The Minnesota Wild took on the Utah Mammoth on Saturday, October 25, to begin their six-game homestand after spending the previous five games on the road. The road trip was tough, losing Zach Bogosian to injury and a 1-3-1 record. Apart from The addition of Bogosianthe Wild’s injuries remained the same, as did the goaltending.
Both the Wild and Mammoth were on back-to-backs in the first half, meaning Filip Gustavsson got the start in net, while Jesper Wallstedt was expected to play the second half on Sunday. Both teams came back from losses and seemed to be back on track with a win. The game started in favor of Mammoth with three straight goals to open the game, and the Wild had to fight to get back into it.
Despite a strong resurgence from the Wild midway through the match, they couldn’t hold on and fell 6-2. In this article we look at some takeaways from the defeat, starting with a bright spot in their only goalscorer, Marcus Johansson.
Wild’s Johansson is having a strong evening
One of the constant questions regarding the Wild’s lineup is whether Marcus Johansson should be in the top six, but he earned it against the Mammoth. He didn’t have the best game of the entire game, but he did when it counted, and that included getting the Wild back into the game, not once but twice, and pulling them within one after being down 3-0.
He had a few strong chances, but they were not converted, but that was not due to a lack of effort. He also had some issues defensively, but overall he was one of the main reasons the Wild were able to get back into the game when they did, and they’re going to need that effort to keep going if they want to win games.
“I think Marcus (Johansson) has been very consistent. I think his speed is a factor every night. I think his ability to make plays has been strong. He shoots the puck when he’s close to be able to shoot it, and it seems like wherever we put him, that line seems like it could be a factor, but it helps when you have a guy who can skate like that and make plays, and he has a consistent effort and competitiveness. So it helps when you have a guy who can skate like that and make plays, and he has consistent effort and competitiveness. So I think he’s been very consistent.” he bounced around a little bit on different lines, you know where he’s been, most of the time that line has been good, and that’s a sign of a guy playing consistent hockey,” head coach John Hynes said of Johansson’s efforts so far this season during the post-match press conference.
Wild had it for a short time
It’s been the same story in just a few games this season: the Wild either manage to get a lead and fail to maintain it, or they try to stage a comeback and fall short. What both of these have in common is that they can play really well for a while, but that doesn’t last. While they’re not playing terribly, they’re not playing at the level they know they can.
At one point during their match against the Mammoth, it looked like they would push their way in and not only draw, but win. They had everything going their way, and it seemed like the momentum had shifted, but it had gone the other way, and they couldn’t get it back. They know they have to find a way to play consistently, but how they’re going to do that seems to be eluding them.
“I mean, it just bounced, I went to that one guy and I thought he was trying to play it, and it went over his stick… It’s frustrating because we’re trying so hard, I almost feel like we’re trying too hard at times when we want it so bad, and then a little mistake cost us, and it’s frustrating, but we’ve got to do better,” Marcus Johansson said after the game about the Mammoth goal that went past him.
Wild makes simple mistakes
While there may be a number of things the Wild are struggling with that add up to their losses, they are all simple mistakes that can be fixed. In their game against Mammoth, there There were times when they simply skated the puck over or passed where they expected their teammate to be, but no one was there. They changed the lines dramatically from what they were, so that could have played a role in passing, but they need to tighten it up.
The other issue with their passing that can be fixed and has been noticed this season, especially on their power play, is passing the puck. It’s easy to do because players are looking for the perfect hole, but often it isn’t there and they lose their chance because it takes too long. If they make the quick, simple passes and then shoot faster, they will have more success and need to re-find that part of their game.
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“I don’t know, it’s hard to put my finger on it right now. There’s been all different situations, every game is different. It starts with keeping the puck out of the net. I’m a big part of that. I have to be better,” Faber said of what specifically could be holding the team back from playing consistently after their loss.
This loss is hard to swallow for the Wild, but they don’t have much time to think about it as they’ll get back to it on Sunday, October 26, when they host the San Jose Sharks. They will have to let go of some of their frustration and try to find the team they were with in the middle of the game. If they play like this against the Sharks, they can come away with the win.
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