1. The streak is snapped
The Wild's eight-game winning streak, and nine-game point streak, came to an end on Saturday night in Los Angeles. The winning streak was historic; as the third-longest win streak in franchise history, it allowed Minnesota to temporarily move to the top of the NHL standings for the first time in a decade, and to give it a nice early season cushion atop the Central Division.
But after the game, Wild players trudged off the Staples Center bench as disappointed as it would have been if it were mired in a long losing streak.
That's the identity this team has taken on and what has actually served it well during the good times.
Video: MIN@LAK: Foligno scores PPG in 2nd period
"We forget about it. We had one game tonight and we lost it. That's the mentality it has to be," said Wild forward Marcus Foligno. "You can't be all excited because you won eight and say to yourself, 'well, it was a good run.' It's not the mentality we want this year."
It has also helped limit the bad times. Minnesota has done a good job of rebounding from losses this season, a reality which will be tested Sunday night when it wraps up its four-game road trip in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
Video: Marcus Foligno postgame at Los Angeles
"We expect tomorrow night just to really come together, show our character and make sure we get a win on this road trip," Foligno said. "We win tomorrow, it's a great road trip. It's just one of those things where you can't focus on the past, you got to stay right in the present and that's what we talked about before the game."
Indeed, a win on Sunday would ensure a winning trip, which certainly looked like no easy feat a week ago at this time. Edmonton and Vegas are considered two of the best teams in the Western Conference while San Jose and Los Angeles are much improved from last season.
"We've got no doubt that we'll regroup and bring a real good game for tomorrow night," said Wild coach Dean Evason. "
2. Pumping the PK
While the Wild would have preferred the game play out a little differently, its penalty kill was stellar all night long, but specifically in the first period.
Minnesota was forced to kill three Kings power plays in the opening 20 minutes.
"It's a frustrating night," Evason said. "We got behind with some penalties and we never got any back."
Video: Dean Evason postgame at Los Angeles
Indeed that was a frustrating reality, especially since it seemed like the Kings were granted impunity early in the game. Joel Eriksson Ek was called for a penalty, exited the box and was immediately tripped.
No call.
Later in the first period, Kirill Kaprizov was pitchforked at center ice. It was an obvious penalty.
No call.
Evason was frustrated again in the waning moments of regulation when Ryan Hartman looked to be tripped as Minnesota was pushing for the equalizer.
Again, no call.
On the night, the Kings had five power plays while the Wild had just two, converting on one when Marcus Foligno scored to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the second period.
Evason is rarely one to harp on officiating, but he was clearly perturbed afterward.
"At the end, I don't know what they were looking at at the end. It was a minute 30 left and Hartzy gets just tripped right in front of them, right in front of the net. It's a penalty," Evason said. "If you're going to call penalties, keep the standard the same and make the calls. It doesn't matter what time of the game is. You gotta make that call.
"We should have had a power play at the end but we still had a lot of chances obviously to score goals. Even with the net pulled there, we just missed the net. We competed our butts off."
Even though the Wild was able to kill off the early penalties, it came at a cost.
Video: Jon Merrill postgame at Los Angeles
"I don't think we were happy with our game tonight," said Wild defenseman Jon Merrill. "Took us a while to find our legs, they kind of got to their game and got some momentum on the power play and spent too much time in our end for sure."
With Jonas Brodin out because of an upper-body injury, Merrill was an absolute horse once again, especially on one marathon shift during the second period that began at the start of a power play and extended well after.
Merrill blocked three shots on the kill alone and was pinned on the ice for 3 minutes, 17 seconds before he was finally able to get off for a change.
He finished the game with eight blocked shots in all.
"He's been so good for us, so reliable," Foligno said. "Johnny was good. He was probably sucking wind, but he was probably laughing at the same time. He's been such a warrior for us. And what a great team guy too."
Merrill was pinned on the ice thanks to a bit of bad luck. About halfway through the shift, Dmitry Kulikov had the puck on his stick and ample time to clear it, but when he went to dump it, his stick disintegrated in his hands.
It was an unfortunate turn of events, but one the group on the ice ultimately didn't allow to burn them.
"I just think it's not good for the momentum," Merrill said. "They're spending too much time in our end ... and kind of just bleeds into the rest of the period and they keep the momentum and stay on us a little bit."
3. Kudos for Kaapo
One certainly can't blame goaltending for the defeat on Saturday, as Kaapo Kahkonen was brilliant in a losing effort.
Having not played in more than a week, Kahkonen gave the Wild everything he had, and then some, providing Minnesota with a chance to tie the game at the end.
Perhaps his best saves of the night came in the final five minutes, when he stopped Andrea Athanasiou on a breakaway, then stonewalled Philip Danault on a one-timer from the hashes.
Video: Kaapo Kähkönen postgame at Los Angeles
A goal there makes it a two-goal hill for the Wild to climb late. Instead, he kept Minnesota within one, a deficit the Wild had several grade-A chances to finish off.
Kahkonen also made a couple of 10-bell saves on each of L.A.'s goals, denying Danault with an outstanding sprawling save before he finished off the rebound, tying the game at 1-1 late in the second.
Persistent pest Brendan Lemieux tallied the game-winning goal midway through the third period when he banged home a rebound after Kahkonen made an initial save.
Kahkonen finished the contest with 35 saves on 37 shots.
"Kaapo was real good for sure," Evason said.
Loose pucks
- Foligno's goal was his 12th of the season, his most with the Wild and one off his career high of 13
- Minnesota's power play has scored a goal in four consecutive games and has five power-play markers since Dec. 5
- Matt Dumba had one assist, his third helper in his past three games
- Kevin Fiala also had an assist. He has 10 points in his past 13 games and 14 assists on the season
- Quick finished with 30 saves on 31 shots
- Kings defenseman Alex Edler sustained an apparent lower-body injury in the first period and did not return
- Drew Doughty, Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Moore had assists for L.A.
Dan's three stars
1. Jonathan Quick
2. Kaapo Kahkonen
3. Drew Doughty
Highlights
Video: MIN Recap: Foligno scores PPG in loss
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