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'It's Not For A Lack Of Effort': Wild Fall 5-1 To Vegas With St. Louis On Their Heals In Wild Card Race
ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild opened the season 18-4-4. They were on top of the league standings on Dec 6. Since then, the Wild have gone 22-23-1 and rank 23rd in the NHL in that span.
Kirill Kaprizov has missed the last 22 games and Joel Eriksson Ek has not played in the last 15 games. All of a sudden, the Wild can't seem to score and the best start in the team's history has now turned into a grinding season that has them hanging on to a playoff spot with other teams on their heels.
The St. Louis Blues have won seven in a row and are now two points behind the Wild for the top wild card spot in the Western Conference.
The Calgary Flames won on Tuesday and are now six points behind the Wild for the top wild card and four behind the Blues. Calgary has only played 70 games. The Wild have played 72 games.
“We’re battling. The reality is what it is. We’re not going to give in. We’re going to battle hard," Mats Zuccarello said after the 5-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. "I think in the same, it’s one game. But I just think it’s better to be honest in what I feel when you’re out there and hopefully we can get a good day of rest, get in late last night, good day of rest and then we gotta get back at it. We need points. It’s a crucial time. Everyone’s behind us winning. It is what it is.”
If the season ended today, the Wild would play the Golden Knights in round one of the playoffs. Tuesday's game was a possible preview of a first round matchup.
“We know what we’re up against. We gotta raise to that level. Everything can happen in the playoffs, but first we gotta worry about getting there first of all," Zuccarello said. "But you play a solid game defensively but I think as of late, not scoring enough, maybe, I said it before, we gotta make plays. We gotta support each other. We gotta have guys come with speed. I don’t know. It’s hard. Today, you can mix and match, back-to-back, but we play against a team that it’s really hard to play against when they play like that and we don’t play like us.”
Minnesota is 2-8-3 in its last 13 games against Vegas and were swept in the season series. Vegas outscored Minnesota 12-4 in those three games. They have outscored them 49-28 in their last 13 games against the Wild.
If the Blues, who are on fire right now, pass the Wild for the top wild card spot, Minnesota would drop to the second wild card. They would match up against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.
The Jets, who have been at the top of the Central Division all year, withstood the Wild's 18-4-4 start and have since taken hold of the division. Not only that, but they have won eight-straight games against Minnesota.
The Wild are 0-7-1 in their last eight against Winnipeg and have been outscored 28-12 in that span. They are 3-9-1 in their last 13 games against the Jets and have been outscored 43-29 in that span.
Their last win against the Jets came 749 days ago on March 8, 2023.
Nonetheless, the Wild are battling it a bit. They came into Monday's back-to-back with three straight wins. But they have now lost two straight to the Dallas Stars and Golden Knights.
Wild head coach John Hynes said before the game that he anticipates that Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek will start skating soon but with ten games left in the season, it isn't like those two will save the season.
So, is there a concern level with this team without Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek.
"It's just gonna be a battle till the end, right? We expect it. We're missing some big guys, obviously, and a few millions under the cap," Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said after the Wild's loss. "Guys are battling every night. They're trying their best to stay in it, to find ways to get points and that's why I love this group so much, the character they show every night. It will be a battle though that's for sure."
Speaking of battles, the Wild are set to continue their home stand on Thursday with a game against the best team in the league, the Washington Capitals.
They then play two against the New Jersey Devils, play two playoff hopefuls in the New York Rangers and New York Islanders and then host the Dallas Stars at home. They play a back-to-back with the Flames and the Vancouver Canucks to end the season. Two teams that are on the heels of the Wild in the standings.
It is starting to get real.
A 18-4-4 start could soon turn into the last spot in the Western Conference playoffs or worse, out of the playoffs.
The most frustrating part of this all is the it isn't for a lack of effort. The Wild are playing their butts off every night. In Dallas they blocked over 20 shots and played great offensively but just ran into a hot goaltender who shut them out. Vegas was the same.
