Episode 96

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild Wild 3 - Colorado Avalanche 1

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

No Kaprizov? No problem. Yakov Trenin and Brock Faber score 1:35 apart in the third to push the Wild past the Avalanche in a gutsy road win.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Yakov Trenin (Wrist shot, 2:08 into the third)

• Turning Point: Trenin and Faber's back-to-back goals in the opening minutes of the third period.

• Standout Stat: Wild defense limited the Avalanche to just 11 shots through two periods.

• Goaltending Anchor: Marc-André Fleury made 26 saves, standing tall in a low-scoring battle.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Trenin’s Game-Winner: The former Predators forward delivered a clutch goal early in the third, assisted by David Jiricek, to put the Wild up for good.

2️⃣ Defensive Masterclass: Minnesota frustrated Colorado’s high-powered offense, holding them to just four shots in the first half of the game and neutralizing Nathan MacKinnon.

3️⃣ Fleury’s Brick Wall Performance: In back-to-back starts, Fleury was outstanding, making key saves to keep the Avalanche at bay.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ Y. Trenin (MIN • Center): 1 goal, game-winner

2. ⭐ L. Ohgren (MIN • Left Wing): 2 assists, strong two-way play

3. ⭐ N. MacKinnon (COL • Center): 1 goal, Colorado’s lone scorer

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 26 – Avalanche 27
• Face-off %: Wild 50.8% – Avalanche 49.2%
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/4) – Avalanche 0% (0/3)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 6 – Avalanche 8
• Hits: Wild 7 – Avalanche 16
• Blocked Shots: Wild 17 – Avalanche 9
• Giveaways: Wild 7 – Avalanche 13
• Takeaways: Wild 2 – Avalanche 6

📰 Around the Team:

• Kaprizov Update: Kirill Kaprizov remains day-to-day but could return later this week.

• Ohgren’s Breakout: Rookie Liam Ohgren recorded his first multi-point game in the NHL.

• Roster Battle: With Jiricek and Ohgren stepping up, the Wild will have decisions to make when injured players return.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Shutting Down MacKinnon: The Wild defense limited MacKinnon’s space, forcing the Avalanche to work for every opportunity.
• Elite Road Warriors: Minnesota now holds a strong 17-5-3 record on the road this season.
• Trenin’s Impact: The forward’s game-winning goal marked his second in five games since returning to the lineup.

🗓️ Next Up:
• Opponent: Utah Hockey Club
• Date: January 23, 2025
• Time: 7:00 PM CST
• Where to Watch: ESPN+/Hulu

📬 Final Whistle:

A resilient, structured win against one of the NHL’s best teams—momentum is swinging back in the Wild’s favor. Can they keep it going at home? Stay tuned for more updates in the Wild Hockey Insider!