Strong Effort Carries Wild to 2-1 Victory Over Columbus

Happy Hockey Day Minnesota everyone!  I can’t believe its been 5 years since Hockey Day Minnesota made its home in my hometown of Elk River.  I remember going to see the outdoor game between Elk River and Stillwater, the super slippery bleachers, the biting cold and the sweet enjoyment of victory both on the ice at ‘the Pit’ and at Xcel Energy Center.  This year, Hockey Day Minnesota makes it home in Bemidji.  -26 degrees, so cold the top of the glass frosts up unless they take a blowtorch to it.  It was easier to stay inside and enjoy the action on TV than to brave the elements.

Columbus comes to town after having lost last night against Montreal, a loss which had them lose their spot atop the Metropolitan Division.  No doubt the Blue Jackets will be motivated to spoil Hockey Day Minnesota against a team whose confidence is probably a bit shaky right now.  The home club has been 9-2-1 on Hockey Day Minnesota since it started 12 years ago.  Can the Wild get win #10 on Hockey Day Minnesota tonight?

1st Period Thoughts:  The game had great pace as both teams appeared motivated and hungry.  Pontus Aberg was throwing his body around and this helped free up the puck and then moments later he’d make a nice pass up to Zach Parise who took a shot off the rush that was knocked down by Sergei Bobrovsky.  Unfortunately the Wild would take a ‘too many men’ penalty early as Victor Rask who played a puck as he was just about to exit the ice.  The Wild would have a scare early on the power play as the Blue Jackets worked the puck in close and Devan Dubnyk had to reach back to make a dramatic save.  The Wild would get the big early kill.  Cohesion was elusive as the Blue Jackets were doing a good job at limiting passing lanes and the Wild were having a hard time exiting their end cleanly.  The Wild were backchecking fairly well at denying the Blue Jackets from having much time and space of their own.  Shots were few and far between, even though the pace of play was fast.  Dubnyk would make a sprawling stop on Josh Anderson from in close and the Wild at times would be scrambling in its own end.  A few minutes later the Wild would have a flurry of their own that started with a shot on goal by Aberg that Bobrovsky knocked down and as the Wild battled to jam home the rebound they just couldn’t lift the puck up and over the sprawling goalie.  The physical play started to intensify as the Wild were throwing their weight around as Marcus Foligno leveled his brother Nick Foligno with a big hit that drew a few pushes and shoves near the Blue Jackets’ bench.  Minnesota was simplifying its approach, taking any opportunity to fire a puck on goal as Eric Staal let go of a shot near the boards that Bobrovsky stopped and covered up.  The Wild would not let up and they’re persistence would be rewarded as Staal found Jordan Greenway for a one-timer that he rifled by Bobrovsky.  1-0 Wild.  Minnesota could sense there was blood in the water, and they continued to swarm in the Columbus’ zone.  Parise sent a pass to Rask who sort of mishandled the puck but it was swept up by Aberg who ripped a shot on goal that Bobrovsky stopped and Parise would gather up the rebound and fire it back on goal that managed to find its way by the sprawling goalie.  2-0 Wild.  On the very next shift the Wild would draw a Columbus penalty as David Savard slashed Charlie Coyle who was searching for a rebound after a shot by Staal.  Minnesota didn’t do much with the man advantage but they were using their new personnel and didn’t look too out of place.  Good opening period for the Wild.

