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Minnesota Wild: J.T. Brown nets his first goal for the team

By Luke Ryan |
ST. PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 16: J.T. Brown #23 of the Minnesota Wild looks on from the bench during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center on October 16, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Coyotes 2-1.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 16: J.T. Brown #23 of the Minnesota Wild looks on from the bench during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center on October 16, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Coyotes 2-1.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)

It’s always great when a player gets off the mark for his new team. Even better when you’re Minnesota-born J.T. Brown scoring your first goal for the Minnesota Wild.

J.T. Brown is hardly a newcomer to the NHL; he’s been playing in the league since finishing up a stint in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the 2011-12 season by debuting with the Tampa Bay Lighting. The Minnesota native now finds himself in the Minnesota Wild colours.

He scored his first NHL goal in the 2013-14 campaign after spending the year learning the professional ropes in the AHL. No first goal, however, is likely sweeter than scoring for the sole NHL representative of your home state.

Going un-drafted, he was a bit of a long shot to make it to the big-time and was even invited to a Minnesota Wild development camp, though ultimately went unsigned. For J.T. Brown to now be playing and scoring for the Minnesota Wild is the best kind of poetic justice!

The goal itself was courtesy of the hard work of fellow summer signing, Eric Fehr. Fehr forced the turnover by St. Louis Blues defenseman, Jay Bouwmeester and Brown stepped in and went top-shelf on Jake Allen in the Blues’ net.

Needless to say, J.T. Brown was rather happy with the goal! Whilst the Minnesota Wild didn’t exist when he was born and the old North Stars relocated to Dallas when he was still a toddler, you can see how much it meant to Brown to score for his home state in the NHL.

With only 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist) in 10 games this year; he isn’t exactly prolific and is only logging an average of 7:32 ice-time, suggesting he isn’t exactly a first name on Bruce Boudreau‘s team-sheet.

If he can create some fourth-line momentum, which already showed in a second-best personal ice-time for the year, he should be able to continue suiting up regularly for the Minnesota Wild.

Next. A strong October sets the Wild up nicely. dark

As seen with this goal, the chemistry with Eric Fehr is certainly there. Hopefully they can continue to generate secondary scoring – the team is always calling out for it!

Statistics courtesy of Dobber Sports.

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