Minnesota Wild Recap at the St. Louis Blues – October 15th, 2024

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Robb
Minnesota Wild Recap at the St. Louis Blues - October 15th, 2024

The Minnesota Wild headed to St. Louis to play the St. Louis Blues and continue their 7-game road trip. The Blues are 2-1-0 (W-L-OTL). They started their season with 3 straight road games, beating Seattle & San Jose (in OT) but losing to Vegas, with every game decided by 1 goal.

The Minnesota Wild were again without F Joel Eriksson Ek & D Jared Spurgeon. F Marcus Johansson was a game-time decision.

2024-25 Minnesota Wild Schedule and Results
1-1-1 (W-L-OTL) (4 points)

2024-25 St. Louis Blues Schedule and Results
2-1-0 (W-L-OTL) (4 points)

Minnesota Wild F Kirill Kaprizov will almost assuredly become the franchise leader in Most Power-Play Goals by the end of the season since he’s just 11 away from number 11 Zach Parise. He’s at 58 right now and he still has to pass F Marian Gaborik (59) & F Mikko Koivu (60). Kirill has had 14, 17 & 19 Power-Play Goals in the past 3 seasons, respectively. He hasn’t been shooting as much or, at least, getting his shots to the net as much but we know he will. 

Alright. Enough words. Let’s…

Drop the ClutterPuck!!!

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Here’s how the teams lined up:

Minnesota Wild Lineup at the St. Louis Blues - October 15th, 2024

Status Report

The Wild could dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. … Eriksson Ek, a forward, and Spurgeon, a defenseman, each will miss a second straight game. … Johansson, a forward, is questionable. … Hunt, a defenseman, was recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League on Monday and could make his season debut.

St. Louis Blues Lineup vs the Minnesota Wild - October 15th, 2024

Status report

Saad will make his season debut and play on the top line after his wife Alyssa delivered the couple’s third child, a daughter named Lyra, on Thursday. … To make room for Saad on the roster, Texier, a forward, was placed on injured reserve Monday. … Kapanen, a forward, will be a healthy scratch.

Game Recap

1st Period

Three & a half minutes in and St. Louis F Alexey Toropchenko gets called for a high-sticking penalty on Brock Faber and the replay showed the official saw something that didn’t happen. Unfortunately, there’s no video* unless you watch it on ESPN+ & this link will take you to a few seconds before the play happens in the near corner of the Minnesota defensive zone.
*Should the NHL post replays of all penalties immediately on social media or do the officials take enough of a verbal/social beating as it is? Of course, we want to see what the call was and if it was a good call but the NHL could have a #RefCam to show the referee’s angle and that might show why he/she thought it was a penalty. Officiating is not easy & if you think it is and you can skate, you should go officiate a scrimmage or maybe just skate around like an official and watch for penalties & everything else an official has to do. 

Noooo… it was the same official who called the phantom penalty on Jonas Brodin and yes, I looked.

Like the Wild’s game vs Seattle, a goal was scored on the power play to pour salt in the bad-penalty-call wound. (It Stings! Why would you pour salt on a wound? To GET ANSWERS!!! WHO DOES NUMBER TWO WORK FOR? Oops. Is that wrong?)

Brock Faber brought the puck into the neutral zone and made a pass back to Kirill Kaprizov off the left boards that was close to being a turnover but Kap got to it before the Blues player who was close to it but he had to chip it off the boards to avoid a turnover. He then skated to the offensive blue line and Blues D Colton Parayko poke-checked the puck away but it went up and hit Kirill’s right elbow and came back in front of him to allow him to keep possession as he cut toward the middle of the zone. Blues D Nick Leddy & F Radek Faksa were watching him and the puck so Wild F Ryan Hartman skated behind both of them and received a beautiful pass from Kirill for a mini-breakaway and a 1-0 lead as Hartman beat Blues G Jordan Binnington for his 2nd goal of the season.

3:50 – Goal-PPG – Minnesota – Ryan Hartman (2) from Kirill Kaprizov (4) & Brock Faber (2)

Ryan Hartman Goal Breakdown Picture - Puck-Watching or Chasing the Puck from St. Louis Blues F Radek Faksa and D Nick Leddy
Puck-Watching or Chasing the Puck from Blues F Radek Faksa & D Nick Leddy

Minnesota Wild 1 | 0 St. Louis Blues

The period would end at 1-0 and the shots were 6-4 in favor of St. Louis.

2nd Period

Wild F Frederick Gaudreau, who we call Freddy the Stick because he’s good with his stick on the penalty kill and takeaways, had a bad stick when he went for the puck and missed and tripped Blues F Mathieu Joseph.

On the power play, the Blues had a shot that was deflected wide and ended up behind the Wild’s net so D Jonas Brodin was the first to it and he hammered it around the left corner. Blues D Justin Faulk went to the boards to keep the puck in the zone but it took a fortuitous bounce and landed next to Wild F Marat Khusnutdinov so he was able to get the puck and head up the ice with fellow PKer, F Jakub Lauko, who had a lane to get behind Justin Faulk. Khusnutdinov fed him so he could get in alone on the goalie but Blues F Jordan Kyrou was backchecking hard to try to disrupt him. Lauko saw him so he put his left arm out & moved to his left to protect the puck and knocked Kyrou down then roofed a shot over Binnington for a 2-0 Wild lead! LAUKOOOO!!!