"I mean, we got to build off of what we’ve done. I don't think we're playing bad by any means. We're doing a lot of good things. And, like I said, we had enough chances, I think, to score a few more goals tonight and then I think the end of the game might look a little different," Marcus Johansson said after the loss to Vegas. "We did a lot of good things in Dallas, I think, too. The puck’s not going in. It's hard to play with that confidence, and it's hard to have that in the group. It's tough, but we got to keep fighting. It's this time of year, and there's belief in this group."
On Tuesday, the Wild entered the third period down 2-0. They then proceeded to have one of their best periods of the season. Flying around the offensive zone and creating chances.
Johansson was able to get the Wild on the board early in the third but then a high-sticking penalty by Ryan Hartman put Vegas on the power play just over five minutes left.
The second best power play in the league converted just 13 seconds into the man-advantage. Jack Eichel scored his second of three on the night to make it a 3-1 game. Tanner Pearson, who drew the Wild's only penalty, scored into the empty net two minutes later.
Eichel picked up another with under three minutes left and pushed Vegas over Minnesota 5-1.
One small mistake turned a 2-1 game with the Wild in it, to a 5-1 loss in a matter of a snap of the finger.
Time will tell if the Wild can withstand this stretch of hockey with ten games left of the season or not. It just seems like a daunting task to try and win games 2-1 until you get some scoring help with Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek back.
Again, time will tell.
"We know what we can do. And like I said, there's definitely no quit. We're trying. We're working as hard as we can. And we’re trying to score different ways," Johansson said. "You can kind of tell. Guys are gripping the stick a little tighter. I mean, I have all year. It's not gone in, but like I said, it's not for lack of effort."
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(3-25-25) Wild Vs Golden Knights: Game Preview, Line Combinations
ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (40-26-5) hosts the Vegas Golden Knights (42-20-8) for a possible first round preview of the playoffs.
The Wild will be without Marcus Foligno tonight for the fifth consecutive game. Jonas Brodin will return to the lineup tonight but Declan Chisholm will not play. He was injured in the Wild's game on Monday.
Both Foligno and Chisholm are listed as day-to-day.
Marc-Andre Fleury will start tonight. It is his fourth start in his last 47 days. Filip Gustavsson had started 11 of the Wild's last 12 games.
For Vegas, Shea Theodore will enter the lineup tonight. He had missed the previous 14 games with an injury that he sustained in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Tomas Hertl was hurt in the Golden Knights' last game and will not play tonight. He leads the team in goals with 31. Adin Hill will start in goal tonight for Vegas.
The Golden Knights have won both games this season against the Wild and will look for the season sweep tonight. They have won 10 of the last 12 games against Minnesota as well.
Here are tonight's projected lines (subject to change).
Wild Projected Lines
Matt Boldy - Marco Rossi - Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson - Freddy Gaudreau - Gustav Nyquist
Yakov Trenin - Ryan Hartman - Vinnie Hinostroza
Devin Shore - Brendan Ganuce - Justin Brazeau
Defense:
Jake Middleton - Brock Faber
Jonas Brodin - Jared Spurgeon
Jon Merrill - Zach Bogosian
Starting Goaltender: Marc-Andre Fleury
Scratched: Cameron Crotty
Injured: Kirill Kaprizov (lower), Joel Eriksson Ek (lower), Marcus Foligno (upper), Declan Chisholm (lower).
Golden Knights Projected Lines
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone
Brandon Saad - Nicolas Roy - Pavel Dorofeyev
Victor Olofsson - William Karlsson - Reilly Smith
Tanner Pearson - Brett Howden - Keagan Kolesar
Defense:
Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Zach Whitecloud
Nicolas Hague - Kaedan Korczak
Starting Goaltender: Adin Hill
Scratched: Ben Hutton, Cole Schwindt.
Injured: Alex Pietrangelo (lower), Tomas Hertl (upper), Raphael Lavoie (upper).
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'I Would Anticipate Them Hitting The Ice In Very Short Order': Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek To Begin Skating Soon
ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (40-26-5) hosts the Vegas Golden Knights (42-20-8) tonight. Wild Head Coach John Hynes gave an update before the game about Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek.
