Call of the Wilde: Minnesota Wild edge the Montreal Canadiens in overtime

Résumé détaillé

It was an evenly played game which is positive for Montreal as they establish themselves in the upper echelon. The final 2-1 Minnesota in overtime.

The Montreal Canadiens with their second biggest test of the season Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild.

An opportunity to see where the Canadiens stood in the overall league structure with Minnesota, and they are standing just fine. It was an evenly played game which is positive for Montreal as they establish themselves in the upper echelon.

Only when the Canadiens face the Hurricanes does one get the sense that the Canadiens haven’t arrived yet. Against the second ranked team in the league, and one of the top Corsi teams as well, Montreal was their equal.

Nick Suzuki got the assignment most of the time to face the Wild’s top line of Joel Eriksson-Ek and Matt Boldy. When Suzuki, along with Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield, can handle the pressure of top talent, the depth of the rest of the line-up can shine.

The Suzuki line finished the night with an Expected Goal share of 88 per cent. The Eriksson-Ek line had a 22 per cent share.

Another huge match-up is what Quinn Hughes achieved compared to what Lane Hutson achieved. Two of the top defensemen in hockey both showed off their exciting skills. Hutson had an Expected Goals share of 72 per cent, while Hughes had a 62 share. If your eye test said the two dominated, you’re right.

The contest also featured the top-two goalies in the entire league in Goals Saved Above Expected. Jesper Wallstedt entered the game first and Jacob Fowler was second. It’s not hard to see why both of these teams have shone this season with net minding like this. Fowler had a GSAE of .91, while Wallstedt had a 2.64.

Overall, it was a tight contest with not much ice for either club. Two periods passed without a goal. It was going to come down to one break, and it was the Wild who got the first one, before the Canadiens got the result they deserved forcing overtime.

It was a wild scramble with the extra attacker out. Cole Caufield threw it at the net from a bad angle where it crawled down the back of Wallstedt.

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