Minnesota Wild grind out over-time win over Tampa Bay
The Minnesota Wild were behind for a large amount of their game with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but ground out the win courtesy of team scoring; with no one single player taking the game on their back.
For the Minnesota Wild, this marks another win when their back was against the wall. Even early in the season, they’re showing that adversity is something they can deal with.
Heading in at the end of the first period down three goals to one and almost being doubled on the shot counter, you could easily be mistaken for thinking the Minnesota Wild were going to roll over and absorb the defeat to a pre-season Stanley Cup favourite.
Instead, team scoring came to the forefront with the whole team pushing forward in waves and eventually finding due rewards when Marcus Foligno netted on the breakaway and then Zach Parise converted at the end of a third period power-play tying the game up.
When Jason Zucker ripped a slap-shot home shortly after to give the Wild a lead, you’d be forgiven for questioning whether it was this season’s Minnesota Wild you were watching.
The whole team seemed galvanised by being backed into a corner, what with injuries and the other distractions of late, namely the captain celebrating a third child.
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Gone was the slow, ageing, much-maligned Minnesota Wild team that so many pundits were choosing to write off this early on.
Suddenly the team were attacking with purpose, and versus a team that they rightfully shouldn’t have been able to do so against.
In dragging the Lightning to over-time, the Minnesota Wild showed they meant business. More importantly, they showed a resilience and strength that we hadn’t seen so far this year.
Overtime saw Alex Stalock who found himself in net on the back-to-back, filling in for Devan Dubnyk, provide the helper on the game winner.
Proving the asset that a good puck-playing goaltender can be, he threaded a brilliant pass that resulted in Mikael Granlund‘s game-winner.
Sometimes you can push a side to over-time and not really deserve to take home the two points. On this occasion, the two points were well-deserved.
By the end of the night, twelve Minnesota Wild players had a point on the night; Charlie Coyle, of all the guys, the only one to have a multi-point night with his opening goal and an assist.
Next. With Hendricks out; who fills the void for Wild?. dark
A third straight win for the team, one where they truly played like they wanted it and suddenly the season ahead doesn’t look as murky. Right now it looks quite rosy.