Episode 90

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 1 – Vegas Golden Knights 4

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

Despite Filip Gustavsson’s valiant effort, the Wild fell short against the Western Conference-leading Golden Knights, unable to keep up in the third period.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Pavel Dorofeyev (2 Power-Play Goals)

• Turning Point: Keegan Kolesar’s third-period tiebreaker at 4:09.

• Standout Stat: Vegas’ power play clicked at 40% (2/5), while the Wild were 0-for-2.

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson made 33 saves, keeping the Wild in the game through two periods.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Gustavsson’s Bounce-Back Performance: After a tough outing in Colorado, Gustavsson showed his resilience with 33 saves, though the team couldn’t capitalize offensively.

2️⃣ Vegas’ Power Play Dominance: The Golden Knights took full advantage of their special teams, scoring twice on the man advantage, which proved to be the difference-maker.

3️⃣ Depth Players Step Up for Vegas: With Jack Eichel out due to illness, players like Pavel Dorofeyev and Keegan Kolesar delivered pivotal performances.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ P. Dorofeyev (VGK • LW): 2 goals, 1 assist, including both power-play goals.

2. ⭐ K. Kolesar (VGK • RW): Game-winning goal.

3. ⭐ T. Hertl (VGK • C): 1 goal, 1 assist.

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 16 – Golden Knights 37
• Faceoff %: Wild 56% – Golden Knights 44%
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/2) – Golden Knights 40% (2/5)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 15 – Golden Knights 9
• Hits: Wild 27 – Golden Knights 23
• Blocked Shots: Wild 16 – Golden Knights 10
• Giveaways: Wild 19 – Golden Knights 16
• Takeaways: Wild 7 – Golden Knights 1

📰 Around the Team:

• Kaprizov Update: Kirill Kaprizov’s return is getting closer, and he is listed as day-to-day after skating in practice.

• Injury Troubles Continue: Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Brock Faber remain out, leaving the Wild’s defense shorthanded.

• Next Challenge: The Wild host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in St. Paul on Wednesday.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Power Play Problems: The Wild’s struggles on the power play (0-for-2) are becoming a recurring issue.

• Gustavsson Holds Strong: Despite the loss, Gustavsson showcased his skills with multiple high-danger saves, keeping the game close through two periods.

• Offense Lacking: With only 16 shots on goal, the Wild’s offensive output fell flat against Vegas’ tight defense.

🗓️ Next Up:
• Opponent: Edmonton Oilers
• Date: January 15, 2025
• Time: 7:30 PM CST
• Where to Watch: TNT, truTV Max

📬 Final Whistle:

The Wild showed grit but couldn’t match Vegas’ depth and power play. With Kaprizov’s return on the horizon, the team looks to bounce back at home against Edmonton. Stay tuned for more updates in the Wild Hockey Insider! Subscribe here!