ST. PAUL, Minn. — Marco Rossi delivered a standout performance with two goals and an assist as the Minnesota Wild triumphed over the Nashville Predators, securing a 5-3 victory on Tuesday evening. The Wild also showcased their offensive strength by scoring three power-play goals, marking a season high in that category.
In addition to Rossi’s contributions, Mats Zuccarello, Jonas Brodin, and Declan Chisholm found the back of the net for Minnesota, which has now claimed victory in three of its last four games. Joel Eriksson Ek assisted on two goals, and goaltender Filip Gustavsson stood strong with a season-high 43 saves while also providing an assist.
On Nashville’s side, Colton Sissons, Jonathan Marchessault, and Ryan O’Reilly each added a goal, but the Predators could not overcome a season-high 46 shots directed at the Wild’s net. Justus Annunen made 33 saves for Nashville.
Rossi’s key moment came during the third period when he scored on the power play, extending Minnesota’s lead to 5-3. Zuccarello and Chisholm also contributed power-play goals in the second period, leading to the Wild finishing 3 for 6 with their man advantage. Prior to this game, Minnesota had struggled on the power play, going 0 for 13 in their previous five outings and only converting 1 of 17 during the last eight games. The Predators’ penalty kill was notable, entering the contest ranked first in the NHL with an 85.7% success rate.
In terms of performance trends, Nashville has faced challenges on the road, having lost seven of eight games in December and now sitting with a dismal record of 3-13-4 on away ice. Their road struggles are only surpassed by Chicago, who has recorded 14 losses.
For Minnesota, the night was bittersweet as they faced injuries to critical players. Leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov missed his third consecutive game due to a lower-body injury, while team captain Jared Spurgeon left the game early in the second period after sustaining an injury from a slew-foot by Zachary L’Heureux, leading to Spurgeon being assisted off the ice without placing weight on his injured leg. L’Heureux was penalized with a five-minute major and a match penalty for the incident.
A notable statistic from the game reveals that Minnesota has now won 15 times this season when scoring first, placing them in a tie with Ottawa, Toronto, and Winnipeg for the second-most such wins in the NHL. Florida leads with 16.
Looking ahead, Nashville will face Vancouver on Friday night, while Minnesota travels to Washington to play on Thursday.
