Philadelphia puts a touchdown up on Minnesota

Fresh off their setback at home against the Red Wings, the Wild were back in action this evening at Wells Fargo Center. Unlike Saturday night, where Minnesota looked lost and confused against a team that is rebuilding for the future, the Wild will look to keep it’s dominance on the road going. You hope that this game and a third period streak of bad play will come to a close against another struggling team lead by Gritty. The Flyers aren’t as bad as the Wings, but it’s close. Let’s get into this recap.

1st Period

The Wild looked 10 times better in the first than they did in the last 80 minutes of play. Remember the meeting between Boudreau and Zucker last Thursday? Calling out his play as of a late? Well, Zucker took matters into his own hands again scoring on the power-play at the 7:34 mark after Greg Pateryn saved a goal, then drew a penalty against Wayne Simmonds. Less than a minute later, JEEK (Joel Eriksson Ek) would make it 2-0 Wild not 10 minutes in. Let’s just say fans weren’t happy, and neither was that outrageous mascot of theirs. However, from that point on, the Flyers would take control. A James van Riemsdyk goal on the power-play, with all 5 of their players being forwards on the PP was questionable for being off-side (which it was off-side) was ruled on-side and #WildTwitter is livid about it. Then, JVR would score again with under two minutes to play in the period as the Wild were caught puck watching. 2-2 after 20 minutes of play from the city of brotherly love. Shots on goal favored Philly 14-12.

2nd Period

The goals would continue early and often in the second as Marcus Foligno gave the Wild a brief 3-2 lead, but Nolan Patrick would tie things up just 2:36 later. The Wild thought they had gone up 4-3 but goaltender interference would keep this game tied up at 3 early in the second period. Patrick would net his second of the evening, a beautiful goal if I must say going between his legs to give the Flyers a 4-3 lead at the 15:28 mark of the second. No chance for Devan Dubnyk to make the save after the initial shot that lands right on Patrick’s stick. And just when the Wild thought they would escape the second only down a goal, Simmonds would make it a 5-3 lead for the Flyers after 40 minutes of play. Simmonds was left wide open in front and received a great pass. A rough shift all together and it would cost the Wild. Shots on goal after 2 favored the Wild however, 24-20.

3rd Period

Although the Wild are playing a back-to-back, Alex Stalock would start the third period for the Wild trying to salvage this game and keep the deficit at two goals. Also, it’s quite fitting that four years ago Fenton traded for Dubnyk in a trade with the Flyers. After a lengthy delay of a challenge by Boudreau, the man in charge would get some luck after Erik Staal ran over Carter Hart in front, but the refs ruled he was “pushed in” and this game of wackiness continues. 5-4 Flyers as Ryan Suter gets credit for the goal. However, any momentum the Wild could’ve got from that was gone in a matter of minutes as Simmonds would pick up his second of the night on the breakaway, and just like that it’s 6-4 Flyers. Simmonds goal was also the second shot Stalock faced on the night. As three Flyers were close to getting a hat-trick, with just over a minute left in the third, van Reimsdyk would complete the hat-trick and put the Wild away for the 7-4 victory. With the loss, the Wild have now lost to the worst team in the NHL, the last place team in the Atlantic, and now host the last place team in the West. Three games the Wild should win handily, yet are a loss away from dropping all three.