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Minnesota Wild: A Win Over Winnipeg in Suter’s Return

By Cody Defoe

ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 17: Devan Dubnyk #40 of the Minnesota Wild defends his goal against Brandon Tanev #13 of the Winnipeg Jets in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xcel Energy Center on April 17, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 17: Devan Dubnyk #40 of the Minnesota Wild defends his goal against Brandon Tanev #13 of the Winnipeg Jets in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xcel Energy Center on April 17, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Wild Mikael Granlund
ST. PAUL, MN – JANUARY 13: Minnesota Wild Right Wing Mikael Granlund (64) takes a shot on goal during a NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets on January 13, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The Wild defeated the Jets 4-1.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Mikael Granlund

Mikael Granlund has had a rough go so far in this preseason, but finally managed to turn that around against Winnipeg. His line was buzzing all game against Colorado on Saturday, but could not manage to score more than a single goal.

This game changed that, as Granlund setup 2 of the Wild goals, including the game-tying goal in the 3rd. Early in the first, Granlund got things going on a spectacular solo effort reminiscent of the goal he scored way back in the playoffs against Colorado.

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He out-muscled and out-hustled the Jets’ Byfuglien and Andrew Copp, stripping Copp of the puck once, stripping Byfuglien twice, and then fighting off both defenders to power his way to the net before flipping it neatly over the goalie.

Eric Staal tapped it out of the air with a baseball swing to record the goal, but all the credit on that one goes to Granlund. He was a man on a mission and refused to take no for an answer, battling hard to get his first of the preseason.

The second was a pretty setup, but all the hard work goes to Jason Zucker for it. Granlund took a pass on the side boards and sent a streaking Zucker into the zone. Zucker made a power move to the net and slipped it in neatly.

Zucker and Staal had looked good and been clicking at even strength in every game to this point, it was good to see Granlund finally get with the program and produce his own value to that line. The Wild will be looking for lots of points from this top line this season, so they need to be clicking.

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