Wild can't hold leads and fall to Rangers in a shootout
The Minnesota Wild failed to hold a 3-2 lead in the third period and wound up falling in a shootout 4-3 to the New York Rangers inside Madison Square Garden Tuesday night.
Here's how the shootout unfolded:
- NYR: Kaapo Kakko – goal
- MN: Mats Zuccarello – goal
- NYR: Mika Zibanejad – blocked
- MN: Kirill Kaprizov – blocked
- NYR: Artemi Panarin – goal
- MN: Freddie Gaudreau – missed wide
The fact that the game got to a shootout was a moral victory for the Wild because with 2:25 left in overtime they were penalized for having too many men on the ice, and they killed the two-minute New York power play to force the shootout.
Mats Zuccarello's 17th goal of the season put Minnesota ahead 3-2 four and a half minutes into the third period and the Wild held that lead until Filip Chytil camped in front of the crease and netted the tying goal with 6:25 left to play in regulation.
The Wild led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Jon Merrill and Kirill Kaprizov, who is up to 24 goals this season. That ranks ninth in the NHL, ten behind the leader, Connor McDavid (34 goals).
The Rangers scored two goals in the second period to equal the score 2-2 going into the final frame. One of New York's goals came from Minnesota native K'Andre Miller, who starred as a youngster at Minnetonka High School.
The Rangers fired 79 pucks at the Minnesota net in regulation. Thirty-seven of them were on goal and 27 were blocked by by the Wild.
Marc-Andre Fleury, back with the team after tending to a personal matter Sunday and Monday, made 41 saves on the night.
Up next: The Wild stay in New York to play the Islanders on Thursday night.
