Minnesota Wild: Special teams have been an issue over first week

The Minnesota Wild’s special teams have been anything but that through five games.

The Wild, who travel to Vancouver on Tuesday, have surrendered seven power-play goals, tied for the third-most in league with Arizona and Los Angeles. Winnipeg leads the league with 10 power-play goals allowed and Montreal is second with nine.

Minnesota also is ranked 15th overall with a man advantage, having converted on four of 20 opportunities (20%).

The team’s struggles in both areas were apparent in a 5-2 setback to Nashville on Sunday, the Wild’s first loss after four straight wins to open the schedule.  Nashville went 2-for-6 on its power-play opportunities while the Wild were 0-for-6.

Minnesota has also struggled with faceoffs on the special teams. The Wild rank 24th overall, winning 48.7% of faceoffs on the power play, and 27th  on the penalty kill, winning 38.9% of the opportunities.

Nashville won 7-of-8  faceoffs on the power play and 9-of-12 on the penalty kill.

The Wild are 16th in the league in faceoffs overall this season winning 50.2% of the opportunities.

“Faceoffs were horrible,” Wild coach Dean Evason said in postgame media session. “Both special teams, we didn’t start with the puck (off faceoffs) or get the clears that we wanted,” Evason said. “They were able to keep pucks in and momentum obviously is gained from that. That was definitely the start here tonight.

“Both special teams were not good tonight.”

Minnesota entered Sunday having allowed a power-play goal in each of the first four games of the season and the Predators Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen scored about two minutes apart in the Nashville’s first two power play opportunities to give the Predators a 2-0 lead just 5 minutes, 54 seconds into the game.

After Johansen’s goal, the Wild had a 63% percentage on the penalty kill for the season. Minnesota was able to kill the next four opportunities but still ranks 28th in the league with a 69.6% success rate.

“We didn’t have a lot of energy at the start there and give them credit, they took it to us right off the bat,” Wild defenseman and captain Jared Spurgeon said. “(Nashvile) got the two power-play goals as well and that’s something we have to get better at is killing those penalties.

“Blocking shots is a big thing, but (also getting clears and not letting them get set up as easily,” Spurgeon said. ” I think once they’ve been in the zone, we haven’t been able to get the pressure we’ve been able to in the past. When they get the middle of the ice, it’s tough to sort of create those bobbles and get the puck out.”

The Wild’s three road opponents this week have all struggled on the power play so far this season.

Vancouver entered the week ranked 14th overall, having converted 5-for-23 opportunities (21.7%). Seattle (3-of-17, 17.7%) and Colorado (2-of-20, 10%) rank 19th and 25th, respectively.

Colorado has killed 87.5% of its penalties. Seattle and Vancouver have killed 85.7% and 75%, respectively.