The Minnesota Wild went to Arizona to face the Coyotes who had lost 6 games in a row so you could look at it as a trap game, especially after a huge win in Vegas on Monday night. That means this is a test of where this Minnesota Wild team is mentally. Do they show up and play their game? Or do they let an Arizona Coyotes team get their game going?
There was some redemption for the Minnesota Wild in this game as well since they were embarrassed at home in a 6-0 win one month ago on January 13th.
AND… it’s Valentine’s Day so… I’m not sure where this is going but…
We LOVE Hockey, though! from Saucy Mitts & Red Bubble
2023-24 Minnesota Wild Schedule and Results
Record:
24-23-5 (53 points)
6th in NHL Central Division
NHL Hockey Wild Card Standings
Arizona wore their Desert Night jerseys or as we like to call them, their tablecloth & napkin jerseys:
Here are starting goalie Connor Ingram’s goalie pads:
A goalie… ➡️ uhh… goalie ➡️ ugh… goalie ➡️ UGLY!
See…that looks like a napkin design:
Alright. Enough words. Let’s…
Drop the ClutterPuck!!!
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Here’s how the teams lined up:
Game Recap
1st Period
It looked like Minnesota Wild F Matt Boldy was going to get to the puck first 2 & a half minutes into the game but the linesman whistled the play down for icing.*
*Icing rule? Is it a race to the dot? No but kind of!
Wild F Freddy Gaudreau was called for a trip because he put his stick in the feet of Arizona F Nick Bjugstad.
Arizona F Nick Bjugstad blocked a shot and got a breakaway but Minnesota Wild G Marc-Andre Fleury made the save.
Wild D Dakota Mermis was called for holding but both players may have been holding. Mermis was trying to get away but couldn’t because he was also being held but the official didn’t see that. We’re not fans of the holding penalty and/or the way it’s called. A lot of times it’s called as Touching instead of Holding.
Minnesota Wild F Marcus Johansson was hit in the face with a high stick from Arizona D J. J. Moser to give the Minnesota Wild their 1st power play of the game.
14:01 – Goal (PPG) – Joel Eriksson Ek (24) from Matt Boldy (21) & Kirill Kaprizov (30)
A shot went wide and Minnesota F Kirill Kaprizov was the first to the loose puck beneath the goal line. He quickly sent the puck behind the net to Matt Boldy who immediately took it to the front of the net then made a backhand pass through the feet of Arizona D ? to Joel Eriksson Ek for a one-timer just over Arizona G ? left pad and a 1-0 lead!
Minnesota Wild 1 | 0 Arizona Coyotes
The Wild outshot Arizona 21-7 in that period!
2nd Period
Wild F Marco Rossi was obviously tripped in the defensive zone and there was no call. Arizona F Matias Maccelli even looked back at the official as he was getting to the loose puck. The in-zone official was blocked by the net, the goalie and a couple of players as he was in the opposite corner. The neutral zone official has to see that then & if he can’t, then maybe there should be another official on the ice because that’s an obvious penalty.
Later in the period, Matt Boldy went through the Coyote defensemen with another Coyote trailing him with a slick move and almost scored. He is taking the next step before our eyes. He has looked like a different player in the last few games as he’s starting to realize he has the talent to take over a game.
16:22 – Goal – Arizona – Nick Schmaltz
Wild G Marc-Andre Fleury was bumped by Arizona F Barrett Hayton while he was trying to make the save so Wild coach John Hynes challenged the play for Goaltender Interference and…
No Goal!!!
The goal was taken off the board so it was still…
Minnesota Wild 1 | 0 Arizona Coyotes
Arizona had a scoring chance a minute later with a couple guys driving the net but the Wild defenders made plays on sticks to make those chances difficult and Fleury was able to freeze the puck.
On the ensuing faceoff, Arizona won it and they eventually had the puck in the right corner (to Wild G Fleury’s left) on the stick of D Sean Durzi. He tried to take the puck to the net and Wild D Jonas Brodin broke it up* but he was able to get a shot off as he was falling down. The shot was weak and easily stopped by Marc-Andre Fleury. Brodin the took the puck, went around the net to break out of the zone then passed it to Connor Dewar going up the right side. Dewar had Durzi pursuing him on the backcheck but he pulled the puck back to avoid the poke check then found Brodin alone in the right slot and he shot it to the blocker side. The puck hit J.J. Moser’s leg then bounced off the ice and went over Connor Ingram’s right pad.
