Gone Puck Wild
Fansided

Minnesota Wild: Another Blown 3rd Period Opportunity

By Cody Defoe

ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 20: Dallas Stars left wing Valeri Nichushkin (43) redirects a puck on net in the 1st period during the preseason game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild on September 20, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 20: Dallas Stars left wing Valeri Nichushkin (43) redirects a puck on net in the 1st period during the preseason game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild on September 20, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Wild
DALLAS, TX – SEPTEMBER 18: Miro Heiskanen #4 of the Dallas Stars skates the puck against the St. Louis Blues during a preseason game at American Airlines Center on September 18, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen

If the performance of Miro Heiskanen in his first 2 games against the Minnesota Wild is a sign of what’s to come, then it could be a long painful career for Wild fans as far as games against the former Minnesota team go.

Heiskanen followed up a 2 goal performance from Traverse City by opening the scoring in this game with a quick wrist shot that bounced off Kyle Rau’s glove on its way past Dubnyk.

The former 3rd overall pick is earning a lot of praise in Dallas, and is looking like he could be a consistent thorn in the side of the Minnesota Wild this season and beyond. I’m not thrilled with this development, and you shouldn’t be either.

Heiskanen is brand new to the NHL, and the North American game, as he played last season in Finland. The fact that he is this good already, and doesn’t appear to be having any difficulty adjusting to the American game doesn’t bode well.

He’s only going to continue to get better as the season rolls on, and Minnesota will have to face him and the Stars on 5 different occasions. If they can’t figure out how to shut down a rookie, he will continue to take advantage.

Heiskanen was the top defender on Dallas’ roster Thursday, he finished with the 1 goal and a +1 while playing 23:23 of Ice time. Only Jared Spurgeon was on the ice more than him.

Heiskanen did more than hit the score sheet, though. He was also on the ice for a crucial penalty kill minutes before the Stars’ go-ahead goal, twice blocking shots from Niederreiter forcing the Wild to reset their play.

He has the makings of a great defender in this league. One that could be on his way to a Calder Trophy season. I’m just a little envious he’s not on the Wild’s back end.

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