In a thrilling matchup between the Minnesota Wild and the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was Matt Boldy who emerged as the hero when he broke a tie just 54 seconds into the third period, securing a 4-2 victory for the Wild. With this win, Minnesota continued their unbeaten streak in regulation, improving to an impressive 5-0-2 record.
The star of the game was goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 23 saves to earn his first win of the season and the 562nd of his illustrious career. Boldy’s power-play goal was the turning point of the game, giving the Wild a crucial 3-2 lead. Kirill Kaprizov also played a major role in the victory, scoring twice, with his second goal coming into an empty net. Joel Eriksson Ek also chipped in with a goal to help secure the win for Minnesota.
Despite the loss, Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov put up a valiant effort, scoring in the second period. This was the Lightning’s first loss in four home games, a testament to the competitive nature of the matchup. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 14 saves in the losing effort, marking his third consecutive loss.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Kaprizov opening the scoring for the Wild at 6:23 of the first period. Tampa Bay answered with goals from Hagel and Kucherov in the second period, but Eriksson Ek’s late goal in the period tied the game and set the stage for Boldy’s heroics in the final frame.
One of the key takeaways from the game was the end of the Wild’s impressive streak of not trailing in regulation, which lasted an astonishing 391 minutes and 31 seconds. Kucherov’s goal marked the end of this streak, which was the second-longest from the start of a season in NHL history. Kucherov’s stellar performance also saw him take the lead in the NHL with eight goals, maintaining his point streak in all seven games played by the Lightning so far this season.
Overall, the game was a thrilling showcase of skill and determination from both teams, with Boldy’s game-winning goal standing out as the defining moment. The Wild’s unbeaten streak and Kucherov’s impressive scoring prowess added an extra layer of intrigue to an already exciting matchup, making it a game to remember for fans of both teams.