For years, matchups between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild were destined to be snoozefests. Minnesota with its neutral zone trap, Nashville with Barry Trotz's defense-first mentality -- it was the perfect concoction for a boring game.
NHL scores: Wild top Preds, Kings win streak snapped
Thursday’s action included a statement win for Minnesota and Los Angeles’ first loss in 10 games.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
But it’s 2015, and times have changed. Today, a couple of wild llamas with dreams of freedom can captivate a nation. A dress can then tear said nation apart. And these two teams can play some damn exciting hockey.
The Preds and Wild renewed their rivalry on Thursday, and it hardly resembled the dull, humdrum action of seasons past. At least for 40 minutes.
The Wild, now more focused on controlled zone entries and less inclined to chip and chase, aggressively attacked Nashville’s defense. The Preds, now employing an offensive-minded system under Peter Laviolette, had some entertaining moments -- including Craig Smith’s breakaway goal. It wasn’t until the third period, at which point Minnesota felt secure with its one-goal lead, when the game closed up and looked like a memory from 2005.
The Wild went on to win, 4-2, and continued to climb up the Western Conference standings. It’s now seventh in the West and three points out of fifth.
Three things we learned
1. Dave Nonis traded the untradeable
David Clarkson’s contract is widely considered to be the worst in the NHL. Not only did Toronto GM Dave Nonis find a way to move the oft-maligned forward and that burdensome deal, he helped orchestrate a trade that makes sense for both sides.
By sending Clarkson to Columbus in exchange for Nathan Horton, the Maple Leafs receive some much-needed cap relief. While Horton is due $5.3 million per year through 2019, a back injury will likely prevent him from playing again in the NHL. He'll remain on long-term IR and will get paid -- his salary just won't count against the cap.
Clarkson has only 15 points this season, but that's 15 more than Horton. If the Blue Jackets are going to pay a lot of money for an unproductive skater, they may as well pay a guy who can contribute something -- even if its very little.
2. Teuvo Teravainen scored, was kept on a short leash
20-year-old a Teuvo Teravainen is one of the best prospects in hockey, and he showed us why on Thursday when he scored the first goal of the night en route to a 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers. However, that would be his only shot of the evening. He only received 9:50 of ice time.
Many 'Hawks fans have criticized head coach Joel Quenneville for his reluctance to play Teravainen, and while it's probably unwise to question a Stanley Cup-winning coach, it's easy to see why people are frustrated. The kid has a lot of talent, but it's hard to tell what he's capable of until he gets a healthy amount of time on ice.
3. Ottawa goalie turning heads
Ottawa Senators netminder Andrew Hammond has started his NHL career with a bang. After shutting out Anaheim on Tuesday, he was perfect once again tonight in Los Angeles, and is now 4-0-0 with a 0.75 goals against average and .976 save percentage.
The Bowling Green University product is the first goalie to beat the Kings since Roberto Luongo did so on Feb. 5.
Scores
Canadiens 5, Blue Jackets 2
Maple Leafs 3, Flyers 2
Blackhawks 3, Panthers 0
Wild 4, Predators 2
Senators 1, Kings 0
Impact moment
Teuvo Teravainen didn’t get much ice time on Thursday, but he did open up the scoring vs. Florida with this shot.
His tally became the game-winner for Chicago, who desperately needed a victory after losing three in a row and Patrick Kane to a broken collarbone.
Stat of the night
Ottawa hadn’t won at Staples Center in seven tries since Jan. 11, 2000, which is the year this building opened.
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) February 27, 2015 See More:
