Alex Bader
The Minnesota Wild gutted out a much-needed win at the TD Garden over the Boston Bruins by a score of 3-2. It was a strong effort where the Wild came out from the start and played determined hockey. Once they got the lead, they held on.
The Wild entered the game with a slew of guys injured or in Covid protocol and unfortunately they lost another to an injury halfway through the game. Kaprizov went down from a dirty hit and was ruled out in the second period with an upper-body injury.
This was a game that had many storylines.
Marcus Foligno and Nick Foligno played each other for the first time this year. It was also the first time after Nick used the Wild as a bargaining chip to get more money from Boston during free agency. It would always be fun to be playing against your sibling in a professional sport, and Foligno certainly had fun. He was involved in a goal and a fight in the game.
The biggest storyline coming into the game has to be the NHL debuts of Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy. They were drafted together and took their solo laps together.
Boldy grew up a few miles from the TD Garden and went to Boston College until he went to Iowa. He lived the dream of playing his first game in the NHL in his hometown. He was gifted to have his whole family and friends and teammates come to watch him play. He rewarded them and Wild fans alike with his first goal in the league.
The goal ended up being the game-winning goal, another positive in what was already a storied debut.
Rossi had his debut a year after he was diagnosed with Myocarditis, which ended any hope of him playing hockey last year. His parents were also present to see him play in his first game. He had a great game as well.
We may end up seeing one or both of them for a longer time due to the injuries piling up, including the one that may hurt the most with Kaprizov.
It was a dirty hit and a bad hit. Kaprizov was falling into the boards and couldn't protect himself from Frederic, who hit him into the boards at an awkward angle. Kaprizov immediately went down the tunnel and was ruled out for the rest of the game and most likely out for the foreseeable future.
The way he fell and was walking down the tunnel it looked like a collarbone or shoulder injury. Let's hope that it isn't too serious, but for Kaprizov to go down the tunnel and not return means that he is really, really hurt. (Scroll down to see the hit)
Hopefully, it is not as serious as it looked.
Game Recap:
The Wild needed to come out hot and play hard early to set the tone of the type hockey they want to play. Coming off of the embarrassment that was the Winter Classic, getting a hot start was crucial.
It would be a challenge with so many guys out of the lineup, including Duhaime, who entered the Covid protocols before the game. They would need guys to step up and have their leaders lead by example if they wanted to end the five-game losing streak.
Rossi drew a penalty in his first NHL shift. The Wild got an early power-play and had a great chance to take the lead. It was also a great chance for the rookies, Boldy and Rossi, to get their first looks on an NHL power-play.
They had a great chance, but couldn't capitalize.
The Wild had a much better start and were skating hard, something Wild fans have not seen recently.
Boston responded with a push and got rewarded with a 5-on-3 man advantage. Fiala went for slashing and Dumba had to take a holding penalty to save what would've been a goal.
Minnesota needed a big kill.
Gaudreau drew a penalty to reduce the man advantage to 4-on-3 for 26 seconds.
Taylor Hall scored on the power-play to give the Bruins the lead.
The Wild had a power-play for 94 seconds, but couldn't get the tying goal. The Bruins had the 1-0 lead with 10 minutes left to play.
The Wild responded with a late push and were rewarded with a 5-on-3 man advantage of their own with 5:11 left to play in the first period.
Kaprizov tied the game with a one-timer from Zuccarello. It was a tied game and the Wild still had a man advantage.
The Wild scored the go-ahead goal with two seconds left on the second power-play. After Sturm was booted, Connor Dewar won the face-off and Brodin picked up the puck who blasted it from the point. It was Dewar's first NHL point with the assist and Sturm picked up the goal after it deflected off of him.
Wild had the lead, 2-1.
The Bruins were not happy.
The Wild got another power-play with 1:48 left in the first period. After the whistle with several players were engaged in a tussle. It was Zuccarello who drew the extra penalty in the favor of Minnesota.
Minnesota went into the second period up by one and had significant momentum going into the intermission.
They started the second period with 12 seconds left on the power-play but couldn't score.
Goligoski took Hall down and it put Boston on the power-play with a chance to tie the game with 15 minutes to play in the period.
Minnesota killed the penalty.
With 9:48 left to play in the second period, Frederic checked Kaprizov in what was an extremely dirty hit. Kulikov went after Frederic for the dirty hit. Frederic got a penalty.
Kaprizov went down the tunnel cradling his right arm and it did not look good. Not good at all for this Minnesota team.
"Predatory," said Dean Evason on the hit that injured Kaprizov. "Very frustrated about the way Kirill got hurt. (Kaprizov) is as tough and gritty as you get and he doesn't come back in that hockey game. it doesn't look good."
The Wild were now down their star player.
Leave no fear, the future star, Matt Boldy scored and was the 10th player in Wild history to score a goal in their NHL debut. It was in front a slew of his friends, family, and old college teammates, he grew up only a few miles from TD garden.
"I blacked out after," said Boldy on his reaction to hist first career goal in his debut.
The Wild had the 3-1 lead and shortly after the goal they went back on to another power-play.
Minnesota couldn't capitalize but still had the two-goal advantage.
Dumba went to the box and the Bruins scored almost immediately on the power-play. With four minutes left to play in the second period, the Wild had the lead, 3-2.
The Wild went into the third period up by one. They would need to fight and dig deep in the third to make sure they get the win. They were down to 10 forwards and without their star player, Kaprizov.
Foligno and Frederic dropped the gloves to start the third period - Foligno stepping up for the dirty hit that injured Kaprizov. Frederic took a high-sticking penalty before and thus the Wild had a power-play.
12 seconds into the Minnesota power-play, Rossi took a tripping penalty to negate the power-play.
The Bruins were all over the Wild in the third period.
Kahkonen made several saves to keep their lead.
The Wild and Bruins went back and forth with chances in the third period.
The Wild had the lead with five minutes left.
Boston pulled the goalie with 90 seconds in the hope to tie the game.
Hartman hit the post on a shot at the empty net.
Kahkonen was very impressive in his first start in nearly a month. Hopefully, he can continue the strong play while Talbot is out. He had 37 saves.
The Wild won the game. They gutted it out at the end and pulled out the much-needed two points. Hopefully, this win can get them rolling again.
They will need a full team effort in their game against Washington and Ovechkin. With Kaprizov getting injured, fans can expect to see Boldy and Rossi again.
What's Next:
Minnesota Wild (20-10-2 42pts) vs. Washington Capitals (20-6-8 48pts)
Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Puck Drop at 7:00 p. m. central time
Check our Social Media to stay up to date!
Subscribe to the email list for free to stay up to date!
Did you enjoy the Article? Let me know your thoughts!
(a profile is required to comment and they are free and easy to make. A profile is not required to subscribe or to like or share!)
Comments