Minnesota Wild: End Preseason with Loss to Avs in Overtime
The Minnesota Wild put forth their best effort of the preseason Friday against Colorado, but unfortunately came out on the wrong side of the overtime.
The Minnesota Wild went to Denver as the underdog, going up against the Colorado Avalanche’s top lineup. The Wild left Denver able to hold their heads high as they gave the Avalanche all they could handle, and it took a poor call from the refs in overtime to put away a great game.
Minnesota never led in the game, yet they showed enough determination and resiliency to battle back from 1-0 down and 3-1 down to take this game to overtime at all. Including a shorthanded goal in the final minutes to tie the game.
On top of that, the overtime goal was upheld after video review despite the Wild’s first preseason game being lost on a goal that should have been reviewed and wasn’t. As Wild fans, we were told that there was no video review in the preseason.
After some tough luck and poor calls in the preseason, hopefully the Wild can turn the poor luck around once the games matter. Now we have until next week to wait for the next hockey game.
The Wild finish the preseason at 2 wins and 5 losses, but the silver lining is that all of those losses were in the final 10 minutes of the 3rd period or in overtime. Minnesota won both games in which they started the majority of their starters, and kept every game close with a lineup made up of bottom line-up or Iowa players..
This is our final opportunity for our Top 3 Performers of the preseason. If you have been following and reading through the preseason, let me know what you think of the format and if there is anything you specifically like about these recaps, or if there is anything you would like to see from them in the future.
Colorado Avalanche’s Alexander Kerfoot
The Colorado Avalanche scored 3 goals in regulation, second year player Alexander Kerfoot was involved in all 3 of them. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists, and was easily the best player on the ice.
The first was a pass threaded through the defense by Tyson Barrie. Kerfoot threw on the speed and grabbed the pass before Dumba or Brodin could get to it. He made a quick snap shot over Stalock’s shoulder to open the scoring for the Avalanche.
Early in the second, minutes after the Minnesota Wild had tied the game, Kerfoot made a slick tic-tac-toe play to put Colorado back in front. He took a pass in the slot from Colin Wilson, and threaded it right back to the side of the net for a wide open Tyson Jost to slide the easy goal in.
Early in the 3rd period he did it again, taking the puck at the point on the powerplay and firing a shot pass at the stick of Matt Calvert for the deflection. At this point, Kerfoot had 3 points on the night, and the Avalanche had a 3-1 lead.
That doesn’t even take into account the beauty scoring chance he had immediately after the 2nd Colorado goal, with 2 swats from the sideboards that Stalock needed to be stellar for.
Kerfoot also had a penalty shot in the final minute of the 2nd period, after Jonas Brodin tackled him on a breakaway attempt. Kerfoot beat Andrew Hammond with the shot, but rang it off iron to keep the game 2-1 after 2.
To say he was Colorado’s entire offense is an understatement. This is taking into consideration that the Avalanche top line were dressed in this game and only had one scoring chance before overtime.
Eric Fehr
Eric Fehr was in a surprising placement for this game, but it didn’t seem to matter to the Minnesota Wild’s most consistent performer of training camp.
Fehr came out and played most of this game as the #1 center on the line between Jason Zucker and Mikael Granlund, and that line amounted for all of the Minnesota offense in this game.
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Fehr didn’t get credit on the scoresheet, but he was largely instrumental in the first Wild goal of the game. Forechecking deep in the Colorado zone he forced a turnover by Nikita Zadorov that went onto the stick of Zucker, who made a quick pass out front for Mikael Granlund to snipe it in.
Without the forecheck on that goal by Fehr, there wouldn’t be a turnover and there wouldn’t be a goal. This was 14 seconds into the second period, Fehr came out flying and caught the Avalanche flat footed in their own zone. It was a great play by a veteran expected to be on the 4th Line.
On the Penalty Kill in the final minutes, with the game slipping away from Minnesota, it was Fehr that flew up the ice with Zucker for the 2-on-1 opportunity that led to the tie game. It was slick skating for the veteran Fehr, to be able to keep up with the much faster and much younger Zucker.
On top of reaching the scoreboard, Fehr was not on the ice for any goals against, he went 7 for 11 (64%) in the faceoff circle, and spent time on both the powerplay and penalty in this one. He looked like he belonged on that first line.
Perhaps Fenton and Boudreau found another diamond in the rough with Fehr. He is a longtime NHL veteran, who has a history in his youth of being a big game player. At this point, he looks like a steal as a fourth line center who could see time further up the lineup if injuries befall the team.
Nino Niederreiter
Nino Niederreiter had his best game of the preseason, and it came at the exact right time. He potted a goal in this game, and looked to be using his large frame to create challenges for the opposing team.
Unfortunately he did find himself as the victim of the second goal, but the entire Minnesota team were standing around watching the Avs pass the puck around on that one. So, not entirely his fault.
His goal was a pretty little backhand play that Philipp Grubauer didn’t see until it was too late. Nino took a pass in front of the net, and instead of making a fancy move with the puck he just switched it to his backhand and slyly slid it between the legs of the Avs goalie.
It was a rare shift on the ice with Zucker and Granlund, and Nino made the best of the opportunity. Chances are those 3 won’t see much time together in even strength play, but they are set to be the top powerplay unit alongside Eric Staal when the season begins.
Minnesota is going to be relying on a big season from it’s big Swiss forward, and it’s good to see him get a goal on the board before the regular season begins. He was the only top forward who didn’t get on the board in last Saturday’s Avs/Wild game, so this was extremely important.
Nino was the odd man out in the lineup on this day, with both of his expected linemates being rested for the night, and spent time on nearly every line combination Boudreau could find for him. It’s definitely a positive when a player like that, on a scoring slump and struggling to get on the board, can break the slump while playing a rotating position among the roster.
Jason Zucker
Jason Zucker is a star. If you didn’t believe it after his breakout season last year, now seems like a good time to start buying what he is selling.
I’ve heard criticism of his season last year being a credit to Eric Staal’s resurgence, and that Zucker isn’t actually as good as his stats will show. Performances like this one against Colorado make it easy to see that Staal can’t get all the credit for Zucker being an offensive weapon.
Zucker was involved on all 3 Minnesota Wild goals. Finishing with the same 1 goal, 2 assist stat line as the Avalanche’s Kerfoot. Zucker was also all over the ice, beating Colorado players to loose pucks on the end boards, winning puck battles, and generally being in the right place at the right time.
His first goal, as noted, was a case of him being in the right place to take the pass when Fehr stole the puck. It also took great awareness and vision for Zucker (behind the net) to be able to see Granlund open on the other side of the ice and thread a pass across to him for the first goal.
His second point was due to pressure again down low on Zadorov. Zucker ran a dump-and-chase play into the Colorado zone, he threw it down behind the Avs net and then went after it. The pressure caused Zadorov to throw an errant pass that ended up on a Minnesota stick and then in the Avs net.
Then, Zucker topped off the evening with his best play of the night. He took a pass from Greg Pateryn and went off to the races. He used Fehr as a distraction on the other side of the ice, and opted to take the shot. Grubauer made the initial save, but Zucker rushed in for his own rebound and tied the game at 3 with 1:02 remaining in the 3rd period.
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The hustle he showed on his goal, was evident all night. It took that long to pot one in the net, but not for a lack of trying. Zucker had 2 takeaways in the game, and 3 shots on goal, and that doesn’t even feel like it does justice for how noticeable he was on the ice in this one. A fantastic effort that we hope to see repeated in the regular season opener next week.