ELMONT, N.Y. – The Wild ditched their pesky four-game losing streak on Saturday, but how else could they show they were making genuine progress from their slow start to the season?
Wild outshine Islanders 4-2 for season's first consecutive victories
Four Wild players contributed goals and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury had 27 stops for Minnesota in the team's first of three games in New York.
November 8, 2023 at 4:51AM
Win back-to-back games.
Finally, the Wild accomplished that on Tuesday, dumping the Islanders 4-2 at UBS Arena to kick off their road trip against the New York teams with legit momentum.
"About time," goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. "It's a good feeling."
Kirill Kaprizov snapped a 2-2 tie at 6 minutes, 50 seconds of the third period on the power play after Vinni Lettieri supplied the equalizer a period earlier, his first goal with the Wild.
Add in a goal and assist apiece for Pat Maroon and Joel Eriksson Ek and 27 saves from Fleury, and the Wild not only began a new streak but they also showcased their potential.
"The last two games, the D-zone has been better," Maroon said. "We're breaking out faster. We're closing faster, and that leads to offense. That leads to our game, which is the forecheck.
"I think once we get in the forecheck and we hem teams in, we're big and strong and we got skill, and our skill can take over. I think that's our identity."
That's exactly how the Wild played on the first shift of the game, and it worked.
Eriksson Ek funneled a dump-in to Maroon, and Maroon wired the puck top-shelf against Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov at 19 seconds to give the Wild the lead on their first shot of the night.
Maroon is up to two goals and seven assists in his first season with the Wild; the three-time Stanley Cup champion, whom the Wild acquired in a summer trade with the Lightning, had five goals and 14 points all last season.
"I feel good right now," Maroon said. "But it's all about my linemates, too. My linemates do a really good job of keeping it simple."
Eventually, New York caught up, Noah Dobson walking into a blistering shot at 11 minutes, and then the Islanders passed the Wild 8:34 into the second on a power-play goal for Oliver Wahlstrom.
But that was the only blip for the penalty kill, which finished 4-for-5.
As for the power play (1-for-4), that provided the lift the Wild needed after Lettieri scored 12:03 into the second on a shot from deep in the slot.
"It was just a good overall shift, a lot of movement," Lettieri said. "I just threw one at the net."
Not only was the goal Lettieri's first since signing with the Wild in the offseason and first in the NHL since Jan. 26, 2022, when he was with the Ducks, but he reached the milestone with grandfather and former North Stars general manager and player Lou Nanne in the Bally Sports North booth on color commentary duty.
"Relief for him," Nanne said about how he felt when Lettieri scored. "I'm feeling for him because I know he's feeling relief."
Facing a make-or-break third, the Wild looked primed to complete their comeback — even before Kaprizov's tiebreaker — and they delivered.
Only 42 seconds after Kaprizov's goal, Maroon stole the puck from New York and set up Eriksson Ek for a one-timer that sailed by Varlamov (28 saves).
Eriksson Ek's seven goals are tied with Ryan Hartman for the most on the team and at 547 career wins, Fleury is five away from passing Patrick Roy to become the second-winningest goalie in NHL history.
And the Wild?
They continue to make strides, putting another victory between them and that four-game slide.
"The way that we're going about business now is right," coach Dean Evason said, "and to get rewarded for it is even a bonus."
After letting 135-footer bounce in early, Fleury steadied himself in 5-3 victory.