A different angle shows how much Jakub Lauko punished Jordan Kyrou on that play and the quick shot for his 1st goal of the season and his 1st goal as a member of the Minnesota Wild! Is he a bigger, better Connor Dewar? Too soon?

7:52 – G0al-SH – Minnesota – Jakub Lauko (1) from Marat Khusnutdinov (1) & Jonas Brodin ()

Minnesota Wild 2 | 0 St. Louis Blues

30 seconds later, the Blues had a good scoring chance on the Power Play off a Jordan Kyrou one-timer but Wild G Filip Gustavsson made the save then he saved another chance on a tip play in front of the net and appeared to have covered the puck so the official blew the whistle after a second or two but the puck squeaked through and Kyrou buried it but the whistle had already blown so… NO GOAL!

With seconds remaining in the period, the Blues had the puck in the offensive zone and it came back to the left point to former Wild D Ryan Suter for a shot… and…

NO GOAL!

The Blues outshot the Wild 13-8 in that period for a 2-period total of 19-12.

3rd Period

Early in the 3rd, the Minnesota Wild had some offensive pressure and it looked like the Blues were going to easily break out of the zone but Kirill Kaprizov got his stick in the lane of Blues D Nick Leddy’s breakout pass and the puck hit it for a turnover and Marco Rossi quickly tried to get open. Kaprizov passed it behind him to an oncoming Mats Zuccarello. He then hesitated to make it look like he was going to shoot then went to his backhand and tried to pass it back to Kaprizov and the pass went off Leddy’s skate, through the crease to the other side where Marco Rossi fired it into the top part of the net.

0:46 – Goal – Minnesota – Marco Rossi (1) from Mats Zuccarello (2) & Kirill Kaprizov (5)

Minnesota Wild 3 | 0 St. Louis Blues

Just past the halfway point of the 3rd period, the Wild had a breakout pass turnover of their own and it allowed Blues F Mathieu Joseph to get a free shot on Gustavsson and he made it count to get the Blues on the board.

10:10 – Goal – St. Louis – Mathieu Joseph (1) from Zack Bolduc (1) & Philip Broberg (3)

Sometimes, especially with a big lead late in a game, you just want to get the puck out of the zone. The saying goes, “Get it Out! Get it In!” meaning get the puck out of the defensive zone and get it into the offensive zone by dumping it in so the opponent has to go all the way back beneath their goal line to get the puck. Young Wild F Liam Ohgren could’ve easily thrown the puck off the boards on a backhand to get it out of the zone but he tried to skate to the middle of his own zone. Before that, D Declan Chisholm could’ve passed the puck behind the net to his defensive partner Jon Merrill and he would’ve had plenty of time to breakout the puck out or just flip it out of the zone. But… it quickly turned into a turnover and Declan Chisholm chose to let Mathieu Joseph take a shot even though the other Blues players were pretty covered so he should’ve gone to defend Joseph immediately.

Minnesota Wild 3 | 1 St. Louis Blues

With 4:03 remaining in regulation, Blues D Philip Broberg got his stick up high on the follow-through of a cross-check and hit Ryan Hartman in the nose with his stick. It drew blood so it was a double-minor for high-sticking that pretty much took St. Louis out of the game but… they still pulled the goalie with 34 seconds remaining and…

With 4:03 remaining in regulation, Blues D Philip Broberg got his stick up high on the follow-through of a cross-check and hit Ryan Hartman in the nose with his stick. It drew blood so it was a double-minor for high-sticking that pretty much took St. Louis out of the game but… they still pulled the goalie with 34 seconds remaining. Blues F Pavel Buchnevich fired a slapshot at the net from the neutral zone with 14 seconds left right to Wild G Filip Gustavsson. He caught it, quickly through it on the ice and took a shot at the empty net and…

19:51 – Goal-PPG – Minnesota – Filip Gustavsson (1) – Unassisted

So… the lesson is to keep playing until the final buzzer on both sides of the puck. Know the situation and if your net is empty, don’t shoot it right into the goalie’s glove so he has time to take a shot. That’s a deserved minus for Buchnevich. For all those “it’s not a big deal” readers, they pulled the goalie so they can work on that situation if/when it comes up later in the season, not so you can do what Buchnevich did.

Minnesota Wild 4 | 1 St. Louis Blues

Rumor has it Wild G Marc-Andre Fleury called “a quick goalie meeting” to tell the Gus Bus to shoot the puck if he gets it. “I should” and he did and now he’s the 18th goalie to score a goal in the National Hockey League, the 3rd goalie to score a power-play goal and the 1st goalie to score a goal in Minnesota Wild franchise history!!!

Now… That is Good Clutter!!!

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Final

Minnesota Wild 4 | 1 St. Louis Blues

Goals

MN:
Ryan Hartman (2)-PPG, Jakub Lauko (1)-SHG, Marco Rossi (1), Filip Gustavsson (1)-PPG (ENG)
STL:
Mathieu Joseph (1)

Assists

MN:
Kirill Kaprizov (4), Brock Faber (2)-PPG; Marat Khusnutdinov (1), Jonas Brodin (2)-SHG; Mats Zuccarello (2), Kirill Kaprizov (5); Unassisted-PPG
STL:
Zack Bolduc (1), Phillip Broberg (3)

Shift Chart

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Next up: 

The Minnesota Wild are on a 7-game road trip but their next game isn’t until Saturday at the Columbus Blue Jackets so they will return home before heading back out on the road. Saturday’s game is at 6 pm on Bally Sports North.

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Thanks for Reading!!! 

Bring the Clutter in the comments &/or on 

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn…

AND…as always…

Bring the Clutter Every Day in Every Way!
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Minnesota Wild Game Notes vs Columbus Blue Jackets – October 10th, 2024

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Robb
Minnesota Wild Game Notes vs Columbus Blue Jackets - October 10th, 2024

Minnesota Wild Game Notes are topics from each game we feel need more Clutter as they were either an important part of the game or brought up a topic that could use deeper explanation or more conversation.


Today’s Game Notes are: New NHL Rules for the 2024-25 Season, Goalie Interference, the Minnesota Wild Penalty Kill & Cal Clutterbuck becoming a broadcaster… for the time being.

Game Notes
*
New NHL Rules for the 2024-25 Season

There are a few new rules:

Rule 38.2 (Situations Subject to Coach’s Challenge)

A coach’s challenge now will be permitted to take down a penalty for puck out of play. This only will apply to delay of game penalties when the puck is determined to have deflected off a player, stick, glass or boards, and not on a judgment call on how the puck left the defensive zone (e.g., batted pucks or if the puck was shot out from the defensive zone). In the event of a failed challenge, another two-minute minor penalty will be assessed (in addition to the existing delay of game penalty).

  1. Because a team would get another penalty, this will probably not be challenged very often if at all.
  2. The Wild had a delay-of-game penalty last night. They could’ve used a challenge to try to take it down, but it was too hard to tell, and they didn’t want to go down to 5-on-3, so they did not challenge it.

Rule 63.8 (Line Change Following Dislodged Net)

There will be an adjustment to Rule 63.8 so that the defensive team cannot make a line change in the event its goaltender accidentally dislodges the net (old language applied just to skater).

  • This is a tiny adjustment but it makes sense since the goalies seem to push the net off the moorings on purpose a lot
    • Will it affect them doing it? Doubtful

Rule 76.4 (Face-Off Procedure – Centers)

Following an icing, the offensive center also now will receive one warning (same as the defensive player) for a face-off violation.

Rule 75.3 (Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Player Sitting on Boards)

The referee now will provide the offending team (coach and players) with one warning regarding players sitting on the boards (and will so advise the other team). After one warning in a game, the team precipitating the warning will be issued a bench minor penalty for future violations.

  • This is mostly a safety thing to prevent injuries but it’s also to prevent teams from getting an advantage with a quicker line change.

Are there any rules you think should be added or changed? We don’t like the rule that allows goals to be deflected in by a skate.

We would add an Officials Postgame Press Conference so they would have to explain any controversial calls and so we could hear their reasoning for those or any calls & yes, we would allow coaches to ask questions too. That could be quite entertaining and informational!

**
Goaltender Interference?

Will we or anyone ever know what it actually is?

Against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, the Minnesota Wild were scored on at the 10:24 mark of the 2nd period but Columbus F James Van Riemsdyk skated into the goal crease from behind the net to screen the goaltender &/or to attempt to tip a shot. He established a position in the middle of the crease right next to Wild G Filip Gustavsson:

Goaltender Interference - Will we ever know what it actually is?

The Columbus player clearly impeded Gustavsson’s ability to play his position and make the save but the officials called it a goal which meant Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes had to determine if they should challenge the play for Goaltender Interference. He decided to challenge the play and it took way too long to determine it was Goaltender Interference and overturn the call on the ice.

It was the 2nd period and no challenges had been made up until that point & the officials knew that so, did they actually think this was a goal or did they call it a goal knowing that the play could be challenged by Minnesota?

It’s hard to believe they thought this was a goal since the player was in the goal crease and the goalie fell down trying to make the save.

This was the explanation given by the NHL:

The review still took several minutes which is amazing since it seems obvious that it’s interference. 

If you want to see the whole rule, it’s Rule 69: Interference on the Goalkeeper on page 101. Yep, it’s Rule 69. I’m just going to leave that alone but I do wonder if that may be why we don’t understand this rule.

2024-25 NHL Rulebook - Rule 69 - Interference on the Goalkeeper
2024-25 NHL Rulebook - Rule 69 - Interference on the Goalkeeper

***
Is the Penalty Kill already hurting the Wild?

Also in Thursday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, during the 3rd period with just 3:03 remaining in regulation, the Wild had to kill a Delay of Game Puck Out of Play penalty and… it took Columbus 15 seconds to score on a one-timer.

Very rarely is it good to have 4 players below the goal line on one side of the ice and it’s even more rare to do that when you’re killing a penalty but…

There the Minnesota Wild are with all 4 penalty killers against 3 Columbus Blue Jackets and they didn’t even win the battle for the puck even though they outnumbered them.

