{"id":608716,"date":"2017-01-19T23:07:54","date_gmt":"2017-01-20T04:07:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=608716"},"modified":"2017-01-19T23:07:54","modified_gmt":"2017-01-20T04:07:54","slug":"niederreiter-strikes-twice-as-wild-hold-on-for-4-3-win-over-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/niederreiter-strikes-twice-as-wild-hold-on-for-4-3-win-over-arizona\/","title":{"rendered":"Niederreiter Strikes Twice as Wild Hold On for 4-3 Win Over Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"
“Threw the game away”, “we played dumb” were all adjectives used by players and coaches of the Minnesota Wild after their 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. \u00a0With the Wild’s latest opponent, a team in a similar place in their respective standings in the Arizona Coyotes arriving to St. Paul no doubt Minnesota will be on guard to not have a repeat performance. \u00a0The Coyotes are a team biding its time, bottoming out so it can be power house in the future or at least that’s what their General Manager John Chayka<\/strong> hopes.<\/p>\n Chayka hopes that current miseries lead to future success with a model similar to that of the Toronto Maple Leafs. \u00a0The fact Chayka is an analytics guru only adds more visibility to this latest Coyotes’ rebuilding effort. \u00a0Will the Wild find themselves trapped again by the Desert Dogs or will they leave the Coyotes howling?<\/p>\n 1st Period Thoughts<\/span>: \u00a0 The game had a bit more of a cautious vibe to it as both clubs seemed wary of making the first mistake. \u00a0Initially the Wild who were sporting a variety of new forward combinations were struggling to connect a bit on their passes as you saw a lot of pucks going to the back skate instead of to the tape. \u00a0Minnesota would take an early lead as Eric Staal<\/strong> took a pass from Nino Niederreiter<\/strong> and raced into the Coyotes’ zone for a 2-on-1 with Charlie Coyle<\/strong> and with the lone Coyotes defender uncommitted took his chance to fire the puck and he found the back of the net as Louis Domingue<\/strong> was caught way out of position somehow. \u00a01-0 Wild. \u00a0Minnesota seemed to relax a bit and the Coyotes were not exactly peppering Devan Dubnyk<\/strong> with shots but the Wild almost appeared to want to defend their lead than to really add to it. \u00a0Zach Parise<\/strong> would drop a pass back to Jordan Schroeder<\/strong> who rang a shot off the crossbar and out. \u00a0A few minutes later Arizona would counter attack and Brendan Perlini<\/strong> was able to get a step on Nate Prosser<\/strong> and he’d rifle a shot by Dubnyk tying the game at 1-1 and making the sellout crowd think “here we go again.” \u00a0Fortunately the Coyotes would take a tripping penalty shortly after Perlini’s goal and the Wild would strike on the man advantage as Mikko Koivu<\/strong> worked the puck down low and then passed it out front to Niederreiter who one-timed a shot 5-hole by Domingue. \u00a02-1 Wild. \u00a0It was a nice answer to Perlin’s tally and the Wild had to feel good going into the 1st intermission with a lead. \u00a0Still, its a 1-goal lead and they know how well that stood up against New Jersey on Tuesday. \u00a0The Coyle, Staal, Niederreiter line already looks considerably more dangerous now that they’ve been reunited.<\/p>\n