Episode 126

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 4 – Seattle Kraken 3

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

The Wild took control early, held off a Kraken comeback, and secured a 4-3 win on the road behind Mats Zuccarello’s two-point night and Filip Gustavsson’s 33 saves.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Mats Zuccarello (Game-winning goal, 8:22 of the second period)

• Turning Point: Wild scored three straight goals in the first 25 minutes before holding off Seattle’s late surge.

• Standout Stat: Wild scored on their only power-play opportunity (1-for-1), while Seattle went 1-for-2.

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson stopped 33 of 36 shots, making clutch saves in the final stretch.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Zuccarello Steps Up: The veteran winger finished with a goal and an assist, including the eventual game-winner.

2️⃣ Early Surge, Late Hold-On: The Wild dominated the first half of the game but allowed Seattle to crawl back in. Strong defense sealed the win.

3️⃣ Gustavsson’s Strong Performance: Despite the late goals from Seattle, Gustavsson made key saves, including a crucial stop on a penalty shot.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ M. Zuccarello (MIN • RW): 1 goal, 1 assist, game-winning goal

2. ⭐ K. Kakko (SEA • RW): 2 assists, key playmaker for Seattle’s rally

3. ⭐ M. Johansson (MIN • LW): 2 assists, strong playmaking

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 20 – Kraken 36
• Face-offs: Wild 38.1% – Kraken 61.9%
• Power Play: Wild 100% (1/1) – Kraken 50% (1/2)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 4 – Kraken 2
• Hits: Wild 15 – Kraken 17
• Blocked Shots: Wild 21 – Kraken 9
• Giveaways: Wild 16 – Kraken 9
• Takeaways: Wild 5 – Kraken 7

📰 Around the Team:

• Hartman Returns: Ryan Hartman was back from suspension and made an impact, assisting on Spurgeon’s goal.

• Road Warriors: The Wild’s 22nd road win leads the NHL. They are closing in on their franchise record of 24.

• Kaprizov Update: The Wild’s superstar remains day-to-day with his injury, with no official timeline for return.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Penalty Shot Stopper: Filip Gustavsson has stopped all four penalty shots he’s faced in his NHL career.

• Zuccarello’s Milestone: His 79th multi-point game ties Zach Parise for fourth-most in franchise history.

• Kraken’s First Loss to Wild: Minnesota improves to 3-1 all-time in Seattle.

🗓️ Next Up:
• Opponent: Vancouver Canucks
• Date: March 7, 2025
• Time: 9:00 PM CST
• Where to Watch: FanDuel

📬 Final Whistle:

The Wild took care of business early but had to sweat out the third period. With another road win under their belt, they look to keep the momentum going against a tough Vancouver squad. Stay tuned for more updates in Wild Hockey Insider!