It’s only the 1st game but it’s hard to imagine this won’t be brought up in the film session. There was some puck-watching involved here as well. Trenin was for the most part the guilty player as he tried to react to the play instead of reading the play and reacting to that instead.

****
Cal Clutterbuck is… a Broadcaster?

Say it ain’t so, Cal! Hey! SoCal! 😂

Cal Clutterbuck to join the NY Islanders broadcast on MSG analyst for season opener

Apparently, the original Clutter joined the New York Islanders broadcast as an analyst for their season opener.

The article also says, “According to reports, Clutterbuck is not ready to announce his retirement from the ice, but he remains in shape after training all summer.” and “l’m looking forward to being involved and staying with the organization in some capacity.” and in this case, “the organization” is the New York Islanders. 

WHAT? Cal! What about St. Paul? Minnesota? 

Bring The Clutter Back, Billy G!!! The Wild, well… any team, can use some Clutter! Am I right? Yes. I am!

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Thanks for Reading!!! 

Bring the Clutter in the comments &/or on

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn…

AND…as always…

Posted in NHL Hockey, Cal Clutterbuck, Hockey In Minnesota, Wild Game Recaps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Minnesota Wild Recap at the Winnipeg Jets – October 13th, 2024

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Robb

The Minnesota Wild looked to redeem themselves after last night’s loss to Seattle but they had to do it without two big players in F Joel Eriksson Ek (broken nose) & D Jared Spurgeon (lower-body injury) who coach John Hynes labeled as day-to-day.

2024-25 Minnesota Wild Schedule and Results
1-0-1 (W-L-OTL) (3 points)

2024-25 Winnipeg Jets Schedule and Results
2-0-0 (W-L-OTL) (4 points)

The Winnipeg Jets opened the season with a 6-0 blowout in Edmonton then needed Overtime to beat the Chicago Blackhawks at home so… how do you read them? For the Minnesota Wild, it’s about their team, not the Jets!

Alright. Enough words. Let’s…

Drop the ClutterPuck!!!

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Here’s how the teams lined up:

Winnipeg Jets & Minnesota Wild Lineups

Status Report

Eriksson Ek is questionable after the forward took an elbow from Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson at 7:07 of the second period. … Minnesota added Travis Boyd, a forward, to the roster on emergency recall and reassigned goalie Jesper Wallstedt to Iowa of the American Hockey League. … Liam Ohgren is expected to enter the lineup and make his season debut.

The Jets did not skate Sunday and will likely use the same lineup from a 2-1 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

Game Recap

1st Period

The Minnesota Wild got the scoring underway with a point shot from D Jake Middleton.

15:54 – Goal – Minnesota – Jake Middleton (1) from Marco Rossi (3)

Did this shot get deflected or was Jets G Connor Hellebuyck screened? There are 3 players between the shooter and the goalie so he must not have seen it well.

Minnesota Wild 1 | 0 Winnipeg Jets

19:58 – Goal – Winnipeg Jets – Mark Scheifele (4) from Adam Lowry (2)

The Jets pulled their goalie to have the extra man since there were only 2.9 seconds left in the period. The Wild lost the faceoff and nobody blocked the shot. That’s kind of disappointing.

Minnesota Wild 1 | 1 Winnipeg Jets

2nd Period

Late in the period, Wild F Freddy Gaudreau got a score chance while driving to the net and he was tripped at the net but there was no call. It’s at 6:40 of the highlight video at the bottom of the article. 

Shots were 14-10 Winnipeg in the period, total shots = 23-17 Winnipeg.

3rd Period

Ryan Hartman is hit with a high stick with 5:39 remaining in regulation and for some reason, the official blew the whistle even though the Wild had possession of the puck! Why? Injury?

No dice on the power play for the Wild and they were still tied at 1!

With 45 seconds left, Wild F Ryan Hartman collides with a Jets player when he turns but there’s no call which is exactly the same play that was called a penalty earlier. Officially BAD!!!

Wild D Zach Bogosian is called for holding with 5.7 seconds remaining in regulation but it’s called by the official at center ice, not the official who was 5 feet away from the play. 

OVERTIME

FREE HOCKEY for 2 straight games!!!

and they score on the power play in OT to end it!

Geez! A buzzer-beater with 1.5 seconds in the 1st period and a late penalty in regulation with 5.7 seconds remaining so what do you tell your goalie after that? We needed you for 2 more saves? No! You don’t say anything! Take the point & move on!

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Final-OT

Minnesota Wild 1 | 2 Winnipeg Jets

Goals

MN:
Jake Middleton (1)

WPG:
Mark Scheifele (4), Kyle Connor-PPG (2)

Assists

MN:
Marco Rossi (3)

WPG:
Adam Lowry (2); Mark Scheifele (2), Josh Morrissey (4)

Goalies

MN:
Filip Gustavsson: 33 Saves on 35 Shots, .943 Save %, 1.99 GAA*, 1-0-1 (W-L-OTL)

WPG:
Connor Hellebuyck: 26 Saves on 27 Shots, .963 Save %, 0.66 GAA*, 3-0-0

*GAA-Goals Against Average

Shift Chart

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Next up: 

at the St. Louis Blues on ESPN on Tuesday, October 15th at 6:30 pm!

