The Minnesota Wild's longstanding issue with their penalty kill resurfaced emphatically in Game 2 of the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche. Despite improvements during the regular season, allowing goals on power plays has plagued them again, particularly as they head into Game 3 down 0-2 in the series. The Wild's efforts to bolster their penalty kill with new players have failed to translate into effective performance during critical moments. As they struggle to convert their power play opportunities, the team finds itself in a precarious position heading into their next game.

By the Numbers
  • The Wild finished the regular season with a 79.8% success rate on the penalty kill, ranking 16th in the NHL.
  • In the postseason so far, Minnesota has allowed Colorado to capitalize on 2 out of 2 power play opportunities in Game 2.
State of Play
  • Minnesota is currently down 0-2 in the playoff series against Colorado.
  • Game 2 saw Colorado edge the Wild 5-on-5 play 9-7 in goals scored.
What's Next

The Wild will need a miraculous turnaround as they head back home for Game 3 on Saturday. They must improve their penalty kill performance and capitalize on power play opportunities to shift the series momentum in their favor.

Bottom Line

After years of attempting to address their penalty kill issues, the Wild find themselves in a troubling situation where those weaknesses threaten their playoff aspirations. Without significant changes to their strategy and execution, advancing in the postseason may be out of reach.