Episode 92

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 3 – Edmonton Oilers 5

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

Minnesota jumped to an early 2-0 lead, but Connor McDavid’s dominant night fueled Edmonton’s comeback, handing the Wild a tough 5-3 loss.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Vasily Podkolzin (go-ahead goal early in the third)

• Turning Point: McDavid’s game-sealing goal at 12:39 of the third period

• Standout Stat: Wild power play went 2-for-3, but Edmonton’s special teams (100% PP) made the difference

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson made 31 saves, keeping Minnesota in the fight

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Early Power Play Success – The Wild struck twice with the man advantage in the first period, but they couldn’t sustain the momentum against a relentless Oilers attack.

2️⃣ McDavid’s Milestone Night – With two goals and an assist, McDavid moved into second place on Edmonton’s all-time scoring list, passing Jari Kurri.

3️⃣ Missed Opportunity in the Third – Despite a strong showing, Minnesota couldn’t contain Edmonton’s high-powered offense in the final frame.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ Connor McDavid (EDM • Center): 2 goals, 1 assist

2. ⭐ Calvin Pickard (EDM • Goalie): 31 saves, .912 SV%

3. ⭐ Matt Boldy (MIN • Left Wing): 1 goal, 1 assist

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 34 – Oilers 36
• Faceoff %: Wild 47.5% – Oilers 52.5%
• Power Play: Wild 66.7% (2/3) – Oilers 100% (1/1)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 4 – Oilers 6
• Hits: Wild 20 – Oilers 13
• Blocked Shots: Wild 10 – Oilers 16
• Giveaways: Wild 15 – Oilers 21
• Takeaways: Wild 4 – Oilers 1

📰 Around the Team:

• Kaprizov Nearing Return? – The Wild star has resumed skating, and a return seems imminent.

• Johansson Injury Concern – The forward exited after an uncalled elbow from McDavid and is expected to miss time.

• Defensive Depth Tested – With Brodin, Faber, and Spurgeon still out, the Wild’s blue line continues to battle adversity.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• McDavid’s Historic Night – With 1,044 career points, he trails only Wayne Gretzky in Oilers franchise history.

• Minnesota’s Home Struggles Continue – The Wild fall to 11-10-1 at Xcel Energy Center.

• Special Teams Showdown – Minnesota’s power play was effective (2-for-3), but the Oilers’ perfect power play and timely goals proved decisive.

🗓️ Next Up:
• Opponent: Nashville Predators
• Date: January 18, 2025
• Time: 7:00 PM CST
• Where to Watch: FanDuel

📬 Final Whistle:

Despite a strong effort, the Wild couldn’t hold off McDavid and the Oilers in the final stretch. With key players nearing a return, the team looks to rebound against Nashville. Stay locked in with Wild Hockey Insider for all the latest updates! 🏒🔥 Subscribe here!