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Thanks for Reading!!! 

Bring the Clutter in the comments &/or on 

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn…

AND…as always…

Posted in Wild Game Recaps, Minnesota Wild, News/Transactions, NHL Hockey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Minnesota Wild Recap vs the Seattle Kraken – October 12th, 2024

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Robb

The Minnesota Wild battled the Seattle Kraken in their 2nd game of the season.

2024-25 Minnesota Wild Schedule and Results
1-0-0 (W-L-OTL) (2 points)

Let’s get right to it…

Drop the ClutterPuck!!!

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Here’s how the teams lined up:

Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild Lineup vs the Seattle Kraken - October 12th, 2024

Status Report
Each team held an optional morning skate Saturday. Fleury will start after Gustavsson made 31 saves in a season-opening 3-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken Lineup at the Minnesota Wild - October 12th, 2024

Status Report
Each team held an optional morning skate Saturday. … Daccord will start and make his season debut three days after signing a five-year, $25 million extension contract with the Kraken on Wednesday that begins next season.

Game Recap

1st Period

The Minnesota Wild came out with a little more energy in this game.

Just past the halfway mark of the 1st period, Marco Rossi won the faceoff at the left faceoff dot (to the goalie’s right) in the offensive zone but it went to Seattle D Adam Larsson but Kirill knocked the puck back to Marco Rossi who then sent it back to Kirill to the left corner then all of the Seattle Kraken on the ice turned into Wild fans and just watched Kirill as he skated beneath the goal line, surveyed his options then found his buddy Mats Zuccarello skating into the slot and he one-timed it past Seattle G Joey Daccord.

10:38 – Goal – Minnesota – Mats Zuccarello (2) from Kirill Kaprizov (2) & Marco Rossi (1)

Seattle Kraken 0 | 1 Minnesota Wild

“…Seattle Kraken on the ice turned into Wild fans..” meaning they were Puck-Watching or Chasing the Puck instead of covering or defending someone…

Minnesota Wild Goal Breakdown - Mats Zuccarello from Kirill Kaprizov & Marco Rossi - Puck-Watching from the entire Seattle Kraken
Puck-Watching is great when you’re watching a game, but not so great while you’re playing… In fact, if you do a lot of Puck-Watching while playing, you’ll end up watching hockey instead of playing it! HA!

Seattle F Tye Kartye was right next to Mats Zuccarello as you can see in the photo above. Instead of covering an offensive player in the best place to score a goal, he veered off to his right to cover… nobody! He was reading or trying to read Kaprizov’s eyes instead of reading the play! Seattle Film Session on the way to Dallas? Kaprizov is Russian! You don’t just read a Russian’s eyes. Haha!

The Wild had a late power play and did everything but score on it. It’s safe to say the power play is still outstanding & will probably be even better this season.

Wild F Marcus Johansson is being physical. LOVE IT!!! Checking is a HUGE part of the game, kids! Learn how to do it on both sides of the game, delivering & receiving or evading a check. #ClutteredThoughts – Good Clutter so don’t DeClutter here!

The Wild got a late power play when Jaden Schwartz tripped Kirill Kaprizov behind the net when he foolishly tried to defend him! You Can’t Defend Kirill Kaprizov!

Kirill Kaprizov then put the puck in the net as time expired but unfortunately, it did not beat the buzzer AND… no video of it could be found. So sad! We know video exists! Where is It?

1-0 Minnesota Wild at the end of the 1st period. Shots were 14-10 Minnesota.

2nd Period

A Wild power play continued to begin the 2nd period and Matt Boldy just held the puck and waited for the right time to shoot..

18:54 – Goal – PPG – Minnesota – Matt Boldy (2) from Kirill Kaprizov (3) & Mats Zuccarello (1)

Seattle Kraken 0 | 2 Minnesota Wild

Love that the announcers pick on Seattle F Brandon Tanev, “Where is Turbo going here, though?”

Seattle responded 40 seconds later to get on the board on a pretty simple play of shoot the puck and go to the net for the rebound.

18:14 – Goal – Seattle – Jordan Eberle (1) from Jared McCann (1) & Brandon Montour (1)

Seattle Kraken 1 | 2 Minnesota Wild

Defense is difficult, especially when the offense is on the rush because you have to know where the puck is but also try to cover one or multiple players and depend on your teammates to do what you want. Coasting on the backcheck usually kills your chances of stopping anything. It’s somewhat understandable if you’re the 4th player coming back because you might have trailing offensive players to cover.

This play may have been stopped had Wild D Jake Middleton stepped up as Seattle F Matty Beniers received the pass in the neutral zone. He didn’t do that and Beniers skates through the middle of the zone so Middleton lets him go so he can cover Jordan Eberle but he kept watching the puck and didn’t get in good position to box out Eberle and clear out a rebound. Meanwhile, Wild Fs Ryan Hartman & Yakov Trenin coasted from the neutral zone to the end of the play and Hartman was right there to get to the rebound before or, at least, when Eberle was there scoring the goal so where would he have been had he skated instead of coasted? A step or two closer and maybe he could’ve prevented the goal.

