Penalties by the Minnesota Wild cost them a win over the Ottawa Senators on the road tonight.
The Wild played their first game of a three-game road trip without super star and all-around good guy Zach Parise tonight. If you hadn’t heard, read Dustin’s coverage on Zach’s concussion. In a true test of the Wild’s depth, Thomas Vanek was moved to the top line with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville tonight, but it didn’t matter as the Wild were shutout for the first time this season by Craig Anderson and the Ottawa Senators. The Wild took far too many penalties, including a completely senseless 17 minutes by Marco Scandella. Let’s get to my notes:
First Period:
The first was pretty quiet for the most part by two defensively sound teams.
I think the Jason Zucker – Mikko Koivu – Charlie Coyle line keeps getting better and better. Vanek also looked pretty good with Granlund and Pominville early.
I think the Wild controlled much of the play through the first 5 minutes. It took the Senators nearly three minutes and a Nate Prosser giveaway to register their first shot on goal. Lots of turnovers by either side in the first period, too.
Christian Folin took a delay of game penalty at 06:45. The Wild penalty kill continues to impress, holding the Ottawa Senators to zero shots on goal in the first penalty kill. Scandella was very good on the PK.
Before the Wild could really catch their breath, they took a really questionable too many men on the ice penalty, served by Justin Fontaine. Fontaine has served three penalties in the last two games that he hasn’t committed, which I think is a little strange for a guy that plays very well whenever he’s on the ice. Anyway, the Wild again prevented any shots on goal, though Erik Karlsson had two big misses.
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Mathew Dumba nearly sent the Senators to their third power play in under ten minutes, but the NHL’s crackdown on “embellishment” led to an interference minor for Dumba and an embellishment minor for Curtis Lazar at 15:01. The Wild looked far better in 4-on-4 play than they have in past games, but nothing worth noting materialized.
Shots after one period: Minnesota Wild 9, Ottawa Senators 5
Second Period:
Let’s get this out of the way before I go much further: Mark Borowiecki put a clean hit on Jason Pominville under a minute in. I think there was a sentiment among some fans that Pominville got run, but he wasn’t. It was a clean hit. Just as Pominville was getting to his skates, Scandella motored down the ice to fight Borowiecki. The fight went nowhere, but Scandella took 2 minutes for instigating, 5 minutes for fighting, and a 10 minute misconduct. Borowiecki took a simple 5 for fighting. Remember, the game’s tied 0-0 and the Wild are outplaying and outchancing the Senators to this point despite two power plays by the Sens. Fontaine served the minor for Scandella. The Wild, already without the injured Jared Spurgeon, lose Scandella for 17 minutes due to a hotheaded play.
Puck Prose
Ottawa’s first shot on goal in the power play would convert. Clarke MacArthur tapped home a re-direct on the man advantage to put the Sens on the board first. 1-0 Senators at 02:23 of the second.
The Wild really tried to pick up the pace after that, including a beautiful solo rush by Vanek that got stuffed by Anderson.
Mike Hoffman, Eric Gryba and Lazar forced an awkward 3-on-2 for the Senators a couple of minutes after the power play goal. Hoffman put a shot on net that should have been easily stopped by Niklas Backstrom; however, Backstrom didn’t handle it cleanly and the puck dribbled past the goal line. 2-0 Senators at 04:47 of the second. That’s 2 goals on two shots in the frame for the Ottawa Senators. Scandella was still in the box, by the way.
The Wild really picked up the pace through the rest of the second, limiting chances by the Senators and creating a lot of their own. In fact, the Wild didn’t allow a shot attempt in the 9 minutes following the Hoffman goal. Sens captain Erik Karlsson sent the Wild to their first power play of the night at 06:04. I counted two shots on goal including a Dumba slapshot that probably dented the crossbar before bouncing away harmlessly.
Just after the power play, Jason Zucker zinged the post with a wide open net.
With the exception of a couple of shots on goal, the Sens were completely outplayed by the Wild until the 16th minute when Vanek gave the Sens their fourth power play. A minute later, Stephane Veilleux and Patrick Wiercioch got caught up in the neutral zone. Wiercioch took an interference penalty and Veilleux took an embellishment penalty. 4-on-3 for the Senators for a minute followed by a minute of 4-on-4. Not much here, either.
Shots through two periods: Minnesota Wild 19, Ottawa Senators 9
Third Period:
Hoffman got his second of the night early in the 3rd to put the game away for Ottawa. Immediately after a face-off, a couple quick passes by Weircioch and Mark Stone made their way to Hoffman who was still in position from the face-off. Hoffman’s quick slapshot beat Backstrom through a screen. 3-0 Ottawa at 02:06 of the 3rd.
Minnesota tried and tried to get back on the board, but Anderson was in a groove. Granlund took a hooking penalty which ended the Wild’s cycling in the zone.
Two more power plays for the Wild, including one with a minute left, failed to convert. Really nothing else to report, as the Wild looked completely deflated. During the final power play, the Wild even pulled Backstrom to create a 6-on-4 just to avoid a shutout. As you can see from the score, the Wild didn’t manage to convert with two extra skaters.
Final shots on goal: Minnesota Wild: 35, Ottawa Senators 17
Trembley’s Take:
Two losses in a row for the Wild doesn’t sit well with me. I think part of this falls on Backstrom giving up 2 goals in short order. Backstrom had a dismal 0.824 save percentage and looks a bit worn out after a good start to the year. The Wild also fare terribly against the Ottawa Senators for some reason I can’t explain.
I understand sticking up for your teammates, but Scandella’s penalty cost the Wild the game as much as Backstrom’s play did. I don’t see the value in taking a 17 minute penalty to “stick up for your teammates” during a very close game; especially not for a clean hit that didn’t injure Pominville
The Lazar – Hoffman – Stone line looked good for the Sens, especially considering it’s made up of all rookies.
The Wild have yet to be outshot in a game this season, but still fall to 7-5-0 and move to 5th in the Central Division. I’ve heard a lot about the Wild running in to hot goaltenders. That shouldn’t matter. A good team, especially one as talented as the Wild should be able to finish.
Consider this: Fontaine and Erik Haula had an even-strength Corsi for at 80%. Vanek and Granlund were the only forwards with a sub-50% Corsi for. I think it’s absolutely insane that the Wild were shutout with numbers like that.
Not one Senator had an even strength Corsi For above 50%. The entire team was even or worse in possession yet they still won the game.
The Wild take on the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. I’ll talk to you then, Wild Fans.