Late Wild goal hands Jets preseason loss in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minnesota -The road half of the preseason schedule came to an end for the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night with a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
The Jets offence was provided by Nelson Nogier and Kristian Vesalainen - who both notched their first goals of the preseason - as well as Dustin Byfuglien. But the difference proved to be Jared Spurgeon's wrap around goal with 4:49 to go in the third period, which broke a 3-3 tie.
Overall head coach Paul Maurice was satisfied with his group's effort against the Wild's mostly veteran line-up.
"There was a number of our guys that got to play against a different type of player than they've seen in the first part of exhibition. It was faster," said Maurice. "Minnesota isn't going on all cylinders right now with that group. Everybody is doing the same thing, the veteran guys are trying to feel the puck and get used to the game."

The Wild would get on the board first, when Mikael Granlund made a couple quick moves in front of Brossoit, and after his initial attempt caused the puck to pop up in the air, Eric Staal was at the top of the crease to bat it home.
Brossoit kept it a one-goal deficit with 11 saves in the first period, his best coming on Charlie Coyle, who took a pass through a seam from Ryan Suter inside the right circle. The Jets goaltender stuck his glove out and kept the Jets down by one.
"It would have been nice to get a win," said Brossoit, who finished with 24 saves, and appreciated getting a full three games in the preseason - especially with a new team.
"I like the feel of the room, the optimism in the room, the energy around the fellows and the coaching staff and the trainers," he said. "It's a good feel around here. Putting together a few good performances for myself and getting to know the guys, things are feeling good so far."

Nogier would even things up with 2:53 left in the opening frame, when Andrew Copp sent a pass out to the Jets defenceman from below the goal line. Nogier wasted no time, and snapped the pass past Devan Dubnyk from the top of the right circle for his first of the preseason.
After losing almost all of last season to injury, Nogier has kept his focus mostly on the defensive side in training camp.
"For me, especially with where I'm at, it's super important for me to get my feet under me early and take care of what I'm good at. That starts in the defensive zone," said Nogier. "The rest will take care of itself. To be able to chip in offensively tonight, it's a good feeling in the moment. But you have to take care of what's important first."
After a Mikko Koivu interference call, the Jets would take the lead on the ensuing power play.
Byfuglien's one-timer blast from the left circle was kept out by a great effort from Devan Dubnyk, but the rebound bounced off a skate and over to Vesalainen, who took the puck on his backhand, spun around, and slid a backhand home.
It was Vesalainen's first of the preseason.
"I think he's been really consistent. He's had pretty similar games," said Maurice of Vesalainen's four preseason appearances so far. "I haven't found a big drop off in his game. I think he's still learning, and still processing what's going on around him. But he's trying to shoot the puck, but that would be a theme of our group, not just for him."

The home side would find the equalizer when Greg Pateryn's shot from the right side boards deflected on its way through traffic, and the redirected puck beat Brossoit on the stick side with 5:51 to go in the second.
Vesalainen nearly put the Jets back in front, but after Dubnyk turned away the Finn's shot from the slot, his line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Jack Roslovic stayed on the forecheck. It paid off, as Ehlers would end up firing a shot from the point that Dubnyk would stop, but the rebound bounced off Byfuglien in front and over the goal line, putting the Jets back on top going into the third period.
A Marko Dano tripping penalty would give the Wild a chance to tie things up again, and after a shorthanded two-on-one with Brandon Tanev and Adam Lowry was broken up by Ryan Suter, the Wild went on the rush. Granlund found a streaking Jason Zucker, who broke in all alone on Brossoit, beating the Jets goaltender with a move to the backhand.
Spurgeon's wrap around with 4:49 to go put the Wild back in front for the first time since early in the opening period, and the Jets couldn't find the equalizer.
The Jets wrap up the preseason schedule Thursday night back at Bell MTS Place against the New Jersey Devils.