5:30 later, Wild D Jonas Brodin had his legs taken out from underneath him by Seattle F Brandon Tanev but he was the one called for tripping! HUH? How? What? Zebras in the Wild are dumber than they appear?

So… that call can’t be challenged* so Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes just has to accept it and hope his team can kill the penalty…
*Should teams be able to challenge any call? Literally… any call? They still get one challenge but they can challenge anything! Would this call have been changed to a Wild Power Play instead of a Seattle Power Play if they could challenge it? Would that maybe have changed the game? Oh, boy! “Hey… do you have a Rage Room here?”

They didn’t and the goal looks like it shouldn’t be allowed either.

Is it kicked in… because Jordan Eberle moves his foot forward to deflect it in the goal so… isn’t kicking moving your foot to connect with something and deflecting is letting it hit your foot?*
*Here’s a crazy idea! How ‘bout goals have to go in off a stick unless it clearly just hits a player and goes in? So… an unintentional deflection? Why is it okay to deflect it in with your skate?

11:45 – Goal – PPG – Seattle – Jordan Eberle (2) from Andre Burakovsky (1) & Vince Dunn (1)

Seattle Kraken 2 | 2 Minnesota Wild

Broadcaster Anthony LaPanta said New York looked at it and called it a good goal. Okay? No explanation though! To the rulebook… and a future Game Notes article!

The period ended with the game still tied at 2. Shots in the period were 12-9 Seattle and a total of 23-22 Minnesota. 

3rd Period

1:41 into the 3rd period, Wild F Marco Rossi got the puck at the blue line and Seattle just backed off of him and let him shoot but… they were also… PUCK-WATCHING… so none of them saw a Wild Russian sneaking in for a tip as Seattle G Joey Daccord moved his right leg to make the save and it changed direction! A Wild Russian? How do you like that?  

18:19 – Goal – Minnesota – Kirill Kaprizov (1) from Marco Rossi (2) & Brock Faber (1)

Seattle Kraken 2 | 3 Minnesota Wild

Puck-watching is a problem, isn’t it? Geez! It happens way too often! How do we stop it? It’s like a bug-zapper to bugs…

“No! Harry! NO! Don’t look at the light!… I can’t help it. It’s sooo beautiful!… ZAP!”

66 seconds later, a lost battle had some Wild players out of position and a Seattle player ready to fire a one-time and the game was tied once again! This game!

Wild D Jared Spurgeon was going to get to a loose puck in the corner first so his defensive partner, Jake Middleton went behind the net to give him an outlet but when Spurgeon looked before he got to the puck, that option wasn’t available yet so he tried to just eat the puck rather than send it to nobody behind the net and he must not have like the option of Freddy Gaudreau at the half-wall. He ended up losing the puck battle and Wild F Marat Khusnutdinov went to help with the battle which left Seattle F Tye Kartye open in the slot for a one-time.

By that time, Jake Middleton was coming out to try to disrupt or block the shot and he may have screened Wild G Marc-Andre Fleury. It’s hard to tell.

17:13 – Goal – Seattle – Tye Kartye (1) from Brandon Tanev (1) & Yanni Gourde (1)

Seattle Kraken 3 | 3 Minnesota Wild

10 minutes later, the Wild had some time in the offensive zone. The puck came around to Marcus Johansson in the right corner beneath the goal line and he just let it go by to the other side of the net to F Matt Boldy. He saw Seattle D Will Borgen coming to defend him so, as a left-shot player, he caught the pass then skated by it a little and made a behind-the-back pass to Ryan Hartman in the slot and he caught the pass and fired a shot into the right side of the net under the glove of the Seattle goalie.

Go Get Your BOLDY Jerseys, Wild Fans! WOW!!!

7:27 – Goal – Minnesota – Ryan Hartman (1) from Matt Boldy (3) & Jared Spurgeon (1)

Seattle Kraken 3 | 4 Minnesota Wild

Alright, a 1-goal lead! Let’s keep it that way!

4 minutes later, the Wild had a delayed penalty coming to them because Ryan Hartman’s stick got caught on Brock Faber’s skate so Jordan Eberle tripped so Seattle had the extra man and a Jared McCann one-timer may have gone off of Marcus Johansson’s stick as it looked like Fleury reacted like it changed direction. It’s hard to tell from this view.

3:26 – Goal – PPG – Seattle – Jared McCann (1) from Ryker Evans (2) & Andre Burakovsky (2)

Seattle Kraken 4 | 4 Minnesota Wild

This one would need some FREE HOCKEY to determine a winner!

OVERTIME!!!

Matt Boldy made a great drive to the net to what looked like a game-winning goal for sure but Seattle D Brandon Montour made slight contact with his stick or the puck to make Boldy miss the net! WOW! That close!

More FREE HOCKEY… or a shootout, at least!

SHOOTOUT!!!

