Episode 92

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 4 – Calgary Flames 5

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

The Wild’s late rally falls short as Andrei Kuzmenko’s three-point night powers the Flames to victory.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Andrei Kuzmenko (2 goals, 1 assist, GWG)

• Turning Point: Kuzmenko’s second goal just 14 seconds after a Wild power-play goal, stopping any momentum shift.

• Standout Stat: The Wild penalty kill struggles again, giving up two goals on three Calgary power plays.

• Goaltending Anchor: Marc-André Fleury made 24 saves but couldn’t hold off the Flames’ attack.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Too Little, Too Late – The Wild’s three-goal third period showed fight, but defensive lapses and a sluggish start put them in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.

2️⃣ Kuzmenko’s Dominance – Calgary’s winger was everywhere, scoring twice, assisting once, and frustrating the Wild all night.

3️⃣ Penalty Kill Woes Continue – Minnesota’s PK has been a major weakness, now giving up seven power-play goals in the last six games.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ A. Kuzmenko (CGY • Left Wing) – 2 goals, 1 assist

2. ⭐ M. Weegar (CGY • Defenseman) – 0 goals, 2 assists

3. ⭐ R. Andersson (CGY • Defenseman) – 1 goal, strong defensive performance

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 25 – Flames 29
• Faceoffs: Wild 38.1% – Flames 61.9%
• Power Play: Wild 50% (1/2) – Flames 66.7% (2/3)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 17 – Flames 15
• Hits: Wild 23 – Flames 20
• Blocked Shots: Wild 20 – Flames 13
• Giveaways: Wild 7 – Flames 8
• Takeaways: Wild 11 – Flames 9

📰 Around the Team:

• Fleury’s Historic Night – The veteran goalie surpassed Patrick Roy for second-most minutes played by an NHL goaltender.

• Rossi’s Playmaking Surge – Marco Rossi notched three assists, his best offensive game in weeks.

• Home Struggles Continue – The Wild have now lost five of their last six, including four straight at Xcel Energy Center.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Kuzmenko’s Breakout Game – After struggling early in the season, he has six points in his last four games.

• Wild’s Third-Period Push – Outscored Calgary 3-2 in the final frame but ran out of time.

• Faceoff Woes – Winning just 38.1% of faceoffs hurt Minnesota’s ability to control play.

🗓️ Next Up:
• Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks
• Date: January 26, 2025
• Time: 6:00 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 The Wild showed resilience but couldn’t overcome early mistakes. With a brutal home record, hitting the road might be exactly what they need to snap out of their funk. Stay tuned for more updates in Wild Hockey Insider! 🏒🔥 Subscribe here!