The Wild didn't leave Boston empty-handed, but they missed out on winning two in a row at the beginning of a five-game road trip after falling 4-3 in overtime to the Bruins on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden to sit 1-3-1.
Minnesota Wild kick off five-game road trip with 4-3 OT loss to Boston
Wild captain Jared Spurgeon had the equalizer with his 100th career goal.
October 22, 2022 at 11:47PM
Boston's Taylor Hall scored during a 4-on-3 power play with 11 seconds remaining in overtime to cap off a three-point game.
How the Wild lost: The Wild have the most overtime victories in the NHL since the beginning of last season after posting No. 17 on Thursday vs. Vancouver, but they struggled to set up against the Bruins.
That's because they were on the penalty kill most of the time.
A holding the stick penalty on Matt Dumba in the final minute of the third period enabled Boston to start the extra session on the power play and although the Bruins didn't capitalize, they received a do-over when Kirill Kaprizov was whistled for tripping and took advantage.
Hall's game-winner, a one-timer off a David Pastrnak pass, came after a terrific stretch by Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was locked-in while the Wild rallied to snag a point.
Fleury was especially clutch during odd-man breaks, stopping a 3-on-1 look and a shorthanded breakaway. He totaled 39 saves, a much heavier workload than the Bruins' Linus Ullmark faced (24 saves).
Turning point: Signs of this becoming a special-teams battle popped up in the third period when the Wild had three power plays and couldn't convert.
The team did have one power play goal disallowed, which would have been the equalizer, after video review determined Matt Boldy kicked the puck into the net. But the Wild had a pair of 5-on-3s not long after and whiffed on both chances. During their second, longer attempt, they didn't even register a shot.
Then, when the Wild were sent to the penalty box late in regulation and overtime, the Bruins sealed their win.
Before that, special teams were a highlight for the Wild.
Brandon Duhaime's shorthanded breakaway on the team's first shot gave the Wild an early lead just 1:55 into the first period before Boston responded with three even-strength tallies, beginning 1:17 later when Nick Foligno delivered a rising shot. Pastrnak pounced on a loose puck in front at 12:45, and then Hampus Lindholm buried his own rebound off a blocked shot 6:41 into the second.
A deflection by Boldy on the power play with 4:02 left in the second period narrowed the deficit to a goal, the fifth straight game the power play has produced (eight goals total). But the Wild couldn't keep that momentum going in the third; their third goal eventually came at 15:29, a backhander by captain Jared Spurgeon for his 100th career goal.
Spurgeon, who became the ninth player and first defenseman to record 100 goals with the Wild, also had an assist and Mats Zuccarello picked up two, extending his season-opening point streak to five games.
Overall, both power plays went 1-for-5.
"We just didn't get the result obviously of a penalty-filled third period," Wild coach Dean Evason told reporters in Boston. "You just wish those games you let the players decide. It's such a hard game; it was a good, hard hockey game. Let them play."
What it means: Banking a point is important considering what's on deck for the Wild.
Their remaining opponents on this five-game trek all have more wins, and they're averaging way fewer goals against. The Wild did improve in their own end as the game progressed, with Fleury airtight in the third period, but the Bruins still found open lanes when they scored.
Although the Wild have been more competitive, defense is still giving them issues five games into the season.
The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.
The NHL’s coaching carousel revealed itself again, a fight reminded us what has changed, and of course there was unpredictable matter involving a goalie.
