Minnesota Wild Win an Important Game against Montreal Canadiens

After several days off after an awful game Thursday, the Minnesota Wild get a much-needed win on home ice. Is this a turn in Minnesota’s awful start?

Minnesota Wild fans, how good did that win feel? After a great first, a nearly pedestrian second, and the tension in the third, the relief watching the Wild close out that game is on par with Thanksgiving Dinner. After Thursday’s game, morale was the lowest I’ve seen in my few years watching the Minnesota Wild. Watching the Wild get blanked, dominated, and arguably clowned Thursday was demoralizing and sad. Then the reports of the closed player’s team meeting with an angry Mikko Koivu eviscerating the team came out. Yikes. I am not upset that it happened, I am upset it got to that point. I believe Koivu could turn a human into ice with an intense enough stare.

Then the media got their time with the players.

Wow.

Let me ask a question before I give my take, and ultimately the recap of the Minnesota Wild Win yesterday.

Why are We (local fans, fans of other teams, national media) upset about players giving cold hard truths? Seriously, Jason Zucker’s quote was 100% right and being honest is much better than the stereotypical dry and lacking response to media questions. The team, from the head coach to the players with the least amount of ice time, had to be better. That wasn’t Zucker solely blaming Bruce Boudreau for (at that point) the Wild winning only one game in the seven total played. Zucker was saying the team was playing badly, and that there are things that have to be done.

For example, Tape-to-tape passes. Finishing a Rush with a goal. Give lines that, although haven’t done much yet, a chance to build chemistry and more opportunities to succeed. Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ignore the amount of talent they have for a second; it’s massive news when Coach Mike Babcock CHANGES the composition of his lines. Seriously, he will drive lines into walls before he changes them. I’m not saying Bruce Boudreau needs to adopt that mentality, but when you combine established chemistry with ability, good things happen. Players on the Wild were disgruntled with Bruce shifting lines- Zach Parise admitted openly, as reported by Michael Russo, and an unnamed player, as reported by KFAN’s Brandon Mileski.

More importantly, though, THE WILD WERE PLAYING POORLY. If you were on Twitter looking at what fans of the Minnesota Wild were saying, it was almost ubiquitously:

“Taaaaaaaaaank #LoseForLafreniere #BombForByfield”.

I am not innocent of this, in the last article I wrote (morning of the 4-0 loss to Montreal) I mentioned that if the season continues this way, I understand the desire to tank.

Now that isn’t to say that this one win will 180 Minnesota’s season, but it was important.

Also, there will be several asterisks in this recap. All of them mean: “Montreal was on the second half of a road back to back”

Hey. Let’s talk about yesterday’s Win.

Period One

The best period of hockey the Minnesota Wild have played this season. Great forechecking. Solid puck movement. Kevin Fiala’s best period of hockey all season. Good, solid play in their defensive zone.*

Ryan Hartman was the living embodiment of the style of play this period.

Started with a tough blocked shot against Shea Weber.

Shea Weber did this to Joel Eriksson Ek Thursday.

Ryan Hartman would then catch a stick in his mouth resulting in a double minor power play for the Minnesota Wild.

Jason Zucker, following up his “controversial” quote post-game Thursday, did this

https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1186030950368600065

Jordan Greenway-Eric Staal-Kevin Fiala each had strong periods despite being kept off the score sheet. Forced the Canadiens to take a penalty.*

Carson Soucy put a strong slapshot on the net that produced a huge rebound that Gabriel Dumont (Minnesota Wild debut) just missed on it. The puck was on edge, if it’s flat it’s a 2-0 game.

Power Play specialist Brad Hunt also played perfect defense on a Nick Suzuki breakaway.

To end the period, the Minnesota Wild would get another man advantage, but the best opportunity was on a spectacular no-look cross-ice pass from Mikko Koivu to Jared Spurgeon that Keith Kinkaid (has two K’s, not a K and a C by the way) stonewalled.

That period was fun! Let’s continue it in the second.*

*reminder Montreal played Saturday*

Period Two

The Wild wouldn’t score on the remaining time of their one-man advantage, and then Matt Dumba would take an interference penalty.

Devan Dubnyk would make a save on a shot that produced a huge rebound. Tomas Tatar buried it.

Alright, it’s a tie game. Not great, but it was with the man advanta-

Montreal scored sixteen seconds later. Ryan Hartman would turn the puck over in his zone, Phillip Danault would tuck it into the net.*

All the momentum is gone. The Wild are doomed. They’ve given up the lead. Keith Kinkaid makes THIS save.*

Eric Staal had a wide-open net that a Canadiens defender just barely gets a stick on the shot and blocks it.

But the Wild hold the zone. They trapped the Canadiens.

Then with fifteen seconds left in the period, it happened.

The Moose got Loose.

https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1186050312441860098

Tied going into the last twenty minutes. Might have been the most tension-filled hockey of the season. If the Wild complete the comeback and win, could this be the jumpstart the team needed? If the Wild can’t finish and fall to the Canadiens, the player’s meeting was all for naught, the seat under Bruce might get a bit warmer, and more players hit the trade block.

Here we go.

*MTL 2nd game in as many days*

Period Three

For the second straight period, Devan Dubnyk would make the initial save just to have the rebound hop onto a Montreal Canadiens stick and have the puck hit the twine. Here’s where I’ll give Devan Dubnyk a break. Matt Dumba has to seal off Phillip Danault there. Rather than eliminate Danault’s great positioning, Dumba interferes more with Duby and restricts his ability to make a save.

Besides the point, the Minnesota Wild are down again. Have to get at least two goals for the win.

Carson Soucy and Marcus Foligno, in rapid succession, have spectacular high effort plays to make sure to deny shots from Canadiens, whether with a stick or the body. It feels like they’re playing to break a slump.

Ryan Donato, who quietly had a good game, missed from point-blank.

Carson Soucy, who has been one of the bright spots of this dim season thus far, made a spectacular effort to win possession of the puck behind Devan Dubnyk’s net and the Canadiens would take an offensive zone penalty.*

Early in the power play:

https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1186059287245799424

How perfect was that? Every player was involved. Staal did a great job on the faceoff dot, Kunin helped get the puck to Greenway who got the puck to the blue line. Dumba would fake his powerful shot and fed Brad Hunt the puck. Buried. Tied.

Less than five minutes, the Wild gained possession of the puck in their zone. A rush broke out. Most everyone figured that it wouldn’t result in anything. Probably just a dump in.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1186071858598293504

Wow. That’s perfect. And that pass.

The Minnesota Wild would close out the game and get their first victory at home this season. Weird to think it was only their second home game. Great way to start the homestand.

*MTL on a back-to-back. I’m sure you get the idea.*