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Zucker's Speed, Too Much For Hawks |
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Win number one on the season is in the books and just like last season the Wild are 1-1-1 after three games.
We all are very aware that the Wild work is cut out for them if they are to reach the playoffs for a seventh straight season. No one can dispute that the Wild are an experienced team with a ton of experience. The question is can this veteran squad pull it all together night after night against the young fast and talented teams that make up the league's elite.
Last night we saw how the speed of Jason Zucker can be a game changer as he was too much for the Blackhawks to handle nearly every shift he was on the ice.
Yes, the Wild fell behind 2-0 in the first period, but not because they were outplayed. It was more a case of Chicago capitalizing on their opportunities while the Wild did not. It had the feel that the Wild were in control of the game despite the score.
Eric Staal and Jason Zucker teamed up for a goal and assist apiece in the second period as Bruce Boudreau juggled his lines midgame. He moved Jordan Greenway to play with Staal and Zucker who had begun the game playing with Joel Eriksson Ek.
In the third period Alex DeBrincat scored his second of the game just 10 seconds into a Blackhawk powerplay following an Eric Fehr tripping penalty. From that point forward the Wild threw everything they had the Hawks net but were held off the board until Ryan Suter converted a tremendous individual effort from Zach Parise into his first goal of the season at the 19:37 mark of the third period, with Devan Dubnyk pulled in favor of the extra attacker.
Suter's tally was technically a shorthanded goal, as Mikael Granlund was forced to take a holding penalty on David Kampf which, no doubt, saved what would have been the insurance marker for Chicago, into the empty Wild net.
Minnesota had to withstand the remaining 23 seconds of the third period and the first 43 seconds of the OT period, with Chicago on the powerplay. They were able to kill that off and then went to work to complete the win.
Jason Zucker took care of that following a great steal of the puck behind the Wild net by Suter, who turned and found Parise up the right wing boards with a tremendous transition pass. Parise immediately fired a billet pass to a streaking Zucker who was in full flight. Using his speedto create separation and beating Duncan Keith for the breakaway, he opened up Blackhawks goalie Cam Ward and slid his second goal of the night through the five hole for the Wild victory.
A win is a win, but the Wild still have a lot of work to do as they continue to search for the right combinations on offense.
As mentioned Boudreau juggled his lines with some degree of success, but that will be a constant theme with the makeup of this roster. Boudreau is going to have to get Granlund more involved with players that can match his level. Playing Granlund with Koivu worked a couple seasons back when they teamed with Zucker, but those days are in the past.
Ryan Suter played his best game of the season and is looking more comfortable with each passing game, as he continues to get stronger following his ankle/leg surgery that kept him off his feet for a good portion of the Summer. Suter was on the doorstep of the Blackhawks crease for each of the Wild's first three goals,including his game tying goal late in the third period.
Zach Parise once again was one of the Wild'stop forwards last night as he appears to have picked up right where he left off last season. Parise is the spoon that stirs the Wild offense and to see him playing with the reckless abandon that has made him the great player he is, gives the Wild that scoring threat every time #11 is on the ice. Parise is a fierce competitor, that is undeniable, but when he is at 100% health, we get to see just how his skill translates that desire into production.
Another strong game in goal for Devan Dubnyk who has been the Wild's best player through the early part of the season. Dubnyk is on top of his game tracking the puck making the saves appear routine as his position and angles are spot on through the first three games. Dubnyk is going to be counted on heavily as usual and as one of the league's best goalies, Dubnyk is up to the challenge.
More work to be done, as the upstart Carolina Hurricanes come to town tomorrow night, in what will be the Wild's next test to see how they handle a speedy young team that can come at them in waves.
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