Alex Bader
The Minnesota Wild fell to the leagues newest member, the Seattle Kraken on Thursday evening. Minnesota had a series of challenges that they had to face before and during this game, but the Kraken proved to be too tough as the Wild fell 4-1 and lost their first meeting against the Kraken.
A couple of new faces were in the Wild lineup due to COVID and injuries. Mats Zuccarello and Pitlick were placed on the COVID protocol list hours before the game. Kulikov and Goligoski were game-time decisions but ultimately they were unable to play due to injuries.
Rask came in after being scratched in Vancouver. Jordie Benn played in his first game with the Wild. Minnesota rookies, Connor Dewar and defenseman Jon Lizotte played in their first NHL games.
Getting the lead for the Wild was going to be a key for them to take the crowd out of the game.
Seattle came out and had a couple of good chances. Talbot made a big save on Gourde early in the first to keep the score 0-0.
It was the Wild who would get rewarded for their pressure.
Kaprizov grabbed the puck mid-air, and was able to put it right in the slot for Hartman who slammed it past Grubauer for the 1-0 lead six minutes into the first period. After allowing the first goal in their first five games, the Wild got the first goal in their last two.
At the 11 minute mark, the Wild got their first power-play opportunity and a chance to extend their lead. However, the Wild's power play has been 0-11 in the last three games.
The man-advantage struggles continued as the Wild failed to score.
Special teams can change the game, and Seattle was able to grab the penalty kill energy and ride it to their first goal of the game.
The Kraken tied the game 1-1 with just over six minutes left in the first. Haydn Fleury rifled a shot from the point that had eyes for the twine, Talbot never saw it.
Seattle had all the momentum and had several great scoring chances at the end of the period. With five seconds left, Foligno got called for a high sticking penalty on Donskoi. It drew blood which meant that the Wild had to kill a four minute penalty going into the second period.
It was a bad end of the period for Minnesota. Luckily for the Wild, Talbot bailed them out and the teams went to the first intermission locked together, 1-1.
The Seattle Kraken started the Second period with an almost four-minute power-play opportunity.
Talbot stopped all four shots during the Seattle power play, and the Wild killed off the four-minute penalty.
Seattle had the better of the offensive play in the first half of the second period, pressuring the Wild hard. Talbot had to make some huge saves to keep the game tied.
Eventually, if you apply enough pressure a leak or break will occur and that is exactly what happened.
Fleury drove down to the net, he got Merrill on the ice and wrapped the puck around the net to give the Kraken the lead, 2-1 Seattle.
Seattle continued to press and get pucks to the net. Talbot was great in his efforts to keep the Wild in the game.
The Wild struggled to get anything going in the offensive zone.
The entire second period was controlled by the Kraken. With under five minutes left to play the Wild had only five shots all period. Talbot was amazing through the first two and had to bail the Wild out in the second period when he faced 17 shots.
In Dewar's first NHL game, he got called for a tripping penalty with three minutes left to go in the second. In what was a poor period, the Wild had a huge penalty kill to keep the deficit only one.
Minnesota killed the penalty. At the dying moments of the period, Kaprizov got a breakaway - seemed to get hooked but no call - and was denied by Grubauer. The Wild were lucky to escape the second only down one goal.
A lot of work was needed by the Wild after a completely dominant period by the Kraken.
Minnesota started the first 90 seconds very well.
However, Jon Lizotte - another rookie - would get a penalty that sent the Kraken onto the power play.
The Wild killed another big penalty to keep them within reach.
With 10 minutes left in the game, The Wild started to press and get some of their best chances. Their pressure was rewarded with a Kraken penalty.
The Wild went on the power play with a chance to tie the game.
Minnesota had great chances but Grubauer was somehow able to stop Ek on the doorstep.
Minnesota pressed the final 10 minutes of the game.
Minnesota pulled the goalie with just over two minutes left to play. The Wild couldn't get anything going. The Kraken scored on the empty net twice to push the lead over the Wild 4-1.
The Wild had chances but had big misses in the third that ended up hurting them as the Wild lost their first time on the road.
Cam Talbot saved 34 shots and had a save percentage of .944%. He was the Wilds' best player.
Kaprizov had six shots and one assist. He now has a career-long, seven games, without scoring a goal. A slow start for the high-paid winger. He does have six helpers, but still a slow start even in his own mind.
Seattle got their second home win on the season and beat Minnesota in their first-ever meeting.
BADERS' TAKE
TALBOT is great again.
Cam Talbot was sensational in his efforts to keep the Wild in the game. He made several great saves and looked calm and steady again. If it wasn't for him, the game would've been over early in the second period.
It was clear the chemistry was missing. Missing starters like Zuccarello and Goligoski and Kulikov hurt the Wild. They were never able to get much going in the offensive zone. They spent the majority of the game in their defensive end and the break out passes just never connected.
The Wild looked disjointed and lost on the ice. They chased the game and the Kraken players for a large part of the game.
The Wild played a great first ten minutes and a great last ten minutes of the game. But the Kraken controlled the middle 40 minutes and never looked back.
When will Kaprizov score a goal? It is getting worrisome that he has yet to light the lamp this season. He now has a career-long scoring drought and the hope is that he can break out of it soon. If he can't, the Wild will need guys like Fiala and Ek to step up.
Lizotte and Benn struggled on Defense tonight. It leads me to wonder why not bring up Addison? Let's hope that Goligoski and Kulikov can get back on Saturday.
"We will talk about it", said Evason on Addison playing Saturday.
We will see if the Wild can bounce back against an Avalanche team that has started roughly.
What's Next:
Minnesota Wild (5-2 10 points) at Colorado Avalanche (3-4 6 points) on Saturday, October 30th. Puck drop at 8 p.m.
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Good writing! Interesting comments on the game.