Penalties and momentum swings defined the game, ultimately costing the Wild in overtime after a critical late turnover.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild (29-14-10) earned a point but couldn’t finish the job, falling 4-3 in overtime to the Florida Panthers (27-20-3) on Saturday night in a game dominated by special teams and momentum swings.
With penalties piling up on both sides, neither team was able to find much five-on-five rhythm. The Wild leaned heavily on their power play and penalty kill, limiting their ability to roll four lines consistently.
“It was a choppy game with so many special teams throughout,” Wild head coach John Hynes said.
Both the Panthers and Wild went 2-for-6 on the power play. The Wild also scored a shorthanded goal.
“It’s hard for some guys to get into a rhythm, but overall I thought we did a pretty good job of handling it.”
Minnesota found a spark with the return of Matt Boldy, who made an immediate impact by scoring a shorthanded breakaway goal and playing key minutes in all situations.
“It felt good to be back with the guys and competing again,” Boldy said. “Some games are just like that — power plays, penalty kills, back and forth. You try to stay in it.”
Joel Eriksson Ek echoed that.
“I think our first [period] wasn’t very good, but we got better in the second,” Eriksson Ek said. “After that, it was hard to get a real rhythm.”
The Wild carried possession in overtime but a turnover led to an odd-man rush the other way, and Florida capitalized on it.
“It takes some small mistakes and then there’s a good chance 2-on-1,” Filip Gustavsson, who stopped 30-of-34 in the loss, said. “Makes a good pass. Makes a good shot. It’s hard to get over.”
Minnesota had the puck almost the whole overtime but couldn’t generate a clean look before a turnover led to the deciding goal.
"They are a great team with some great players out there. So three-on-three, especially when they got guys like [Gustav] Forsling, not a lot opens up. So, try and make plays but like you said, a lot of possession," Boldy said.
"You don't want to give it away too quick. But, they were able to kind of find one on that little break there. I wish I was able to handle that pass that Quinn gave me."
In a night dominated by special teams and disrupted rhythm, the margin came down to a single mistake against a team that doesn’t need many to capitalize.
After the game, Eriksson Ek and Boldy both said they feel good and the Olympics is still a go for the two. Both injuries are resolved.
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