Minnesota Wild Start Western Canadian Road Trip with Win in Vancouver

What a great all-around victory for the Minnesota Wild.  Coming into tonight’s game, Minnesota sat seven points out of the playoffs.  The Wild persevered and came out with two points.

For those of you that stayed up late into Thursday morning, I commend you.  A game that ended around 12:15 am didn’t disappoint.  With the Wild seven points behind a struggling Coyote team, desperation mode set in.  Right out of the gate the Wild had a good jump to their step.  62 seconds into the game Kevin roofed an absolute rocket from the right circle.

It was one of those shots you barley see and ask yourself, where did that even go in?  The answer is the top shelf, where mom hides the thin mints. It’s been a real treat to see Fiala develop this year.  If you’re looking for more on Fiala’s emergence this season check out Brandon Quast’s article earlier this week.

After a quick start, the Wild failed to register another shot on goal for ten minutes until Ryan Suter finally landed one.  After that shot, the Wild battened down the hatch and went to work.  The Wild received the games’ first power play but failed to convert.  The Wild’s sloppy play trying to enter the offensive zone cost them a chance to double the lead.  After the power play, Dubnyk came up with a big save on a J.T. Miller breakaway opportunity.

With 1:43 left in the 1st period, Joel Eriksson Ek took a holding penalty to put Vancouver on the power play.  A minute into the penalty kill, Ryan Hartman made a nice play on a puck in the defensive zone.  Instead of clearing the zone Hartman zipped a pass to Jordan Greenway, who had a step on Quinn Hughes.  With Greenway’s towering frame bearing down on Markstrom, Hughes was left with no other option than try to slow Greenway down.  In doing so, Hughes took a holding penalty and negated the power play.  The Wild finished out the remainder of the period and carried the 4 on 4 into the second period.

Wheels Fell Off the Wagon… At Least Until the New Guy Puts them Back On

The third period started much like the second with an early Vancouver goal.  J.T. Miller, on a redirection that slips right through Dubnyk’s legs.  It’s been a brutally difficult season for Dubnyk. It’s been tough to judge his play this season with what he has going on off of the ice.  The numbers are bad, we all know, but it’s just tough to be critical on his play from a fan standpoint.

Three minutes later Wild fans witnessed the impossible.  Not another third-period letdown?  J.T. Miller again from the left circle with an absolute cannon.  The Canucks had great puck movement on the play.  Resulting in Dubnyk moving from left to right, off-balance and trying to come out to challenge.  Dubnyk wasn’t able to get his glove on the puck as it whistled just underneath.  Moments before the goal the Wild lost a controversial race to the puck that would’ve been icing on Vancouver.  The icing was waved off and thus resulting in a goal for Vancouver. (editors note: not to mention Carson Soucy getting held up by the Linesman that waived off the Icing and allowed Vancouver to regain possession)

The Wild had their chances in the third.  Soucy had a great look, Greenway right after him on a rebound he couldn’t get to go.  Staal had a nice look on the side of the net but he didn’t pull the trigger in time.  It’s been a tough go for Staal lately.  His play as of late has been awful.  Slow on pucks, flat-feet, and unable to create offensively.

With 4:45 left in the third period, newly acquired winger Alex Galchenyuk scored his first goal as a member of Minnesota Wild.  Galchenyuk had the lunch pale mentality the entire game.  He got to the dirty areas and came out with pucks.  There was a sandpaper grit to his game tonight.  After Soucy’s shot went wide, Galchenyuk gathered the puck, turned and tried to center the puck.  The puck deflected off a Vancouver defender and found its home in the back of the net.

The Wild were able to secure a much-needed point in the standings.  Heading into the overtime frame the Wild are 3-7 in overtime sessions this season.

Minnesota has improved in OT play, would that continue tonight?

Entering overtime, The Minnesota Wild are problematic 3-7 on the season.  Vancouver holds a respectable record at 7-5.  Staal won the opening draw and the puck was given to the game-breaking Kevin Fiala.  It took less than 30 seconds for Fiala to generate a scoring chance for himself.  A nice save by Markstrom with his left pad kept Vancouver in the game.

The Wild went off on a change and the Eriksson Ek-Zuccarello-Spurgeon trio entered the game.  With little pressure sustained, the group exited the ice without a shot on net.  On the ensuing shift, newly acquired Tyler Toffoli entered the Wild zone on a 2-on-1.  Toffoli rifled a shot that was turned away by Dubnyk.

After gaining the zone once again, Kevin Fiala flew off the bench into the offensive zone.  Once inside the zone, he was given the puck. Fiala used his speed and edgework to work around the Vancouver defenders.  Skating around the back of the net, Fiala fired off a shot that just hit the side of the net.  Inches to the left and we would’ve been looking at yet another highlight-reel goal from Fiala this month.  Fiala continued to show his confidence and overwhelming speed in overtime.  It’s been a treat to watch Fiala this year.  The Wild have been without a player of this caliber since the Marion Gaborik days.  Both teams had a few minor changes but were not able to get the job done in overtime.

The shootout started with the Prince of Vancouver.  Pettersson rifled one past Dubnyk on the blocker side, 1-0.  Donato came down the ice moving side to side trying to open up Markstrom.  With his soft hands, Donato stickhandled and then came back left to his backhand, forcing Markstrom off balance.  In a desperation effort, Markstrom slid to his left and tried to make a glove save, but Donato put it top shelf on the backhand, 1-1.  The beauty of a goal that moved Donato to a 4/7 career in the shootout.  J.T. Miller, who already scored twice in the third made Dubnyk look silly in the shootout, 2-1.

Fiala came bearing down on Markstrom with the entire state of hockey waiting to stand up and cheer, but Markstrom shut the door, 2-1.  Toffoli with a chance to close out the game fired one over the net, 2-1.  Zuccarello skated onto the ice needing to score to keep the Wild alive.  Zuccarello started wide on the right side and cut back in toward the net.  Zuccarello stick-handled right and came back left putting Markstrom in the Whirlpool spin cycle, 2-2.

Dubnyk was able to shut the door on Pearson and Markstrom was able to do the same with Parise.  With the game on the line, Dubnyk came up big with a save on Horvat to give Galchenyuk a chance at the win.  It was a storybook finish, after his first goal as a member of the Wild, on Dad’s trip.  Playing arguably his best game, Galchenyuk goes backhand top shelf, where mom hides the Caramel Delights.  Galchenyuk seals the game and gives the old guys something to cheer about.  What a great first game of Dad’s trip.  It was great to see the Wild step up and get a much-needed win in front of the very men that taught them the game we all love.

During the post-game press conference, The Athletic’s Micheal Russo asked Head Coach Dean Evason about what was like to win his first game in front of his children.  You could see the emotion in Evason’s eyes talking about not watching Galchenyuk’s shoot-out attempt.  Instead, Evason’s attention was focused on the Suite where the players/coaches’ families were.  Evason said he watched his three kids stand up and start cheering.  That’s how Evason knew Galchenyuk netted the game-winner.  Evason said “It’s pretty special” referring to his kids being present for his first career NHL win as a head coach.  What a moment, and what a game for the Minnesota Wild.

The Wild will face the Edmonton Oilers Friday at 8 pm central time.

Drop a comment and tell me what you thought of the game.  Who’s going to come out on top Friday night when the Wild travel to Oil Country?  Will GM Bill Guerin be active before the Deadline?