2/6 @ Arizona Loss 3-2
Coming out of the break the Wild needed a hot start and they needed a victory or two to keep pace. This was not the start they needed as they lost 3-2 to a very beatable team. Fleury was in the net and stopped 33 of 36 shots. The defense this season has struggled to say the least and this game was no different. Kaprizov continued his good season with another goal.
2/8 @ Dallas Loss 4-1
This isn’t the start I expected coming out of the break. The Wild lose 4-1. Joel Eriksson Ek scored on a power play to get Minnesota within 3-1 late in the second, and the Wild had Ryan Hartman’s goal just 30 seconds later called off for goalie interference against Jordan Greenway. Minnesota has lost five consecutive road games in regulation. Gustavsson stopped 33 of 36 shots. In this game, the offense struggled to get going but the defense didn’t help matters.
2/9 vs Las Vegas Loss 5-1
Another game this week, another loss. This hasn’t been the best week for the Wild as they lose another game this time at home 5-1 to Vegas. The Wild, playing their first home game in 12 days, started a vital seven-game homestand against a bunch of winning teams. With three straight ugly losses out of their eight-day break, they’re in a precarious position for the playoffs — tied with Calgary for the second wild-card spot. Nicolas Roy, Alex Pietrangelo, Paul Cotter , and Reilly Smith also scored against former Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who had little help in front of him and lost his cool after giving up Eichel’s goal that was the fourth of the second period for the visitors. Fleury faced 23 shots and stopped 18. Fleury has struggled this season. Kaprizov scored his team-leading 29th goal of the season.
2/11 vs New Jersey
The Wild finally got back in the win column after the break winning 3-2 in a shootout. Gustavsson started in the net and stopped 27 of 29. He has had a solid season to date and I believe he should be our number 1. Hartman and Eriksson-Ek both scored for the Wild. Wild won 2-0 in the shootout with Zuccarello and Gaudreau both scoring. Hopefully, this will be the start of a much-needed streak.
Next week’s schedule:
2/13 vs Florida 26-22-6
2/15 vs Colorado 27-19-4
2/17 vs Dallas 30-14-10
Phil K