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Final-SO

Seattle Kraken 5 | 4 Minnesota Wild

Goals:

MN: 
Mats Zuccarello (1); Matt Boldy-PPG (2); Kirill Kaprizov (1); Ryan Hartman (1)

SEA:
Jordan Eberle (1, 2 (PPG)); Tye Kartye (1); Jared McCann (1)

Assists:

MN:
Kirill Kaprizov (2), Marco Rossi (1); Kirill Kaprizov (3), Mats Zuccarello (1); Marco Rossi (2), Brock Faber (1); Matt Boldy (3), Jared Spurgeon (1)

SEA:
Jared McCann (1), Brandon Montour (1); Andre Burakovsky (1), Vince Dunn (1); Brandon Tanev (1), Yanni Gourde (1); Ryker Evans (2), Andre Burakovsky (2)

Shift Chart

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Some Game Notes:

The Minnesota Wild played better in this game than they did in their 1st game with several players playing better individually too:

  • Marcus Johansson – physicality? from Marcus Johansson… Checks stats…
  • Yakov Trenin – more speed & physicality
  • Marat Khusnutdinov – more speed, vision & better plays
  • Freddy Gaudreau – speed, stick & physicality; this is the Freddy The Stick the Wild missed last season (injured on a big hit in Toronto from Ryan Reaves in Game 2 last season)
  • The Top Line – the more time they play together, the better they will become… That Will Be FUN!!!
  • Matt BOLDY – He’s sooo good… the vision… the hands… the compete-level… the skill… 
  • Physicality (or Clutter): the whole team! 14 hits in game 1, 32 in this game!
  • Joel Eriksson Ek – Hit in the face by Adam Larsson’s elbow while going in for a hit, left the game, came back to the bench & one shift 

Next up: 

at the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, October 13th, 2024 at 

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Thanks for Reading!!! 

Bring the Clutter in the comments &/or on 

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn…

AND…as always…

Posted in News/Transactions, Hockey In Minnesota, NHL Hockey, Wild Game Recaps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Minnesota Wild Recap vs the Columbus Blue Jackets – October 10th, 2024

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Robb

The Minnesota Wild began season 24 tonight at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

We just published our Season Preview so check that out if you have the time and let us know what you think!

2024-25 Minnesota Wild Season Preview – Identity Restored

Or is this a better cover:

2024-25 Minnesota Wild Season Preview - Identity Restored

Let’s…

Drop the ClutterPuck!!!

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Here’s how the teams lined up:

Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild Lineup vs the Columbus Blue Jackets - October 10th, 2024

Status Report

D Declan Chisholm was out with an illness. The Wild recalled Daemon Hunt, a defenseman, and reassigned goalie Jesper Wallstedt to Iowa of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets Lineup at the Minnesota Wild - October 10th, 2024

Status Report

Jenner, a forward, had surgery on his shoulder Wednesday and is out indefinitely.

Game Recap

There was a tribute and 13 seconds of silence for the late Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau before the game began:

1st Period

Minnesota Wild F Matt Boldy, who was injured in the 1st preseason game (?) had a breakaway early in the 1st period but Columbus D Zach Werenski caught him and we thought he slashed his stick over the top but there wasn’t a call and if there wasn’t a call, it must not have been a penalty, right? 

Minnesota Wild D Brock Faber had the puck on an offensive rush, got twisted with a Columbus defender as he tried to get the puck back to Marcus Foligno and then collided with his teammate, F Marcus Foligno, falling awkwardly into the corner boards. He got up and skated gingerly off the ice. That didn’t look good but he returned and looked no worse for the wear.

Minnesota Wild F Jakub Lauko, acquired from Boston for F Vinni Lettieri, made a rush up the ice and fired a backhand that may have missed the net but he showed good speed and hands. That trade has looked good since the second it happened! 

17 minutes and 40 seconds or so into the 3rd, the Minnesota Wild were on the power play and, as it expired, Matt Boldy was in the right corner beneath the goal line when he received the puck from linemate Marcus Johansson and he skated out to the right half-wall as he surveyed his options then he fired a quick wrist shot while Joel Eriksson Ek was being a nuisance in front of the net and the shot went upper right for the 1st Minnesota Wild goal of the season.

2:09 – Goal – Minnesota – Matt Boldy (1) from Marcus Johansson (1) & Jonas Brodin (1)

Columbus 0 | 1 Minnesota

2nd Period

The Blue Jackets scored 2 minutes into the 2nd to tie the game at 1 on a goal that happened because of at least 2 deflections. A Columbus shot went wide into the right corner & around to the right half-wall & Cole Sillinger beat Wild D Jake Middleton to the loose puck then curled around to the top of the faceoff circle. Wild F Kirill Kaprizov was coming to defend him & to try to take the puck. Sillinger tried a pass to the left point but it went off of Kaprizov’s left skate to the front of the net right to Columbus F Kent Johnson who had his back to the net but he caught the puck with his stick and made a turnaround shot on net. Wild D Jared Spurgeon saw what he was doing so he extended his right leg out to try to block the shot but it ended up deflecting off of Spurgeon’s leg and went up into the left corner of the net.

You know it went off of Spurgeon because of his reaction and because Wild G Filip Gustavsson moved to stop a low shot to the far side.

18:00 – Goal – Columbus – Kent Johnson (1) from Cole Sillinger (1) & Damon Severson (1)

Deflections are tough because they cause the defense to scramble to find the puck, allowing the offense to find open ice for a pass or a rebound off the goalie. Jake Middleton may have been able to end the play by moving his feet to get better position on Sillinger so he could either take the puck from him or get physical with him to force a turnover or a loose puck, especially since he was skating away from the net or with his back to the net. 

