The way they structure the NHL playoffs, if the Oilers see Minnesota again, it would not be until the second round of the postseason, sometime in May. And for most Edmonton fans, that would be absolutely fine.
Fourth-line reserve Tyler Pitlick wasn’t even supposed to play on Saturday, added to the Wild line chart just minutes before the game as an illness replacement. When the former Centennial High School standout scored Minnesota’s sixth goal, on the way to a 7-3 blowout in Edmonton, it was as sure a sign as any that everything was clicking for for the visitors on this night.
In all, 15 members of the Wild got a mention on the score sheet – including goalie Jesper Wallstedt, who had a first period assist – as Minnesota swept its season series with Edmonton, which has represented the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final the previous two seasons.
“We talk about being a good team and I thought all four lines, I thought all six D contributed and our goaltender played well and that’s what we needed against this team is to have a good team game,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I think it’s good to see us be able to get some scoring throughout the lineup. That always give you a competitive advantage.”
Wallstedt finished with 40 saves in the win, while usual suspects like Joel Eriksson Ek, Kirill Kaprizov, Quinn Hughes, Mats Zuccarello, Brock Faber and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Wild, who are now on a 6-1-1 run with two games to play before the Olympic break.
Wallstedt, who blanked the Oilers in Edmonton in their first meeting of the season, got a notable test less than 90 seconds into the game when a long pass sprung star forward Connor McDavid on a breakaway. The Wild goalie stuffed McDavid’s shot and got a stoppage.
The reprieve was short-lived, as the Oilers took an early lead when star forward Leon Draisaitl got ahold of a Minnesota turnover and scored his 27th goal of the season. But Minnesota answered on the game’s first power play, when Eriksson Ek got behind the Oilers defense. The breakaway goal was his third in the past four games.
After the Oilers grabbed the lead back, Wallstedt was run over in the crease, and the Wild tied the game 2-2 when Kaprizov answered almost immediately on the ensuing power play. It was the 30th goal of the season for Kaprizov, giving him 30 or more goals in four of his six NHL seasons.
“Special teams was huge tonight. We battled through their pushes and took advantage of our opportunities,” said Faber, who now has a career-best 12 goals this season. “Wally was great. Overall I thought it was a pretty good game for us.”
Minnesota took complete control of the game in the second, scoring three to case the Oilers’ starting goalie and take a 5-2 lead into the final period.
Zuccarello’s goal off a faceoff play in the opening minute of the middle frame gave the Wild their first lead. That was followed by Hughes chasing his own shot that went wide of the net and banking it off the goalie. It was Hughes’ fifth goal of the season, and his third since the December trade that brought him to Minnesota.
When Tarasenko banked a shot off the far post and in, that was all for Oilers’ starter Tristan Jarry, who was lifted after 15 saves on 20 shots. Connor Ingram finished the second period without facing a shot, and had seven saves in the third, as Edmonton’s season-long three-game win streak was halted as their NHL-best power play was thwarted twice. Wallstedt credited his teammates with getting in the way of several pucks.
“They do a great job boxing out, letting me see shots and blocking shots as well there,” Wallstedt said after improving to 14-5-4 this season. “We’re a team. It’s a team success and and great to get a big win tonight.”
The Wild host Montreal on Monday, in their final pre-Olympics home game.
Briefly
Wild center Nico Sturm was a late scratch on Saturday due to illness. Pitlick took his spot on the fourth line along with Vinnie Hinostroza and Marcus Foligno. Sturm, who missed October and most of November with an injury, has three goals and six assists in 33 games for the Wild this season.
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