Just two minutes into the game between the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, Dan Hamhuis gave the Canucks the early lead, beating Josh Harding. Suddenly, the preview we wrote about Minnesota not potentially being able to keep up with them was going to come true, right?
Wrong.
Harding stopped the next 24 shots that came his way and his team provided ample assistance in that time, leading to an eventual 5-1 Wild win to continue their winning streak and bring it to three games. Minnesota fired off 45 shots in the game, peppering Cory Schneider for a full 60 minutes, their highest shot total at home ever. For a team that only averaged 26 shots a game throughout the rest of the games this season, that's pretty impressive.
Matt Cullen had two goals and an assist on the night for Minnesota, while Pierre-Marc Bouchard had two assists and a goal.Marco Scandella and Guillaume Latendresse both notched a goal as well. Minnesota fired off 22 shots in the second period alone. The Wild have been averaging just two goals a game and have been on either end of one-goal decisions in their last three games.
Next, the Wild will take on the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 5.