NHL 20 Simulation: Minnesota Wild offense goes berserk in home finale against Sabres

The thrill of watching real-life hockey, in real time, is on pause right now due to COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean we can’t use the power of EA Sports’ NHL 20 to see how the games that have been missed would have played out.

In case you missed it, we’ve been playing each of the postponed Minnesota Wild games on NHL 20. After a big win against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Wild lost a tough one to the Philadelphia Flyers in an important contest to keep gaining points in the playoff race.

After the loss to Philly, the Wild began a solid streak of three straight victories before having that run come an end in an overtime loss to Winnipeg. The schedule then gave Minnesota three chances in a row to secure points on home ice. The Wild made the most of their first opportunity with a huge win over the Colorado Avalanche, but the second chance ended in heartbreaking fashion at the hands of the New Jersey Devils, which saw the Wild fall in overtime.

With it being the final home game of the season, you can bet the crowd was jumping inside Xcel Energy Center, but could Minnesota feed off that energy and finish on a good note?

Keep in mind, the record for the Wild in the simulation is different than in real life due to there not being a feature to begin a season from a particular point other than the beginning. However, the rosters are the same as in real life, including moves made at the trade deadline. Injuries have also been turned off.

With the victory, Minnesota’s record moves to 41-28-9, giving them 91 points. Only four more games stand between the Wild and a possible playoff berth. Can the team finish strong? Or will it fall back into the shades of mediocrity?

Be on the lookout for the simulation of Minnesota’s road contest against the Blues from St. Louis.