The Minnesota Wild fell to the New Jersey Devils 5-2 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Saturday evening.
The Wild gave up a goal only 29 seconds (Nico Hischer) into the game with a second goal (Paul Cotter) coming 5:46 into the period. Minnesota would strike back with a Marcus Foligno goal 16:31 into the opening frame, but that’s all the offense they would muster. The goal was Foligno’s 12th of the season. The Wild trailed 2-1 after one period.
MOOOOOOOOSE 🫎#EasyToCelebrate x @budlight pic.twitter.com/7oLb84ByZ1
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 29, 2025
The second period was a stalemate with both teams unable to score. There was a fight 6:57 into the period between Marcus Foligno and Johnathan Kovacevic. There was an unsportsmanlike conduct added to Kovacevic’s fight as he instigated the fight with Foligno.
The third period would see a goal by Hischer at the 3:13 mark, extending the Devils’ lead to 3-1. Minnesota would continue to fight with Ryan Hartman scoring his 11th goal of the season at the 5:11 mark, 3-2 Devils. New Jersey would put the game to bed late with a power play goal at the 14:50 mark by Hischer followed up by a Tomas Tater goal at the 16:46 mark. 5-2 Devils.
RYAN HARTMAN DOES NOT QUIT pic.twitter.com/Uoh8YaNjiE
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 30, 2025
Filip Gustavvson saved 28 of the 33 shots he saved. New Jersey’s Hischer ended the game with a hat trick.
Minnesota still sits in fourth place in the Central Division with 87 points at 41-28-5. The Wild are tied with St. Louis for the top Wild Card spot, but hold the tiebreaker and have one game in hand.
The Wild will now visit the New Jersey Devils on Monday night with the puck drop set for 6 p.m. and game coverage available nationally on NHL Network.
