Minnesota Wild vs. Washington Capitals Recap (W)

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 4 – Capitals 2

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

Matt Boldy took over late and Freddy Gaudreau sealed the deal as the Wild grounded the Capitals in a statement win at home.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Matt Boldy (go-ahead goal with 8.5 seconds left in 2nd)

• Turning Point: Boldy’s one-handed wraparound goal that gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead heading into the third.

• Standout Stat: Wild blocked 22 shots—12 of them in the third.

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson stopped 28 of 30 shots, including a few Ovechkin lasers.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Boldy Sets the Tone: With a goal and an assist, Boldy now holds the franchise record for game-winners in a season (9).

2️⃣ Freddy’s Double Tap: Gaudreau scored on a power-play deflection and iced it with an empty-netter.

3️⃣ Shutdown Mode Activated: Brodin and the defense silenced Ovechkin, who remains six shy of Gretzky.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

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

2. ⭐ J. Brodin (MIN • Defenseman): Key defensive stops, including a clean strip of Ovechkin on a breakaway

3. ⭐ F. Gaudreau (MIN • Center): 2 goals

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Capitals 30 – Wild 21
• Power Play: Capitals 0% (0/2) – Wild 50% (1/2)
• Penalty Minutes: Capitals 4 – Wild 4
• Faceoffs: Capitals 58.9% – Wild 41.1%
• Hits: Capitals 13 – Wild 25
• Blocked Shots: Capitals 9 – Wild 22
• Giveaways: Capitals 18 – Wild 15
• Takeaways: Capitals 1 – Wild 2

📰 Around the Team:

• Kaprizov & Eriksson Ek Update: Both resumed skating, but coach John Hynes says returns are “week-to-week.” Neither will play during the New York road trip.

• Foligno Returns: Played 18:10 in his first game back after five games out, registering one shot and several big hits.

• Fleury Farewell Salute: Ovechkin organized a handshake line postgame to honor Fleury, possibly facing the Wild for the last time.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• 28-0 When Leading After 2: The Wild remain perfect this season when ahead after two periods.

• Boldy’s Big Night: His 24th goal leads the team—and he’s now tied for second in the NHL in game-winners.

• Shutdown D: Brodin hasn’t been on the ice for a 5-on-5 Ovechkin goal in five years.

🔍 What This Win Means:

✅ Playoff Push Alive – Wild hold their wild-card spot and keep the Blues at bay.

✅ Resilience Check – After tough losses to Dallas and Vegas, Minnesota bounced back with grit.

✅ Depth Delivering – With stars out, Boldy, Gaudreau, and Merrill stepped up in a massive way.

🔥 Next Up:
• Opponent: New Jersey Devils
• Date: March 29, 2025
• Time: 5:00 PM CST
• Where to Watch: Streaming on FanDuel 📺
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📬 Final Whistle:

From power-play punches to third-period sacrifice, the Wild showed playoff-level urgency. With 10 games left, every point counts—so does every block.

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