ST. PAUL, Minn. — In an impressive display, Marco Rossi, Justin Brazeau, Mats Zuccarello, and Frederick Gaudreau each found the back of the net as the Minnesota Wild triumphed over the Buffalo Sabres with a 4-1 victory on Saturday. This win helped solidify Minnesota’s position in the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot. The team is now within striking distance of overtaking the Colorado Avalanche, standing just two points behind third place in the Central Division. This matchup marked the end of an extended seven-game homestand for Minnesota, during which they achieved a record of 4-2-1.
The Wild’s goaltender, Filip Gustavsson, added another win to his record, improving it to 6-2-1 in the month of March. This stellar performance featured 20 saves, maintaining a substantial 1.65 goals-against average, an impressive .941 save percentage, and securing two shutouts throughout the month.
On the other side, Buffalo’s JJ Peterka managed to score, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 17 shots for the Sabres, who experienced their second consecutive loss and are struggling with a 3-8-1 record over the past 12 games.
Rossi registered his career-high 22nd goal of the season by converting a pass from Yakov Trenin shortly into the second period, ending a 12-game goalless streak. Meanwhile, Brazeau notched his first goal since being acquired from Boston on March 6, striking four minutes later. Zuccarello capitalized on a feed from Matt Boldy, who also contributed two assists, extending the lead to 3-0 before the midway point of the period.
Takeaways from the game include Peterka’s consecutive goals since returning on Thursday after being sidelined due to a lower-body injury. For the Wild, defenseman Jonas Brodin made a return, playing for the first time in nine games after his own lower-body injury.
A pivotal moment came when Gustavsson executed a skilled move by sliding across the crease to deny Alex Tuch during an early Buffalo power-play. He also showcased remarkable control by saving a scoring attempt from Tage Thompson, ensuring the first period remained scoreless despite the Wild being outplayed.
Notably, Boldy’s achievements continue to shine. His dual assists boost his point tally to at least 60 in three successive seasons, matching the club’s record alongside Zuccarello, Kirill Kaprizov, and Mikko Koivu for prolonged consistency in Wild history.
Looking ahead, Buffalo will conclude their four-game road trip in Winnipeg on Sunday, while Minnesota takes on Dallas on Monday.