The Minnesota Wild were still riding the high off their recent win over the New York Rangers when they took on the New York Islanders on Tuesday evening, Nov. 7. The Wild kept their new line combinations going, and things started with a bang as the Wild scored the first goal of the game just 19 seconds in. They held the lead for half the period before the Islanders got into the game with a goal to tie it at one apiece.
When the second period started, the tides turned in the Islanders’ favor, and they took their first lead of the game on a power play goal. To many Wild fans, it probably felt like the same old routine starting again, but this time, the Wild fought back with another goal to tie it at two.
The Wild forced the momentum back to them in the third period and didn’t give it back as they added two goals and stole the game 4-2. It was an up-and-down game but much better than the Wild have been doing most of the season, and it’s turning in the right direction. Much of the credit has to go to their man in the net, Marc-André Fleury, which is where we’ll start this article.
Wild’s Fleury Gets One Win Closer
Things may have seemed a little rocky during the Islanders’ first and second goals, but Fleury stepped up big following that second goal. He made some big saves that kept the Wild in the game until they could score their own goals. He stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced for a .931 save percentage and one more win closer to catching Patrick Roy’s second-place spot for all-time wins. He’s four wins away from tying Roy and five wins away from passing him.
When most Wild fans thought they’d seen everything Fleury had to offer, he devised another spectacular way to make a save and keep the Wild in the game. Thankfully, this time, he had a bit of defensive help as well, with 22 blocked shots by his teammates. It was just the third time the Wild have blocked over 20 shots, and they need to continue that trend moving forward.
Wild’s New Scorers
While Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are known for their scoring abilities, and they did get two of the Wild’s four goals, the other two goals were from names not expected to be on the scoresheet. The first was Pat Maroon, who has been more offensive in these first 12 games with his second goal of the season, and it got the Wild on the board.
He’s proven his worth in the last few games by showing how strong he is at puck handling and even showing some bursts of speed. Maroon was also able to slow down with the puck and take time to make decisive passes, something the Wild have struggled with this season. He may have gotten the goal that started the game, but another got the game-tying goal to pull his team back into it, and that was Vinni Lettieri.
It was his first goal in a Wild jersey, and it gave his team the boost they needed to pull themselves back in after having an early lead slip away. It was also notable for another reason: for the second article in a row, I get to mention the great Lou Nanne.
He is Lettieri’s grandfather and was actually in the broadcast booth calling the game on TV and was able to call his grandson’s goal. It was the first time Nanne had called an NHL game with his grandson playing. When asked about the goal during the intermission break, Lettieri said his teammates yelled “Lou” as a joke on the bench. It was a great moment for a player who has worked hard to earn a spot on the roster.
Wild Have Things to Adjust
The first item on the Wild’s list is their penalty kill; of course, it’s still suffering without Jared Spurgeon plus Frédérick Gaudreau, but it has made slight improvements. They only allowed one power play goal against the Islanders, but again, they took too many penalties. However, they were more aggressive this time, and they have to keep that up if they hope to continue to kill off penalties successfully.
Their power play is second on the list of things to improve, and Nanne had something to say about that as well. The Wild have been experimenting with their top power-play unit being all forwards, and while it’s great offensively, Nanne pointed out the Wild have to make sure their point man knows how to defend, or it could fall apart horribly.
They do have to be careful with taking the body, however, as that has led to some sloppy penalties. Unfortunately, Matt Boldy was caught in the penalty box after taking an offensive zone cross-checking penalty. It was just part of a struggling night for Boldy, who did have an assist, but as the game went on, he struggled to hold onto the puck. Hopefully, it’s just a one-night hiccup, and he’ll be back to his scoring self soon.
Wild Face Rangers Again
Like their meetings with the New Jersey Devils, the Wild will face the New York Rangers for the second time in under a week on Thursday, Nov. 9. The Wild found a way to get back on the winning track when they took on the Rangers the first time. That win motivated them to earn their second straight win when they took down the Islanders, and they’ll be looking to make it three and take the season series on Thursday.
Related: Wild’s Kaprizov Needs to Simplify His Game
The Wild have to find a way to stop Artemi Panarin, who has been on fire for the Rangers with 20 points already in 12 games. He’s had at least one point in every game he’s played, and the Wild would love to be the first team to hold him pointless. They’ll also have to watch out for Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Erik Gustafsson.
The Wild’s offense will likely face Jonathan Quick in the net again as Igor Shesterkin is still dealing with an injury. They did find success against Quick their first time around, and hopefully, they’ll be able to do it again and secure their third straight win.
