Game Recap: Canucks 2, Wild 0

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The Minnesota Wild (9-11-4) fell to the Vancouver Canucks (17-9-1) on Thursday night at Rogers Arena, 2-0. The loss snaps a four-game win streak and marks the first time the Wild has been shutout in 2023-24. It was also the first loss under new Head Coach John Hynes.

First Period

A quiet first few minutes gave way to the first penalty of the night. At 7:15 former Wild D Ian Cole hooked F Matt Boldy. The following power play was unsuccessful. 

The Canucks did not manage a shot on net until F Ilya Mikheyev placed one in the pads of G Filip Gustavsson at 14:16.

F Nils Hoglander gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead at 18:05 by beating Gustavsson glove-side. He was assisted by D Tyler Myers and Burnsville native F Brock Boeser.

Minnesota outshot Vancouver 12-4 at the conclusion of the first period. Hits were even at nine apiece.

Second Period

Vancouver got its first attempt on the power play at 2:16 when D Jon Merrill was called for elbowing. The Wild's PK limited the Canucks to only two shots on goal and successfully killed the penalty.

D Jake Middleton and F Dakota Joshua dropped the gloves at 5:37.

Shortly after the fight, a stoppage in play occurred because the curved glass by the Wild bench needed to be replaced.

At 16:16 F Frederick Gaudreau was called for holding and the Canucks were given their second power play opportunity of the night. The Wild PK improved to 2/2 and allowed only one SOG.

Vancouver maintained its 1-0 lead through two periods of play and Minnesota continued to outshoot its opponent 16-14.

Third Period

F Teddy Blueger scored Vancouver's second goal of the night on a failed defensive zone clear by the Wild and a quick deke around Gustavsson. He was assisted by F Conor Garland and Joshua, 2-0.

At 2:43 remaining, Gustavsson was pulled from the net and the Wild went 6-on-5.

With a mere 10.9 seconds left, F Patrick Maroon and D Nikita Zadorov dropped the gloves. Each were called for fighting. With the following faceoff in the Wild's zone, Gustavsson returned to goal to finish out the game.

The Wild outshot the Canucks 26-17. Minnesota went 0/1 on the power play but held Vancouver to 0/2 on the PP. G Casey DeSmith posted his first shutout this season.

What'd They Say?

"We came out great, we were flying early and unfortunately we couldn't capitalize but we gotta come back in and regroup at the intermission." - Merrill on needing to regroup after the first

"That's the way it goes. We're playing good hockey teams." - F Marcus Johansson on the game getting away from them

"I was freezing my toes off." - Gustavsson on not facing a shot for over 10 minutes to start the game

"We got very good goaltending tonight. I thought we did battle at the net front. They're one of the top teams in rebound chances... I thought our net front coverage there was strong." - Coach Hynes on what he liked about the Wild's play

What's next?

The Wild heads to Edmonton to take on the Oilers (10-12-1) for the second game of the back-to-back tomorrow night at Rogers Place at 8 p.m. CT.