St. Paul, Minnesota - In a thrilling match that saw goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury make history, the Minnesota Wild dominated the New York Islanders with a commanding 5-0 victory on Monday night. With this win, Fleury secured his 552nd career win in the NHL, surpassing Patrick Roy to claim the second spot on the all-time wins list.
The Wild, who had been struggling recently with a 1-7-1 record in their previous nine games, were in desperate need of a morale-boosting win. And that's exactly what they got, thanks in large part to the outstanding performance by Fleury. The crowd at Xcel Energy Center erupted in chants of Fleury's name as he made an impressive power-play save during the second period. The ovation continued in the closing minutes as the entire Wild team swarmed their goaltender in celebration.
Fleury, a 39-year-old veteran, recorded his 74th career shutout in what was also his first shutout of the season. Prior to this game, he had struggled, going 1-4-1 in his last six starts. However, against the Islanders, Fleury stood tall and stopped all 21 shots he faced, showcasing his immense skill and experience.
The Wild offense also came alive in this game, with Joel Eriksson Ek leading the charge by scoring two goals on special teams. Mats Zuccarello contributed with a goal and an assist, while Connor Dewar and Marcus Foligno found the back of the net as well. This offensive onslaught was a much-needed boost for the Wild, who have been struggling to find the back of the net in recent games.
On the other side, the Islanders struggled to generate any offense against the stifling Wild defense and the exceptional play of Fleury. After Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves in two periods, he was replaced by Kenneth Appleby in the third period to give Sorokin some rest ahead of their next game. The Islanders have heavily relied on Sorokin this season, as he is the only goalie in the league who has faced over 1,000 shots so far.
Special teams also played a significant role in the outcome of the game. The Islanders took six penalties, and the Wild capitalized on their power-play opportunities with goals from Zuccarello and Eriksson Ek. The Islanders, who are going through a rough patch with four losses in their last five games, have now dropped six consecutive games to the Wild.
For the Wild, who faced criticism and discontent from their fans after a devastating 6-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes just two days prior, this victory was a much-needed response to silence their critics. General manager Bill Guerin made it clear before the game that he is not ready to give up on the playoffs and shed salary, despite the team's current standing in 13th place in the Western Conference.
The return of defenseman Jonas Brodin, who had been sidelined for 17 games due to an upper-body injury, added strength to the Wild's defensive unit. With Brodin back in the lineup, the Wild were as close to full strength as they've been in nearly three weeks.
The Wild's next game will be on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Islanders will face the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Both teams will be looking to bounce back and find their winning ways as the season progresses.
Overall, the Wild's impressive performance against the Islanders, coupled with Fleury's historic win, has injected new energy and optimism into the team. With this victory, the Wild have proven that they can rise to the occasion and compete with the best in the league.
