Minnesota Wild vs. Seattle Kraken Recap (W)

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 3 – Seattle Kraken 0

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

The Wild came out flying, scoring three goals in the first 4:29 and shutting down the Kraken for a dominant 4-0 victory, backstopped by a flawless performance from Filip Gustavsson.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Matt Boldy (2 Goals, Breaking 11-Game Drought)

• Turning Point: Three goals in 1:42 to open the game—Wild’s fastest start of the season

• Standout Stat: Filip Gustavsson posted a 34-save shutout, his fifth of the season

• Goaltending Anchor: Gustavsson leads the NHL in save percentage in March (.944)

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Blazing Start: The Wild snapped their six-game streak of conceding the first goal, flipping the script with three goals in under five minutes.

2️⃣ Gus Bus Rolls On: Gustavsson continues his elite play in net, shutting down all 34 Kraken shots for his fifth shutout of the season.

3️⃣ Boldy Breaks the Slump: After 11 games without a goal, Boldy erupted for two, including an empty-netter to seal the deal.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ F. Gustavsson (MIN • Goalie): 34 saves, shutout (SV%: 1.000)

2. ⭐ R. Hartman (MIN • Right Wing): 1 goal, strong two-way play

3. ⭐ M. Boldy (MIN • Left Wing): 2 goals, ended an 11-game goal drought

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 28 – Kraken 34
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/2) – Kraken 0% (0/1)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 6 – Kraken 8
• Faceoffs: Wild 50% – Kraken 50%
• Hits: Wild 17 – Kraken 17
• Blocked Shots: Wild 18 – Kraken 9
• Giveaways: Wild 14 – Kraken 15
• Takeaways: Wild 12 – Kraken 10

📰 Around the Team:

Injury Report: Marco Rossi left in the first period after taking a Boldy shot to the knee. No update yet, but this could be a huge blow with Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov, Brodin, and Foligno already out.

Ohgren’s Impact: Called up as an emergency replacement for Marcus Johansson, Liam Ohgren scored his first goal at home in just his ninth NHL game.

Playoff Picture: The Wild move within two points of third-place Colorado, keeping a firm hold on the first wild-card spot.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Fastest Start: The Wild’s three goals in 4:29 were the fastest opening three goals in franchise history and the quickest in the NHL this season.

• Gustavsson’s Dominance: Leads the NHL in save percentage (.944) in March and is tied for second in shutouts (5) this season.

• Boldy & Kaprizov: Boldy’s 23rd goal of the season ties Kaprizov for the team lead, but it took him 69 games to reach it vs. Kaprizov’s 37.

🔍 What This Win Means:

✅ Confidence Boost – The offense finally found its rhythm after a rough stretch.

✅ Defensive Lockdown – A full-team defensive effort led to a complete shutout.

✅ Playoff Push – The Wild keep closing the gap on Colorado in the Central.

🔥 Next Up:
• Opponent: Buffalo Sabres
• Date: March 22, 2025
• Time: 1:00 PM CST
• Where to Watch: FanDuel

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📬 Final Whistle:

The Wild came out with a statement win, proving they can score early and control a game from start to finish. With Gustavsson locked in and the offense showing signs of life, this momentum could be huge for their playoff push. Can they build on this in their next matchup against Buffalo? Stay tuned for more updates in Wild Hockey Insider!

📢 Stay tuned to Wild Hockey Insider for pre-game insights and analysis!