck to the Right hand on this power play, leaving the game for the remainder of the second for maintenance.
Christian Folin, after taking the Anaheim game off, put a perfectly clean check on Anze Kopitar in the neutral zone Folin caromed in to the boards awkwardly, but was uninjured. Again, clean hit. Kings forward Mike Richards took offense to this, and proceeded to start a “fight” with Folin. I call this a fight because Folin didn’t have a chance. Richards is a big guy and came flying in to Folin before he had a chance to react. Folin held his own, though, pushing off against the half wall and getting Richards to the ice before our rookie defenseman got his world rocked. Richards took 2 for instigating, 5 for fighting, and a 10 minute misconduct. Folin got 5 for fighting. First NHL fight for the Swedish striker.
So, another power play for Minnesota fails to click. Justin Fontaine spent some time on the top unit. But really, this power play is awful. I’m not sure what Andrew Brunette is doing, but it’s not working anymore.
Just after the power play, a terrifying moment for Jason Zucker unfolded. Zucker tripped Kyle Clifford in the offensive zone, causing both Clifford and Zucker to fall to the ice. Clifford’s skate came up as Zucker’s face went down, nearly severing Zucker’s neck near the trachea and Carotid arteries I can tell you this would have been a very bad day for Zuck. He’d miss a few shifts and Fontaine served his penalty (for tripping), but Zucker returned to the bench unscathed a few minutes later. The Wild PK was very good on the ensuing kill, by the way.
Quiet rest of the period from there.
Shots Through Two: Minnesota Wild 24, Los Angeles Kings 12.
Third Period:
I spent most of the second intermission flabbergasted over the shot totals and zone time. Minnesota was dominating a team that was first in the league in possession last season. The Wild should be up 12-0 by now. They aren’t. They have 20 minutes to remedy that.
Minnesota took the first shot of the opening frame, but Quick continued his goaltending clinic.
Remember “that 70’s line?” Well, they scored again. Tanner Pearson, who was uncovered at the blue line, ripped a one-time past Backstrom. At the same time, Christian Folin was on the ground behind the net. Odd defensive breakdown for a sound Wild squad. 2-0 Kings at just 02:58. Glad I picked up Toffoli in fantasy hockey, though.
Minnesota refused to be shut out. With Fontaine playing on the fourth line for parts of the third, Matt Cooke broke Quick’s shutout streak (Just over 130 min I believe) Left alone outside the crease, Cooke took a pass from Ryan Carter and elevated it above Quick’s glove with a nifty little move. First tally of the season for Cookie. 2-1 Kings at 05:47.
Mike Richards, fresh out of the sin bin from his 17 minute stint, high sticks Fontaine. Wild power play, their 4th of the night. What do you suppose happens with a chance to tie? Parise comes painfully close to a tap in while Quick scrambles for a loose puck, and Quick freezes it. A few seconds later, Vanek gets the same chance. Again, Quick freezes it. He’s just so dang good.
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Eyes On Isles
Minnesota kept up the zone pressure, though. Minutes went by and flurries of white jerseys crowded the net. Quick, unfazed, turned away each and every attempt. A fifth Wild power play around minute 15 got a few shots away that probably would have beat a lesser goaltender, but not Quick.
Backstrom went off with about a minute left, but only one shot from Parise made it on net. Game over. The Minnesota Wild lose a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1.
Final Shots: Wild 41, Kings 16
Trembley’s Take:
It seems completely unfair that the Wild didn’t eek a point out of this game. They deserved it. They wanted it. Quick was incredibly hot tonight. The Wild were only 6 shots away from tying a franchise record for shots on goal set in this season’s home opener.
Fontaine, Koivu, Niederreiter, Brodin, and Folin all had Corsi for percentages above 70%. By comparison, Tyler Toffoli was top on the Kings with just 50%. The Wild completely outplayed the Kings in a fashion similar to the way they beat the Avalanche in the home opener. It just wasn’t close. Not fair.
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The Wild power play is 0 for 16 after scoring 7 goals in the pre-season. It looks flatter than day old Coca-Cola. Koivu and Vanek are still without a point. Both goals in the California trip were scored by 4th-line players. The Wild have to try something to shake up that power play unit which is 30th in the league. Granted, the Wild have played only four games, but it’s time to end the excuses. A failure to execute will lead the Wild to lose and miss the playoffs.
The Wild get a few days off, taking on the Arizona Coyotes Thursday at the X. I’ll be in my usual seats for the game, so give me a follow on Twitter in the link above for in-game tweets. I have an early flight home, so talk to you Thursday.