*He may have tripped him to make him lose his balance and the puck. The official was in the corner again and didn’t make a call. It’s in the highlight video at the 4:30 mark.
19:39 – Goal – Minnesota – Jonas Brodin (3) from Connor Dewar (3) & Marc-Andre Fleury (1)
Arizona D J.J. Moser (#90) turned to skate forward to get even or take away a pass to driving Wild F Jake Lucchini but that meant he couldn’t see who had the puck or where it was until he turned. He probably could’ve changed the play and guided the back-checkers to defend the trailing players but nobody accounted for Jonas Brodin or Vinni Lettieri:
Minnesota Wild 2 | 0 Arizona Coyotes
At the end of the period after a Coyotes shot on goal, Arizona & former Wild draft pick F Jack McBain stopped short of going to the net to put his shoulder into Wild F Mats Zuccarello so a scrum developed quickly with a lot of Wild players going after McBain. Jonas Brodin was pushing McBain’s head down and apparently took McBain’s helmet off so the official called Roughing on Brodin and nothing else. That’s terrible officiating. McBain went in long after the horn to end the period.
You can hear the official say, “I got 25 & that’s it. You took his helmet right off!” Obviously said official didn’t see what McBain did to start the whole thing. Again, terrible officiating! Brodin is pushing him down and his helmet came off. McBain put a shoulder into Zuccarello. Also, why does it matter that he took his helmet off?
You have to wonder if the Wild scores another goal or two if someone asks McBaim to throw down.
3rd Period
2022 3rd overall pick & former Minnesota Gopher F Logan Cooley is showing why he left for the professional ranks. He has immense talent and showed it on this play.
5:21 – Goal – Arizona – Logan Cooley (7) from Jack McBain (10) & Juuso Valimaki (8)
Logan Cooley got a pass as he was skating up the left side in the neutral zone. Wild D Brock Faber looks like he lost an edge and that might be what makes the play possible. Cooley faked to the inside then pushed forward to get some space then took a shot but Faber’s stick got a piece of the shot &/or a piece of Cooley’s stick to effect the shot and it snuck through the 5-hole of Wild G Marc-Andre Fleury to cut the lead in half.
It’s pretty crazy that his just his 7th goal of the season!
Minnesota Wild 2 | 1 Arizona Coyotes
Arizona D Matt Dumba took a high-sticking penalty on his former teammate Kirill Kaprizov after he had a scoring chance. Dumba put his stick around his head and it looked like he got him somewhere. Dumba was incensed in the penalty box but it’s just like every other stick infraction…
Don’t Put Your Stick There!
*Careful with that! No Jokes!
If it looks like a penalty, most of the time it’s going to be called a penalty so the only way to avoid those calls are to not put your stick in a player’s hands, feet or near his head and SKATE TO DEFEND! It’s either that or keep being frustrated with the calls! It seems like a no-brainer decision, doesn’t it?
Minnesota Wild F Joel Eriksson broke up a play in the neutral zone, corralled the loose puck then passed to Matt Boldy on the far side. Boldy made an immediate move when he caught the pass to get a step on the Arizona defender then used his speed to get in alone on the goalie and shot at the 5-hole. It appeared Arizona G Karel Vemelka made the save but the puck was still loose under him so when he moved his feet, he kicked it into the net as Matt Boldy was skating behind the net to have the perfect view of the puck crossing the goal line for his 19th goal of the season. YESSSS!!!
Minnesota Wild 3 | 1 Arizona Coyotes
The Wild had to sustain a push from Arizona in the waning minutes including a Nick Schmaltz shot off the post but the score did not change and that’s 4 straight for the Minnesota Wild as continue to push for the playoffs!
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Final
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Next up:
The Minnesota Wild return home for a Saturday matinee as they will look to make it 5 in a row:
🆚: Buffalo Sabres
🏟️: The X / Xcel Energy Center
⏰: 4:00 pm 🕓
📺: Bally Sports North
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