Wild Drop Lightning 5-3 In Strong Third Period – Hockey Writers – Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild were back home after nearly three weeks on the road Friday night, Nov. 1, when it took on the Tampa Bay Lightning. After missing the last five games due to injury and illness, Ryan Hartman is back for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson was in net for the Wild, who are looking to bounce back from a tough loss against the Philadelphia Flyers almost a week ago.

It was a tight affair as each team responded with goals, and it took the third half to sort things out. After a flurry of goals from both sides, the Wild came out on top 5-3 to improve to 6-1-2 and the Lightning moved to 7-3-0.

Recap of the game

It took a while for both teams to score despite a first half with chances from both sides. However, too many men-on-the-ice penalties against the Wild late in the period gave the Lightning the opportunity they needed, and they pounced. Brayden Point scored a rebound, his team went ahead 1-0.

The second half will start with a bang. The Wild scored just 47 seconds into the second period, with Kirill Kaprizov setting up Joel Eriksson Ek, who laid a timeout right to Andrei Vasilevskiy to tie the game at 1. And, despite strong chances on both sides and two pucks to one point, the rest of the period was scoreless, and it would take the third to decide it.

The Wild came out with a run in the third, and Brock Faber stepped up to start it. He shot to the top of the circle and beat Vasilevskiy for the Wild's first lead. It would not continue as the Wild would give up a few minutes later to Jake Guentzel on a penalty kill, and everything was tied at 2.

The Wild's hero of the night turned out to be its star, Kaprizov, who hit a knee high to give his team a 3-2 lead late in the third. That was not to be the last goal, however, as just a minute later, Matt Boldy would score an empty net goal to give his side a two goal lead.

That lead was needed as the Lightning quickly responded with a goal by Nicholas Paul to bring his team back within one. Kaprizov was on the scoring lead against the Lightning when he tallied his second empty-net goal of the game to give his team a two-goal lead with less than 30 seconds to play.

Kaprizov took home the first star in this game with two goals and one assist. Gustavsson stopped 27 shots for a .900 save percentage. The Wild will practice on Saturday, Nov. 2, before going home and hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, Nov. 3, and the Lightning will remain on the road against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.