Hynes said that he anticipates both Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek to start skating soon.
Kaprizov, 27, is still tied for the team lead in goals with 23. He has not played in the last 21 games and soon to be 22, tonight. He has 23 goals, 29 assists, and 52 points in 37 games.
Eriksson Ek, 28, has not played in last 14 games and soon to 15, tonight. He has nine goals, 15 assists, and 24 points in 42 games this year. He has been out with a lower-body injury.
"I would anticipate them hitting the ice in very short order," Hynes said.
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Wild's Declan Chisholm Exits Dallas Stars Game With An Injury
Already without Jonas Brodin and Marcus Foligno for the game in Dallas, the Minnesota Wild suffered another injury. This time to its blue line, again.
Defenseman Declan Chisholm was a healthy scratch during the Wild's game on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres because Brodin was back after missing nine games.
But Brodin did not play in the Wild's next game against the Stars on Monday so Chisholm entered the lineup. After blocking two shots in the first period, Chisholm left halfway through the second period and did not return.
Wild head coach John Hynes said after the game that Chisholm got hurt on a blocked shot. It was likely the shot he blocked to his lower-body that Matt Dumba took.
The Wild host the Vegas Golden Knights tonight. Cameron Crotty was recalled from the Iowa Wild under emergency conditions. We will find out Chisholm and Brodin's status by 5:50 tonight.
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Wild's Jonas Brodin To Miss Tonight's Game In Dallas
After missing nine games with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in Colorado, Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin returned to the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
"I know it's been pretty unlucky here lately, but I hope now I can stay healthy for the rest of the season and playoffs, when the fun starts," Brodin said after the win. "Got some big games left, and I think the team is playing good now. It's fun to be back and happy to get a win tonight."
He played 20:21 of that game and recorded one hit and an assist in the Wild's 4-1 win over Buffalo.
Brodin, 31, got through the whole game and afterwards spoke to us. He said he got through fine and said he was 100 percent.
"We've been really good. Me and Andy Ness have been doing a lot of work. I thought I could play like last week, but we said just do another week, and then train hard," Brodin said. "Before the game I felt ready. Like 100 percent. So, it was good to feel in good shape."
With three games in four days, it might be hard to assume Brodin will be able to get through them all, right?
"Yeah, just take care of it for the rest of the year," Brodin said. Hopefully it's good."
As for playing in back-to-backs on Monday and Tuesday?
"No, I think it's good."
But Wild head coach John Hynes said on Monday morning that Brodin will be out tonight against the Dallas Stars with a lower-body injury. He is considered day-to-day. Declan Chisholm will take his spot.
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Minnesota Wild Roundtable Community
Ex-Wild Center Cody Almond Retires
thehockeynews.comCanadian-Swiss Cody Almond RetiresCanadian-Swiss
center Cody Almond, 35, has retired, according to numerous Swiss
sources on Friday, including one of his former teams,
Genève-Servette.
Almond
had not played at all in the 2024-25 season.
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anonymous·Feb 24, 2025
Trade dead lineHey Bill you need to make a trade for Brock Nelson would be a perfect fit on your team Ek Boldly and Nelson would be one of helluve a line while the thrill is out for the remainder of the season
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Aron Kiviharju Says “World Juniors Were The Best Times Of My Life”, Has Options For Next Season
thehockeynews.comAron Kiviharju Says “World Juniors Were The Best Times Of My Life”, Has Options For Next SeasonIt’s been a bounce-back season for Finnish defenseman Aron Kiviharju, who made IFK Helsinki’s roster at the start of last season as a 17-year-old but suffered
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anonymous·Dec 29, 2024
Injuries Why can’t you be more specific on injuries? Upper body , lower body what the heck does that mean?
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About Minnesota Wild RoundtableMinnesota Wild news, video, analysis and community on The Hockey News
Follow all Wild news at https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wildGraemeMay 11, 2024
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