2nd Period Thoughts:  Minnesota had a short amount of power play time left to start the period and they used to it to apply pressure early as Staal set up Coyle for a chance from just above the crease that forced Bobrovsky to make a leg pad save.  The Wild continued to pepper Bobrovsky with shots as they were winning the races to the loose pucks but perhaps they’d get a little too excited as Parise was given an interference penalty.  Minnesota’s penalty kill had good puck pressure and Joel Eriksson Ek would intercept a pass and he’d create a 2-on-1 between himself and Marcus Foligno.  With the defenseman splitting the difference Eriksson Ek fired a wrist shot that rang off the cross bar and out.  Unfortunately the Blue Jackets would regroup and Artemi Panarin would take advantage of the fact Dubnyk was guessing where the puck would be based on a Nick Foligno screen and Panarin would fire a laser that beat the Wild goalie.  2-1 Wild.  Minnesota would try to answer back as Parise nearly set up Aberg for a tap in goal in a 2-on-1.  Eriksson Ek had some great chances including point-blank range chance that he rang off the left post.  The Wild would go back on the penalty kill as Luke Kunin was called for tripping.  Minnesota’s penalty kill was giving the Blue Jackets’ point men a lot of time and space as they tried to occupy the middle of the ice.  The Blue Jackets would help relieve the Wild’s situation as Cam Atkinson was called for slashing negating their man advantage.  Minnesota had an abbreviated power play, which they didn’t do a lot with it, but they did draw a goaltender interference penalty on Seth Jones giving them a short two-man advantage.  The Blue Jackets’ penalty kill pressured the puck carrier well enough to make it difficult for the Wild to do much of anything.  Columbus would try to counter attack shorthanded as Mikko Koivu got tagged with a slashing call to Lukas Sedlak.  On the power play Columbus nearly cashed in as Dubnyk got a piece of an Atkinson chance from in close that went just wide.  The Blue Jackets would attack with speed, setting up Panarin for a shot that Dubnyk held onto as Columbus tried shoving him into the goal that drew the ire of Nick Seeler and Greg Pateryn.  Minnesota would kill off the penalty.  Good energy, but still a bit troubling that its still a 1-goal game despite all of the prime opportunities the Wild had to extend its lead.

3rd Period Thoughts:  The Wild would again start the period with outstanding pressure as Zucker got free for a partial breakaway but he wasn’t able to tuck it by a sprawling Bobrovsky.  Koivu would have a chance seconds later that Bobrovsky stopped and Minnesota had a few other dangerous shots that just missed the mark and it remained a one-goal game.  The Blue Jackets would counter with some good pressure of their own as they bottled Minnesota up in its own end as Zach Werenski fired a sharp angle shot that Dubnyk held onto.  Columbus would follow that up with more pressure from its top line of Anthony Duclair, Panarin and Pierre-Luc Dubois that gave Minnesota some trouble.  The Wild would respond with a determined effort of their own as Jones hauled down Zucker who was charging through the middle of the ice.  On the power play, the Wild moved the puck well enough, but Columbus did a good job of working bodies into shooting lanes and they were unable to apply any pressure on Bobrovsky.  Columbus would get the kill and go right back on the attack and Dubnyk found himself busy with plenty of company near his crease.  The two clubs were playing tenacious defense looking to force that critical turnover.  Minnesota would appear to create that turnover as Ryan Murray couldn’t poke check away a puck from Rask who moved in and made a quick move and rang a shot off the left post.  The Wild would have another great chance on the next shift as Coyle let go a shot in the slot that Bobrovsky kicked away.  The Blue Jackets would pull Bobrovsky with about two minutes left for an extra attacker.  Minnesota would circle the wagons in front of Dubnyk and clear the zone a few times as Columbus would reset and attack again before the Wild managed to dig out the puck and salt away the rest of the time.  It was a good team effort that yielded a 2-1 victory.

Wild Notes:

~ The Wild roster was as follows: Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, Charlie Coyle, Eric Staal, Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Pontus Aberg, Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, Joel Eriksson Ek, Victor Rask, Marcus Foligno, Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Greg Pateryn, Nick Seeler and Louie Belpedio.  Alex Stalock backed up Devan Dubnyk.  Matt Hendricks and Nate Prosser and J.T. Brown were scratches.

~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Zach Parise, 2nd Star Jordan Greenway, 3rd Star Devan Dubnyk

~ Attendance was 19,054 at Xcel Energy Center.

~ Victor Rask wore #49 joining Dan Fritsche in having worn the number.

Iowa Wild Report:

Iowa 5, Ontario 6

Wild Prospect Report:

C – Ivan Khovanov (Moncton, QMJHL) ~ the skilled Russian continues his strong season with a goal and went 4-for-7 on his draws in Moncton’s 3-2 shootout loss to Cape Breton on Friday night.  Khovanov has 21 goals, 52 points, 66 PIM’s and is a +1 in 42 games.

RW – Nick Swaney (Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC) ~ the former Lakeville South star had a goal and an assist on 4 shots as Minnesota-Duluth rolled to a 4-0 win over Miami (OH).  Swaney has 7 goals, 14 points, and is +7 in 19 games.

C – Sam Hentges (St. Cloud State, NCHC) ~ the freshman had an assist in St. Cloud State’s 2-0 win over Western Michigan.  Hentges has 5 goals, 11 points, 14 PIM’s and is a +11 in 19 games.