It took only eight seconds for the tone to be set between the Wild and Senators as Brandon Duhaime and Austin Watson dropped their gloves and duked it out at center ice almost immediately after the puck dropped – and the fight continued the rest of the game until Freddy Gaudreau’s short-handed, empty-net goal gave Minnesota a 4-2 lead with 2:21 left in the game.
A shortie with an empty net!! Gaudreau with a potential dagger!!#MNWild pic.twitter.com/BaK6j7bxuz
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) October 28, 2022
As strong as the offense was – Minnesota peppered Ottawa with 39 shots on goal – it was another elite performance in goal by Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 27 saves including seven on the power play.
After starting 0-3, the Wild are now 3-3-1 and carrying a four-game points streak entering the fourth game of their five-game road trip Saturday in Detroit.
Trailing 1-0 in the first period, Mats Zuccarello scored on a Minnesota power play to tie the game and about ten minutes later Kirill Kaprizov tipped in a shot for the 2-1 lead. Kaprizov and Zuccarello lead the Wild with five goals each this season.
𝘿𝙊𝙇𝙇𝘼. 𝘽𝙄𝙇𝙇. 𝙆𝙄𝙍𝙄𝙇𝙇. 💸💸💸#MNWild take a 2-1 lead late in the first period! pic.twitter.com/WuYhp27kF7
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) October 27, 2022
Ryan Hartman added to the lead with his first goal of the season early in the second period.
First goal of the year for Hartman!!! Keep piling on!#MNWild pic.twitter.com/SolUh1DWdI
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) October 28, 2022
Four of Fleury’s seven power-play saves were with the Senators attacking to end the second period, allowing Minnesota to enter the final 20 minutes with a 3-1 lead.
That was significant because Ottawa found itself in a 5-on-3 situation for two minutes in the third and they were able to snap one by Fleury to cut the deficit to 3-2, but Fleury stood tall for the remain 80 seconds of the man advantage.
Fleury also got plenty of help with the Wild blocking 25 shots. Jared Spurgeon had seven blocks by himself.
