Kloos continues strong preseason with goal against Blues

DES MOINES, Iowa -- With a roster of forwards mostly set, this year's training camp is a big one for players hoping to establish a pecking order for call ups.
Minnesota likely has one open job available among its forward group, which means that everyone else could be battling to leave a good impression on coaches and management.

It's something that goes along way when injury or ineffectiveness inevitably pops up during he course of a long season, and the NHL club dips into its AHL stock of players looking for reinforcements.
Through two preseason games, perhaps nobody has done more to raise their stock than forward Justin Kloos, who followed up a nine-shots-on-goal performance Monday in Winnipeg by scoring the Wild's second goal against the St. Louis Blues Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena.
"It was fun to get one in," Kloos said. "Matt] Dumba threw one in off my backend, but you'll take 'em any way you can get 'em."
For two periods, it looked like Kloos' goal would stand as the game-winner. His goal came less than two minutes after Brennan Menell got the Wild on the board late in the first period, a stretch which helped Minnesota erase a sluggish start to the contest.
Following a scoreless second, St. Louis got a pair of goals from newcomer Tyler Bozak just 27 seconds apart late in the game to capture a 3-2 win.
While Kloos wasn't rewarded with a spot on the scoresheet against the Jets, perhaps it was fitting that his goal Wednesday came off his rear.
"They weren't going in shooting," Kloos said with a laugh. "But I'll take one banking off me."
For Kloos, coming off his rookie season in the AHL last season, finding a groove will be critical. Iowa stands to ice potentially its best team yet since establishing roots in the state in 2013.
Kloos, a Lakeville native and former Golden Gopher, scored 50 points, including 19 goals, in 2017-18, earning himself a call up and one game with Minnesota. Someday soon, he hopes it's for more than a cup of coffee.
"I think everyone, no matter what level you're at, if you don't believe you're good enough to play at that level, you don't belong there anyways," Kloos said. "Wherever I'm playing, I'm comfortable and confident. I feel like I can play at this level. You just gotta keep battling and believe in yourself."
For now, Kloos has done a tremendous job of making a good impression on coach Bruce Boudreau, who has had a front row seat to Kloos' strong start to training camp.
"He didn't play much tonight but it seemed like every time he was on, there was an opportunity to score for him," Boudreau said.
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