Islanders take 4-3 overtime win to hand Wild first home loss
New York neutralized Minnesota's special teams in St. Paul, capping a 9-3-3 October with a point for the hosts.
By Lauren Foster ·
The New York Islanders defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime on Thursday at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. The result ended the Wild's home winning streak and marked their first loss at home this season. For the home crowd, the final score represented a narrow escape from a perfect month, though the team secured a point after trailing twice.
The Wild entered the game with a strong recent record. They had finished a four-game road trip with a 3-1-1 record. Their October slate concluded with a 9-3-3 overall mark. The team had previously led the league in penalty kill and power play efficiency at various points during the month. That momentum stalled on Thursday as the Islanders controlled the special teams situations.
Joel Eriksson Ek gave the Wild an early lead. He scored on a low wrist shot past Ilya Sorokin after just 27 seconds of play. It was his third goal in his last four games. The lead did not last until the intermission. Matthew Schaffer tied the score late in the first period with a rebound goal.
The Islanders took the lead in the second period on a power play. Captain Bo Horvat scored on a re-direct. The Wild responded late in the first, a timing error in the original text, but effectively late in the middle frame to even the score again. Quinn Hughes scored with a backhander that hit the inside of Sorokin's right leg. The visitors regained the lead midway through the third period. Adam Pelech scored a long-range shot, using Michael McCarron as a screen, while Jesper Wallstedt could not react in time.
Matt Boldy reduced the deficit late in regulation. He scored a low shot with under four minutes remaining, ending a six-game goal drought. The game went to overtime. Schaffer scored his second goal of the night to win the game for New York. The Islanders killed all three Wild power plays and allowed just one power play goal.
Wild coach John Hynes said the team was not at its best but stuck with the game plan. “I don’t think it was the cleanest game by us, but I did like that we stuck with it, came from behind,” Hynes said. He added that the team gave itself a chance to win despite not having its A game. Forward Nico Sturm described the team as “disconnected at times” but credited the group for battling back similar to their road performance.
Boldy praised the Islanders for their physical style of play. “I thought they played really well,” Boldy said. “They’re hard, in your face, close on you quick. Happy to get a point for sure.” Sorokin made 22 saves for the Islanders, while Wallstedt had 22 for Minnesota.
The Wild return to the road immediately. They visit Washington on Sunday afternoon. Their next game is a 6 p.m. Central start on Election Night in Philadelphia. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Feb. 13 in New York.
