The Wild have proven this year that there isn't just one way that they can win games. So good luck with your pre-scout.
ST. PAUL - To start the season the Wild proved they can get a lead and maintain it. They are now 6-0-2 when they score first in the game and 5-0-1 when leading after the first period.
Some may look at this team and see that they are good and finding success because Kirill Kaprizov has 21 points in ten games (coming into Sunday's game) and is tied for the NHL lead.
On Sunday, Kaprizov was held off the scoresheet for the second time this season. The last time he didn't record a point was in Winnipeg against the Jets. The Wild lost that game in overtime.
Yet again the Wild went to overtime, this time it was against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This time the Wild found a way to prevail.
"I think you just take what the game gives you," Wild captain Jared Spurgeon said on winning games in different ways. "Gus made some huge saves for us in the second there. We got away from it and gave them momentum but we were able to get back to it in the third there and play the game we want to. Made some adjustments and I liked the way we played in the first and the third."
There is no doubt that Kaprizov is the center of attention when it comes to the Minnesota Wild. But on Sunday they proved they are capable of winning big games, even if Kaprizov is held off the scoresheet.
"You know, tonight's a perfect example of that. I think you have to find ways to win different ways," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "You know, sometimes it could be a special teams battle. Sometimes your top guys could do it. Other times, you have to play strong in a tight game and not waver. And, you know, tonight was one of those examples.
"But if you're going to be a team that can win on a regular basis and continue to do that throughout the year, you have to find different ways to win games. It can't be a one trick pony, as you said. And right now, I think the good thing is we're finding different ways to do it. I think also our job as coaches is to to bring that to the players attention of the importance of, if this doesn't go well, we need this. I think for the most part, we've been able to do that."
Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for Minnesota in the first period. It came after Spurgeon sent one to Freddy Gaudreau in the slot. He then went to the backhand and ripped one off the bar.
It hit Hartman, who was standing on the goal-mouth, and landed in front of him. Hartman attempted to re-direct it with his skate which caused John Tavares to try and swat it away.
He instead hit it into his own net.
"I was watching it in the room. I kind of lunged with my foot towards trying to not kick it, but more like kind of lunge at it and kicked his stick and his stick knocked it in," Hartman said. "Glad it didn’t hit my foot."
The second period was all Toronto though. But the Wild responded in the third period by limiting the Maple Leafs to five shots and just three scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Jake Middleton and Brock Faber played most of their minutes against the Leaf's first line. Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin played most of their minutes against the Leaf's second line.
The Brodin-Spurgeon pair did not allow a single shot off the rush and went 5-for-5 when it came to not allowing a shot when the Leafs entered the zone with the puck. According to Dylan Loucks' stats.
"Yeah, our forwards are doing a great job of coming back and letting us stand up and making them chip or even if we don’t have that gap, they’re coming back and making them make plays before they want to," Spurgeon said on closing the gap. "So it’s a big, big thing we worked on in camp and the forwards are doing a great job making it easy on us."
In a close and tight-checking game, the Leafs and Wild went to overtime. What looked to be a chance for Max Domi on a breakaway for Toronto quickly turned into a scoring chance for Minnesota.
Spurgeon rushed towards Domi who poked it free and spun around to connect with Marco Rossi. The Wild center one-touch passed it to Matt Boldy who took off.
“Yeah, even if he kept that puck, there’s no doubt that Spurge is catching him, just the type of guy he is, the type of player he is," Boldy said. "You know that play’s coming just how smart he is and put it right on the tape.”
Boldy, without anyone behind him expect Rossi, put a deke on Anthony Stolarz and scored his sixth goal of the season to end the game for the Wild.
“Had a couple breakaways and shot and none of them have gone in, so I thought I’d change it up a little," Boldy said on his move. "But, yeah, just made a move and trusted it.”
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