Wild's penalty Kill woes continue along with numerous turnovers resulting in their latest 8-3 loss to Dallas. Penalty Kill woes continue along with way too many turnovers in the Wild's latest 8-3 loss. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAyMTczNDI2MTM4MzU4Nzk2/usatsi_21885740.jpg] Penalty Kill woes continue along with way too many turnovers in the Wild's latest 8-3 loss. Tonight's game was a carbon copy of pretty much every one of the Wild's games this year. Bad turnovers, a horrible penalty kill, and a bad start to the game. Tonight the Wild allowed five power-play goals to the Dallas Stars who entered tonight with only four on the year. They jumped from 29th in the NHL in power play percentage to 17th. Here are some takeaways. PENALTY KILL ALLOWS FIVE POWER-PLAY GOALS There is no question the biggest problem this year for the Wild has been their penalty kill and if it does not improve there is no way this team will go anywhere near the playoffs. The Wild’s current penalty kill is 33/52 and have allowed 19 power-play goals, they have only played 15 games and are on pace to shatter the 1979-80 Los Angeles Kings record for the worst penalty kill in NHL history. The Kings' PK was at 68.2%. Through 15 games this year the Wild's penalty kill is 63.5 percent effective. It is very hard to imagine a team with not only has the league's worst penalty kill but the NHL record for worst in a single season, makes the playoffs. The most confusing part is the Wild have the player personnel to have a great penalty kill. Last year, the Wild's penalty kill finished tenth in the league at exactly 82 percent. The only loss from the penalty kill last year that isn't on it this year is Mason Shaw. Matt Dumba played on the penalty kill last year but now Brock Faber has replaced him who currently has had better expected 5v5 defensive stats than Dumba ever did. But how you play at even strength doesn't matter if it doesn't translate to the penalty kill. Right now the Wild need something. Something that will set fire to a penalty kill that has zero confidence right now, before it's too late. GIVEAWAYS UPON GIVEAWAYS Lots of players on the Wild this year have turned the puck over a lot but no one has turned it over more than Kirill Kaprizov it seems. With three more giveaways tonight Kaprizov alone allowed three great chances for the Dallas Stars to score but was bailed out on two of them. Kaprizov twirled into the offensive zone in the second period and turned the puck over for Wyatt Johnston who flew in on a breakaway but Marc-Andre Fleury stopped the young Stars forward. Later Kaprizov tried for a breakout a pass in the defensive zone, turned the puck over, and almost allowed Dallas to score if it wasn't for Ryan Hartman's sliding save on the post with Fleury out of his net. It wasn't just Kaprizov though as the Wild had eight giveaways tonight, according to MoneyPuck [https://moneypuck.com/g.htm?id=2023020223]. Dallas only had four and walked away with a 8-3 win. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change needs to be made before it's too late or this sluggish play and horrible penalty kill efforts will soon become the Wild's identity in what could be a lost season. Hopefully going to Sweden and playing two games next week will help the team.
