Episode 2

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 3 - Columbus Blue Jackets 2

💬 Water Cooler Talk:

Missed the game? No problem! The Wild kicked off the season with a bang, Boldy’s performance was elite, and Gustavsson stood tall when it mattered most.

⏱ Key Moments:

• 1st Period: Matt Boldy opened the scoring for the Wild at 17:51 with a snap shot from the right circle, catching Merzlikins off guard.
• 2nd Period: After a brief tie from Kent Johnson’s wrist shot, Joel Eriksson Ek put the Wild back in the lead with a one-timer at 16:35.
• 3rd Period: Mats Zuccarello extended the lead to 3-1 on a power play with a no-look pass from Boldy. The Blue Jackets’ Werenski closed the gap to 3-2 on a late power-play goal, but the Wild held on.

🌟 Players of the Game:

• Matt Boldy: 1 Goal, 2 Assists – Instrumental in setting the pace, Boldy showcased his skill with both scoring and playmaking.
• Filip Gustavsson: 31 Saves – Held strong in net, especially during the final seconds of the game when facing the extra attacker.
• Marcus Johansson: 2 Assists – His playmaking and passing helped set up key goals, keeping the Wild’s offense flowing throughout the game.

📊 Important Stats:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 26 - Blue Jackets 33
• Faceoff Wins: Wild 54.2% - Blue Jackets 45.8%
• Power Play: Wild 1/3 - Blue Jackets 1/3
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 6 - Blue Jackets 6

🔥 Exciting Moments:

• Boldy’s Playmaking: Boldy’s assist on Zuccarello’s power-play goal was a no-look beauty that ignited the crowd.

• Big Save: Filip Gustavsson’s crucial save on Sharangovich’s slap shot with 10 seconds remaining kept the Wild’s lead intact.

• Controversy: Columbus’ van Riemsdyk had a goal overturned on a power play due to goaltender interference, shifting momentum back to the Wild.

🤔 News & Updates:

• Kirill Kaprizov’s Streak: With an assist, Kaprizov tied Mikko Koivu’s franchise record for points in season openers (five straight).

• Columbus for Gaudreau: Players for Columbus sported a #13 patch honoring their former teammate 💙

• New Coach for Columbus: Former Wild coach Dean Evason made his debut against the Wild at home, and was treated to a pregame welcome video

🎉 Fun Fact:

Did you know? Brock Faber led the team with 24:57 minutes of ice time!

🤔 What can we do better?

Reply to this email with any feedback or suggestions. We’re always looking to improve!

Stay tuned for the next game’s recap!

Go Wild! 🏒