ST. PAUL, Minn. – In an electrifying match on Saturday night, Matt Boldy powered the Minnesota Wild to a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders, contributing with two goals and an assist.
The Wild showcased a strong performance, netting five consecutive goals to pull ahead. Other standout players for Minnesota included Marco Rossi, Frederick Gaudreau, Yakov Trenin, and Marcus Foligno—all of whom scored. Jared Spurgeon provided two assists, while Filip Gustavsson was solid in goal, making 30 saves throughout the game.
On the other side, the Islanders had contributions from Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson, both of whom registered a goal and an assist. Anders Lee also found the back of the net, and Maxim Tsyplakov offered two assists. Despite having a strong start, the Islanders faced challenges in this matchup and lost three out of their last four games after previously winning seven in a row. Ilya Sorokin had 27 saves in the loss.
Boldy marked his first multi-goal game since November 7, with his second goal coming shortly thereafter. A centering attempt from Boldy, nearly six minutes into the third period, took a fortuitous bounce off Islanders defenseman Anthony DeAngelo before slipping past Sorokin. Earlier in the game, Minnesota’s second goal also deflected in off DeAngelo.
With just five minutes remaining, the Islanders opted to pull Sorokin from the net, but Foligno quickly capitalized, scoring into the empty net and sealing the Wild’s victory.
In terms of individual performances, Palmieri’s recent scoring streak, with four goals in six games, reflects his resurgence following a tough stretch where he had one goal and two assists in a dozen games.
For the Wild, an injury to center Joel Eriksson Ek kept him from playing, which led to the team utilizing 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Eriksson Ek is set to participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament representing Sweden.
A key moment in the game came when Nelson and Lee, both originally from Minnesota, helped the Islanders to a 3-1 advantage during the second period. However, the Wild swiftly turned the tide, scoring three times in a short 5:21 span. Gaudreau began the comeback with a power play goal, followed by consecutive goals from Boldy and Trenin just 51 seconds apart, putting the Wild ahead 4-3.
Statistically, the Wild have shown dominance when scoring three or more goals, earning a remarkable record of 30 wins, three losses, and two overtime defeats in such scenarios this season.
Looking ahead, both the Islanders and the Wild will take a break for the 4 Nations Face-off tournament. The Islanders are scheduled to host the Dallas Stars on February 23, while the Wild will visit the Detroit Red Wings on February 22.