The Minnesota Wild continued their strong start to the NHL season with a convincing 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, led by standout goaltending from Filip Gustavsson and an all-around offensive effort. Gustavsson stopped 24 of 25 shots, bringing his record to 4-0-1 and solidifying his place as one of the top netminders in the league early in the season.
Defenseman Jake Middleton had a career night, tying his personal best with three assists, while Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, Marco Rossi, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek each found the back of the net for the Wild. Johansson and Rossi set the tone early, scoring just 22 seconds apart in the first period to give Minnesota a quick 2-0 lead. By the end of the second period, the Wild extended their lead to 5-1, effectively sealing the game.
Florida’s lone goal came from Sam Bennett, who tallied his fifth of the season with an assist from Matthew Tkachuk, who returned from a five-game absence due to illness. Despite Bennett’s goal, the Panthers struggled to generate consistent offense against Minnesota’s disciplined play.
Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers’ starting goaltender, had a rough outing, allowing five goals on 16 shots before being pulled at the end of the second period in favor of Spencer Knight. Bobrovsky remains just one win shy of reaching 400 career victories, a milestone he’ll hope to achieve in the near future.
Filip Gustavsson continues to be a revelation in goal for Minnesota, having allowed just seven goals on 145 shots this season. He’s now only allowed six more goals than he’s personally scored, a testament to his incredible form. The Wild have yet to lose in regulation, securing at least one point in all six of their games.
While Bobrovsky struggled, the return of Matthew Tkachuk is a silver lining for Florida. Tkachuk’s assist on Bennett’s goal provided a brief spark, but the Panthers were unable to rally. Bobrovsky’s quest for his 400th win remains on hold, and the Panthers will need to regroup quickly on their upcoming road trip.
Joel Eriksson Ek’s goal with 3:55 left in the second period made it 5-1, giving the Wild their largest lead in Sunrise since a 6-2 victory over the Panthers on October 16, 2008. This effectively ended any hope of a Florida comeback and allowed Minnesota to cruise through the final period.
The Wild (4-0-2) have started the season strong, earning at least one point in all six of their games. The last time they achieved a similar feat was during the 2008-09 season when they began 5-0-1. With 10 points, Minnesota is poised to continue their momentum on the road.
The Wild continue their seven-game road trip with a matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Panthers will head to New York to face the Rangers on Thursday, beginning a three-game swing in the Empire State before traveling to Finland for two games against the Dallas Stars on November 1 and 2. Florida returns home to Sunrise on November 7.
This impressive win puts the Wild in a strong position early in the season, while the Panthers face some key challenges on the road ahead.
