Minnesota Wild: Bad Third Period Play Allows Devils to Burn the Wild

The Minnesota Wild seemed to be able to win in their last three games previous to last night despite a lack of consistent effort for all sixty minutes from start to finish of the hockey game. Last night in New Jersey that lack of consistent effort caught up with them as they lost in OT 2-1 against the Devils.

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Conventional hockey logic suggests that the best path to victory is to dominate the first period. Get the lead, set the pace of play, and don’t look back the rest of the game…play sixty minutes of solid hockey. The Minnesota Wild in their last three wins seemed to be ignoring that wisdom, as they seemed to have issues late in the third period where their opponents almost came back but ran out of time.

Last night in New Jersey that kind of play finally bit the Wild.

In their wins against Winnipeg, LA, and Toronto the Wild were scored on first in all three games. After those initial score or scores, the Wild seemed to do well to pick up the pace of play and outscore and outshoot their opponents to take control of the game. In all three games they seemed to be in control of the game until the halfway mark of the third period, and then the let up and the other team was all the sudden pressing the play making shots and threating to steal the game away.

A great example of this listlessness in the third period is the win against the Maple Leafs. The Wild had a one goal lead on the Leafs but were outshot 10 to 9 in the period. A further drilldown of that shows that Toronto outshot the Wild 6 to 0 in the final five minutes of that game. Luckily none of those shots found the back of the net, but at the same time you couldn’t help but wonder why the Wild were letting up so much.

Oct 22, 2016; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider (35) makes a save while Minnesota Wild left wing Zach Parise (11) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson (28) battle during the third period at Prudential Center. The Devils defeated the Wild 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

Last night in New Jersey the story was similar to the Toronto game, except this time the Wild ended up losing. The Devils outshot the Wild in the third period 11 to 8, but in the last five minutes shots were a little more even as the Wild actually outshot the Devils 4 to 3. Then came the overtime and the Wild continued their downfall and allowing the Devils to nail the coffin in twenty-nine seconds and only one shot on goal as Koivu let Hall and Henrique crisscross him.

It just seemed that the momentum swung completely toward the Devils after the goal by PA Parenteau. The Wild were getting worn out trying to switch from sitting on the puck playing defense, to getting back to the play pressing scoring mode they needed to get the winning goal. Further complicating that was excellent play of Devils goaltender Cory Schneider who seemed to kill any chances at the Wild gaining enough momentum to get the game winner late in the third.