Turnovers plus a bad Penalty Kill result in Wild's latest loss to New Jersey

ST. PAUL - The Wild entered tonight’s game on a three-game losing streak and extended it with another frustrating loss. Tonight's 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils came on the heals of three power play goals let up and more costly turnovers.

A good start was almost mandatory if the Wild want to turn the slow start to the season around but Minnesota got off to another bad start with eight giveaways through two periods with six of them coming in the offensive zone.

New Jersey’s first goal came after a failed zone exit by Dakota Mermis. The play stayed in the offensive zone after Nathan Bastian beat Jake Middleton down low and passed the puck to Alexander Holtz in the slot who picked up his third goal of the season.

Michael McLeod picked up his second of the year later, after a nice tic-tac-toe play by his line. Jesper Bratt skated the puck into the zone and fed Ondrej Palat on the far side. Palat then fed McLeod who flew from the slot to the crease and made it 2-0.

After a bad first period, Wild head coach Dean Evason switched up the lines and moved Ryan Hartman off the first line to the third with Marcus Foligno and Pat Maroon. Mats Zuccarello slid down to the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson which led to the promotion of Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi. As the two started the second period with Kirill Kaprizov.

"We shouldn't have to shake the lines up to get some life in our group," Evason said. "The life should be in the group already, we should be throwing it out there and we didn't. We've got to find a way to do that."

Rossi’s first shift as the No.1 center was short lived as roughly 30 seconds later Rossi went to the box for elbowing. It only took about one minute for the Devils to score as Timo Meier picked up his second of the year after a nice pass from Jack Hughes.

But not long after, the Wild got a chance on the power play down 3-0. It was the first time Zuccarello was on the ice with Kaprizov since the first period and they connected. Zuccarello sent one to the point for Addison who slid it over to Kaprizov who ripped home his third of the season.

Even though Kaprizov broke through, he admitted the team needs to be better but he himself needs to play better if the Wild want to turn around their slow start. 

"You win one game, two games, and everyone is feeling, or now it's couple games I feel like we play one period good, one period so bad," Kaprizov said. "A lot of turnovers, loose pucks... It's on me too. Sometimes I go in zone and turnover, or go down I step on blue line, lose puck and go back in d-zone. I need to, little bit, sometimes change something in my head and play smart."

The Wild came out in the third period with a lot of jump and had good pace to their game. They looked a lot more physical and a lot quicker then they had previously looked and it resulted in a goal by Rossi. 

It started when Jonas Brodin passed a puck over to Boldy on the far side and in his first game back, fed one to Rossi on the goal-line making it 3-2 New Jersey. It was Boldy's first of two assists on the night. 

Rossi's promotion was long overdue as he has been playing great to start the season when the Wild really haven't as a team. Rossi finished tonight with a goal and an assist and played over 20 minutes of ice time. 

He looked good with Boldy and Kaprizov and Rossi hopes he gets the opportunity to keep playing with the two of them. 

"It was really good. These two are really good with the puck and make really good decisions which makes it easier for me," Rossi said. "I just try and get open, try to help them, support them wherever I can, and keep going with my game. Hopefully we will stay together and we will be better."

Other than the Wild's newly constructed top line Minnesota juggled the rest of the lines and saw some good plays from the Johansson, Eriksson Ek, and Zuccarello line. 

Regardless of that, the Wild still lost and Evason suggested they might even change up the lines even more before their next game against the New York Rangers on Saturday. 

The Wild's penalty kill coming into this game was dead last in the NHL converting at 67.9 percent of the time and after tonight it got even worse. 

After allowing three power-play goals tonight the Wild's penalty kill is now converting at 63.6 percent going 21 for 33. It is one of the worst penalty killing units to start the season in recent years. 

It seems like whenever the Wild get a penalty the opposition scores as if it is a given. Not only that but the penalties are coming at the worst time. 

Down 2-0 early the Devils made it 3-0 after a penalty by Rossi early in the second. Later a dumb penalty by Addison allows the Devils a chance after Minnesota controlled the whole third period. Bratt made it 4-2 New Jersey. 

Then in the final minutes of the game, Jake Middleton makes it 4-3 and cuts the lead then the Wild get two penalties just four seconds apart. Boldy goes to the box after taking an interference penalty with the net empty and Kaprizov follows after a high-sticking penalty off the face-off. The Devils then scored another power-play goal this time it was Dougie Hamilton.

"The whole game is confidence," Evason said. "If we come back in this hockey game maybe changes our mojo or whatever the hell you want to call it. Confidence in all areas in our game but certainly in the penalty kill.

It just seems like every shot is going in the net, every opportunity we have to clear we don't do it, every chance we have to box a guy out we don't do it, our goaltenders are getting screened, so yeah there is a confidence factor but who cares. If you're not confident then don't go on the ice."

If the Wild continue down this path and continue to allow numerous amounts of goals on the penalty kill they might have to make a change. A change that's more than just a new system or new players on different units. Maybe make it sooner or later or this will be a season long problem that will effect their chances of even making the playoffs.