Sunday's game was another example of the Wild coming out flat with an awful first period. They almost escaped with a lead but did head to the room knotted at one.

The second period unlike the first Sharks match-up, the Wild continued the sloppy play and an uncharacteristic bone head play by Marcus Foligno with the ill advised drop pass in the neutral zone, on the PK no less. We all know where those typically end up and this indeed followed suit as Evander Kane deposited the powerplay goal past Kaapo Kahkonen giving the Sharks the lead.

Kahkonen then made a miscue on Noah Gregor's wrist shot and the Sharks extended the lead to 3-1.Nick Bjugstad gave the Wild life with his first Wild goal redirecting Jared Spurgeon's shot past Martin Jones.

Kevin Fiala tied it in the powerplay in the third period and it appeared that the Wild would escape with at least a point. That hope was dashed when Brent Burns scored one of the more spectacular single effort plays of the young season when he recovered his own blocked shot off Nick Bonino and proceeded to walk around Bonino and then catch Ian Cole flat footed before lifting the eventual game winner over Kahkonen's blocker.

It was a game that the Wild did not deserve to win, however the main take away for me was just how this Wild team is showing resilience and the ability to come back in games where they are not at their best. With the makeup of the schedule being back to backs with the same teams and all division contests this is a good traight to be developing.

Los Angeles comes in off an impressive 6-3 win in St. Louis on Sunday and will be hungry to pay back the Wild for the two OT losses they were handed at home to start the season. LA had 3-1 third period leads in both contests only to see those evaporate and turn in losses in the extra session.

Tonight expect the Wild to come out with more energy in first period and establish their forecheck early. Nico Sturm will return to the lineup and Kaapo Kahkonen will once again be in goal as Cam Talbot remains sidelined with a lower body injury.

Dean Evason juggled the lines on Sunday and it looks like he will keep them intact the way that they finished up.

Parise Bjugstad Fiala
Johansson Binino Kaprizov
Foligno Eriksson Ek Greenway
Sturm Rask Hartman

Suter Spurgeon
Brodin Dumba
Cole Soucy

Kahkonen
Hammond

It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!

Join the Discussion: » 2 Comments » Post New Comment

» Walker Up, Goligoski On LTIR

» Wild Look To Tighten Up The D Zone

» New Season Of Hope For Wild

» Kirill Gets The "A"

» Zuccarello Extended For 2 Years