Wild still confident despite allowing 13 goals in two games
Gone are the thrilling feelings from scoring a franchise-record 10 goals in a win over Vancouver on Monday. Those exciting feelings have been replaced by negative emotions after losing 6-3 in Winnipeg Tuesday night — yet somehow, the Wild remain confident.
Minnesota's 10-goal outburst against the Canucks also overshadowed the fact that they allowed seven goals in that victory. Add six more finding the back of the net Tuesday night and the Wild have been bludgeoned for 13 goals in 48 hours.
What made the loss in Winnipeg more painful is that a win would've put the Wild in a tie with St. Louis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference — and it snapped Minnesota's six game points streak (5-0-1),
Still, somehow confident, even though goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson have a combined save percentage of .759 (41 saves on 54 shots) the last 120 minutes of hockey.
“I don't believe we gave them too much,” Fleury said after the loss in Winnipeg. “It was two tips in the third, a change of direction, a power-play goal that was a nice play back door, a couple shots I didn't see. So, I didn't think we got played by any means. Not to worry. Put that one behind and keep going.”
Minnesota coach John Hynes seemed quite pleased with the offensive output in the loss, with Marco Rossi scoring twice and Kirill Kaprizov netting his 24th goal of the season.
“I thought we generated quite a bit. I think that we certainly should have had more goals than we did tonight,” Hynes said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t go in. But I thought the chance generation, expected goals, chances for, (offensive) zone time, lots of those things were in our favor, but didn’t get in tonight, so I think we’ve got to bear down. The process to get to those chances was good, but when you get that many looks and you’re that attacking offensively, you’ve got to find a way to find it get to the back of the net.”
Up next: Wild at Edmonton, 8 p.m. CT Friday.
Feb 20, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (13) celebrates his goal against the Minnesota Wild during third period at Canada Life Centre.
Credit: Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports
