For the first time in 2025, the Carolina Hurricanes are home at the Lenovo Center in their first-season matchup against the Central Division’s Minnesota Wild. The Hurricanes came off their first win of 2025 on Thursday night (Jan. 2) 3-1 against the Florida Panthers. The Wild won in a shootout against the Washington Capitals 4-3 on Thursday, Jan. 2. In the first matchup between the teams, who would come out on top? In the end, the Wild shut out the Hurricanes 4-0.
Game Recap
Right from the opening puck drop, it was all Wild. Getting outshot in the first period 10-8 saw the Hurricanes only have one shot on goal (SOG) on a four-minute power play. What did not help was after killing off a Sebastian Aho slashing penalty giving the visitors any room to work, and they made the Hurricanes pay. Mats Zuccarello scored his ninth goal of the season just over 13 minutes into the first period. It was an absolute laser that beat Pyotr Kochetkov to give the Wild a 1-0 lead.
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The second period was just like the first, as the Wild extended their lead to 2-0 after a goal from Joel Eriksson Ek on the power play. He tipped a shot that was originally from Zuccarello that Kochetkov could do nothing about. The Hurricanes did have some push after the second goal went in for Minnesota. Jalen Chatfield scored a goal for the home side to cut the lead in half. However, it was deemed offside as Jackson Blake was in the offensive zone a little too early. After two periods of play, the Wild led 2-0 and were outshooting the Hurricanes 20-17.
The final frame was just the same as the rest of the game. Matt Boldy at 9:20 into the third period cherry-picked the Hurricanes’ defense and beat Kochetkov high as the netminder tried for the poke check. His 14th of the season gave the Wild a 3-0 lead. They almost made it 4-0 with Ben Jones’ first goal of his NHL career (23rd game), but it was overturned due to goaltender interference.
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Zuccarello iced the game with under three minutes left to make it 4-0 on the empty net goal. Marco Rossi had a four-assist night, Boldy had a goal and two assists, and Zuccarello finished the night with two goals and an assist. Filip Gustavsson had a 20-save shutout.
Back at It
The Hurricanes (23-14-2) are back at it on Sunday, Jan. 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The scheduled puck drop is set for 6 p.m. Eastern to finish the second half of a back-to-back. Regarding the Wild (25-11-4), their next game is Tuesday, Jan. 7 against Central Division foe, the St. Louis Blues. That game is set to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern.