Columbus 1 | Minnesota 1

About 8 minutes of playing time later, Columbus had some offensive zone time and the puck came back to Damon Severson at the right or right-middle of the blue line & as he was getting ready to shoot, F James Van Riemsdyk was coming out to the front of the net to screen the goalie. As he skated through the crease to get in front of Wild G Filip Gustavsson, he was so close to him that Gustavsson could not play his position and fell trying to make the save to his right. The official was right there but he signaled a good goal. Wild coach John Hynes challenged for Goaltender Interference and it took 5+ minutes to look at the play and overturn the call on the ice. NO GOAL!!!*
*It’s ridiculous why this goal isn’t called No Goal due to goaltender interference! More about it in our Game Notes article coming soon!

We couldn’t find any video of this but it’s at the 4:07 mark of the highlight video embedded at the end of the article.

Goaltender Interference during the game between the Minnesota Wild & the Columbus Blue Jackets? Isn't it obvious?
You see the puck right in front of the player in front of the net as well as the contact he’s making with Wild G Filip Gustavsson

We did find this explanation on the NHL’s website:

Coach’s Challenge for Goaltender Interference - CBJ @ MIN – 1024 of the 2nd Period

Explanation: Video review determined that Columbus’ James van Riemsdyk made contact with goaltender Filip Gustavsson’s pad that impaired his ability to play his position prior to the goal. The decision was made in accordance with Rule 69.1 which states, in part, that “Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal.”

6 minutes later, the Wild used their forecheck to perfection but Columbus helped out with some weird decisions and soft plays. Blue Jackets D Jack Johnson, in the defensive zone, held the puck then tried to skate away from Marcus Johansson instead of just passing it off the boards right away to his defensive partner who could then make a play to break out of the zone. Instead he passed it to his partner late so he had to just send it up the boards. Wild D Jake Middleton pinched to get to the puck first which he did but he either missed it or slowed it down because he knew Matt Boldy was behind him & James Van Riemsdyk was already pressuring him. Columbus F Adam Fantilli tried to chip the puck past Boldy but he missed it completely and took a huge turn to get back into the play. That forced D Erik Gudbranson to defend Boldy so he passed the puck to Marcus Johansson who was open because Gudranson left him so Jack Johnson, with his stick in the air, went to Johansson which left Joel Eriksson Ek open in the slot and he sniped it into the upper left corner to get the Wild their 1-goal lead back.

3:25 – Goal – Minnesota –  Joel Eriksson Ek (1) from Marcus Johansson (1) & Matt Boldy (1)

Columbus 1 | Minnesota 2

Late in the period, Wild F Marco Rossi got a puck at the right half-wall and made a quick backhand pass to Kirill Kaprizov in front of the net for a good scoring chance. With them still being relatively new teammates, we wonder if Kirill didn’t expect that pass because he had to make a turnaround shot which isn’t usually the greatest shot.

3rd Period

About halfway through the 3rd period, the Minnesota Wild were on a power play and they worked the passing to perfection as Boldy fed Mats Zuccarello for a quick catch & shoot but may have been a catch & pass because the puck deflected off of Jack Johnson’s stick and off the inside of Columbus G Elvis Merzlikens right leg and into the net. “Thank you very much!.” in an Elvis voice and dance.

10:02 – Goal – Minnesota –  Mats Zuccarello (1) from Matt Boldy (2) & Kirill Kaprizov (1)  

Columbus 1 | Minnesota 3

The Wild looked like they had this game won as they kept the forecheck going & were all over them but D Jake Middleton got a delay of game penalty when he accidentally shot the puck over the glass and out of play with

It took Columbus just 16 seconds to score on a one-timer from D Zach Werenski. The face-off ended up going beneath the goal line to Wild G Filip Gustavsson’s right and all 4 Wild penalty killers were there trying to win the puck against 3 Blue Jackets. The puck came around the opposite corner where Columbus F Kent Johnson corralled it and skated across the top of the zone then fed Yegor Chinakhov at the left point and he quickly sent it over to Werenski for a one-timer from the top of the right circle and the low shot may have deflected off Jonas Brodin’s stick to beat Gustavsson and bring the game within a goal with 2:54 remaining in regulation.

10:02 – Goal – Columbus –  Zach Werenski (1) from Yegor Chinakhov (1) & Kent Johnson (1)  

Columbus 2 | Minnesota 3

Wild F Marcus Foligno gave both of his linemates breakaways in the 3rd but neither of them capitalized on those chances.

The Wild had to battle through until the end and make some key defensive plays and blocked shots to make sure…

Game 1 Was GAME WON!!!

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Final

Columbus Blue Jackets 2 | 3 Minnesota Wild

Shift Chart

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Next up: 

vs the Seattle Kraken on Saturday at 7 pm on Bally Sports North!

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Thanks for Reading!!! 

Bring the Clutter in the comments &/or on 

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn…

AND…as always…

Bring the Clutter Every Day in Every Way!
Posted in News/Transactions, Hockey In Minnesota, Minnesota Wild, NHL Hockey, Wild Game Recaps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment