Minnesota 3, Columbus 2
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, October 10, 2024
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Referees:
Furman South, Francois St. Laurent
Linesmen:
Travis Gawryletz, Joe Mahon
Attendance:
18613
By Field Level Media
Matt Boldy scored a goal and tallied two assists as the Minnesota Wild held on for a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night in Saint Paul, Minn., in the opener for both teams.
Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello also scored for Minnesota, which is hoping to bounce back after missing the playoffs last season. Marcus Johansson had two assists.
Kent Johnson notched a goal and an assist to lead Columbus. Zach Werenski also scored.
Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson turned aside 31 of 33 shots to earn the victory.
Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 23 saves on 26 shots.
The Wild opened the scoring with 2:09 remaining in the first period.
Boldy carried the puck near the top of the right circle as Eriksson Ek headed toward the front of the crease to screen Merzlikins. Boldy then fired a rising wrist shot above the glove of Merzlikins, who appeared to never see the puck.
The Blue Jackets pulled even at 1-1 two minutes into the second period.
Johnson collected a loose puck in the slot, turned and fired a shot past the stick side of Gustavsson. The play marked a promising start for the 21-year-old forward who scored six goals in 42 games last season.
Eriksson Ek put the Wild back on top 2-1 with 3:25 left in the second period. He punched in a one-timer off a perfect feed from Johansson.
Minnesota made it 3-1 with the first power-play goal of the game midway through the third period. Zuccarello scored on a one-timer from the right circle.
Werenski pulled the Blue Jackets within 3-2 on a power-play goal with 2:54 remaining. He blasted a one-timer from the top of the right circle.
Before the game started, the Wild paid tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were killed by an alleged drunk driver in August while they were on a bike ride in New Jersey. Fans stood for a 13-second moment of silence, which matched Johnny Gaudreau's No. 13 that he wore with the Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Columbus |
|
Minnesota |
|
Kent Johnson 2 |
Points |
Matt Boldy 3 |
|
Kent Johnson 1 |
Goals |
Matt Boldy 1 |
|
Kent Johnson 1 |
Assists |
Matt Boldy 2 |
|
Zach Werenski 1 |
Power Play Goals |
Mats Zuccarello 1 |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Elvis Merzlikins .885 |
Save Percentage |
Filip Gustavsson .939 |
|
Elvis Merzlikins 23 |
Saves |
Filip Gustavsson 31 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Columbus
|
33 |
2 |
1-3 |
2-3 |
6 |
27 |
| Minnesota
|
26 |
3 |
1-3 |
2-3 |
6 |
32 |
Upcoming Games
-
Minnesota will play their next game at home against Seattle. The Wild have a W/L % of 1.000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
-
Columbus will play their next game on the road against Colorado. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
For more information, contact us