TEAM WHITE SWEEPS DEVELOPMENT CAMP WITH WIN IN SECOND SCRIMMAGE
Jul 16, 2018Minnesota Wild’s development camp came to a close Sunday afternoon when Team Green and Team White hit the ice for the final scrimmage of the week. After seven days of competing in drills on the ice and bonding off it, the 40-plus prospects battled one last time before heading home until training camp begins.
The format of the scrimmage was the same as Thursday’s; two 30-minute halves with a running clock, followed by a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime period and five-round shootout.
Just more than two minutes into the first half, Team Green opened the scoring with a seeing-eye shot from defenseman Simon Johansson. Forward Mason Jobst picked up a loose puck below the goal line and skated out from the corner when he fed Johansson at the right point. Johansson quickly fired the puck on net and with goaltender Hunter Shepard sliding away from his shot, he gave Team Green the 1-0 lead.
Johansson’s goal was the only tally of the half, despite many chances from Team Green. Green outshot Team White 15-11 and held possession for much of the opening stanza.
Team White jumped out of the gate to start the second half and tied the game at 1-1 just 39 seconds into the stanza. An intense forecheck led to a turnover in the slot and Team White was able to capitalize. Defenseman Jacob Golden took a shot from the point, which was deflected and stopped by goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen. Following the rebound, forward Dmitry Sokolov tried to jam home a rebound but was stopped once again. Forward Jackson Cates was finally able to slip the puck past Kahkonen on the third chance and subsequently tied the game.
Team White took the lead minutes later when forward Scott Conway rifled home his second goal in as many scrimmages. A late line change with offensive zone pressure already established, Conway bolted to the high slot and caught a pass from forward Jack McBain. Conway then sniped Kahkonen over his glove for Team White’s first lead of the game.
Forward Carter Randklev extended Team White’s lead when he converted on a penalty shot midway through the second half. After receiving a slash from Team Green’s Cam Lee, Randklev made the most of his penalty shot. Sprinting down the ice with Lee chasing, Randklev elected to shoot right away rather than making any dekes. Randklev’s shot beat Kahkonen and gave Team White a 3-1 lead.
Thirteen seconds after Randklev’s penalty shot goal, forward Bryce Misley pulled Team Green within one. Forward Dante Salituro pressured the Team White in their own zone, which forced a giveaway right to Misley’s stick. He cut to the left faceoff circle and snapped a shot on net. Goaltender Dereck Baribeau got his left pad on the puck but not enough of it, as it bounced into the back of the net, putting the score at 3-2.
Team Green pulled even with Team White at 3-3 when Salituro scored a penalty shot goal of his own. Much like his counterpart on Team White, Salituro elected to shoot right off his stride rather than making any moves in front of Baribeau. His shot beat Baribeau stick side and tied the game.
Just like the scrimmage on Thursday, the two teams headed into overtime tied 3-3.
The overtime held scoreless until 1:22 left in the frame when Team White converted to take the 4-3 lead. Breaking down the ice on a two-on-one, defenseman Nick Boka attempted to slide a pass over to Cates but ran out of ice to do so. He then cut back in front of the net and was able to find Cates at the back door. In close, Cates lofted the puck over Kahkonen’s pads with his backhand to give Team White the lead.
Heading into the shootout portion of the scrimmage, Team White held the 4-3 lead and had a chance to sweep the scrimmages.
Both goaltenders made the stop in round one, but McBain gave Team White the 5-3 lead in the second round. McBain, skating from right to left, took a wrist shot against the grain and was able to put a puck past Kahkonen on his glove side.
The 5-3 score held until the fourth round, when defenseman Filip Johansson put Team Green within one. Johansson went into the slot on Baribeau, went backhand-forehand and lasered a shot over his glove.
Needing a goal to clinch the victory, Cates scored his third of the game to give Team White the win. Cates waited out Kahkonen and as the goaltender was falling to the ice, he roofed his shot to give Team White the 6-4 win.
Following the scrimmage, Minnesota handed out awards for development camp. McBain was named the hardest worker while defenseman Gustav Bouramman was named most improved player.