In a dazzling performance that showcased their offensive might, the Minnesota Wild scored three rapid-fire goals at the onset of the match, leading to a crushing 4-0 defeat for the Seattle Kraken. A stellar performance from Filip Gustavsson, who recorded his fifth shutout of the season with a whopping 34 saves, was the linchpin that secured the victory on Wednesday night.
The Wild’s remarkable opening salvo, coming from Ryan Hartman, Matt Boldy, and Liam Ohgren, was delivered within a time frame of just 1 minute and 42 seconds in the first period. This blitzkrieg left the Kraken scrambling for stability and was instrumental in propelling the Wild within striking distance, just two points shy of the third-place Colorado in the Central Division.
Despite the Kraken’s commendable effort in outshooting the Wild 34-28, their attempts proved futile. This defeat marks their second loss in regulation play in their last seven games. The loss becomes even more noteworthy considering it’s the Kraken’s fourth match within six days, and the team’s inability to break their unfortunate streak of 0-11 in second games of back-to-back contests this season.
Matt Boldy, who scored the opening and closing goals for the Wild, brought an end to his 12-game goal drought. His twin strikes have catapulted him to the top of the team’s scoring charts, sharing the honor with Kirill Kaprizov. Remarkably, Kaprizov has managed to retain his position despite missing all but three games since December 23.
However, the Wild’s victory was not without its setbacks. Center Marco Rossi, the third-highest goal scorer for the team with 21 goals, had to exit the game in the first period. Rossi sustained a lower-body injury after being struck by a shot from his teammate, Boldy. Rossi’s departure is significant as he is one of the three Wild players who have featured in every game of the season.
In conclusion, the Minnesota Wild’s lightning-quick start and consistent offensive performance, combined with Filip Gustavsson’s solid goaltending, ensured a decisive victory over the Seattle Kraken. Despite a grueling schedule, the Wild continue to make strides towards the upper echelons of the Central Division.
