The Minnesota Wild took on the Chicago Blackhawks to finish up their recent stretch of road games on Wednesday, Nov. 26. They were still without Marco Rossi, Ryan Hartman, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Vinnie Hinostroza. Marcus Foligno did leave the game late in the second period, but there was no update on his condition following the game.
The game started out in favor of the Blackhawks early in the middle period, and it stayed in their favor until late in the second period when the Wild found a way to fight back. The third period went back and forth, but it was mostly the Wild, who found a way to tie the game not once but twice and forced overtime. The Wild drew a penalty, and they scored on the power play to win it in overtime 4-3. In this article, we’ll look at a few takeaways on how the Wild snagged the win, starting with their goaltending.
Wild’s Gustavsson Does His Part
It may seem like a broken record, but this is something fans always want to hear, and that’s how their team’s goaltending stepped up to help them win once again. That is part of the reason the Wild were able to come from behind and take this win from the Blackhawks, who looked to control the game early on.
Although he did allow two goals that gave the Blackhawks what was a commanding lead at the time, he kept his head up. Both of those goals were ones where the defense made a mistake in coverage, and it left someone open to shoot, giving Gustavsson no time to make it. He did allow a third goal, but it was once again a lack of coverage by the defense. Of course, he does share some of the blame, but it was another he couldn’t stop.
However, his reaction to those goals is what helped get his team back in it. He continued to make big saves that, if not stopped, would’ve allowed the Blackhawks to run away with the game. His repeated efforts gave his team another reason to fight, and it worked as they won their sixth straight.
Wild’s Ability to Fight Back
When the Blackhawks scored their first goal of the game, it looked like it may be a long night for the Wild, as they were being outskated, outshot, and just overall outplayed. However, they put their heads down and continued to work hard despite how things went against them as the Blackhawks added a second goal. It was the first time in 13 games played that they didn’t score the first goal, so it appeared they were a little caught off guard when the Blackhawks beat them to it.
They had to find ways to dig deep and fight back even before the Blackhawks scored and then again after. They could’ve easy given up and let the Blackhawks continue to roll, but instead, once the Blackhawks had an overturned goal due to offsides, the Wild found their life and started to show the team everyone’s been seeing this month.
Outside of goaltending, another reason they were able to find a way back was taking shots. They lacked them through most of the game, but took them when it counted and got themselves back into the game. Hopefully, this effort proves they can win against just about any team they face, even if they start from behind.
Wild Need to Stay Aggressive
While there were some bright spots towards the end of the game, there was an area that they need to work on, and it’s the main reason they fell behind. They weren’t as aggressive as they have been in other games this season, and it showed. They allowed the Blackhawks to control the puck and skate right in on Gustavsson unimpeded multiple times, and it cost them on three of those times.
The Wild have to find a way to get that aggressive side back when they start games, or they will trail once again. The more aggressive they are, the more they get possession and score. They did up their physicality, but that isn’t always the answer, and they have to be careful, or they end up in the penalty box.
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Once the Wild stepped up and started taking more shots and forcing their way into the Blackhawks’ zone, it forced the play the other way. The Blackhawks weren’t ready for the response, and the Wild got the win.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Wild learn from this game and adjust to play better. As the month of November has gone on, they’ve found ways to improve, and hopefully that’ll continue. They have another back-to-back at home on Friday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 29 against the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres, and they’ll need to come out aggressive to get more wins.
