The Minnesota Wild vs. New York Islanders
The Minnesota Wild, after an extensive road trip, faced off against the New York Islanders on Saturday in St. Paul. The contest concluded with a narrow overtime defeat for Minnesota, with the Islanders sealing a 4-3 victory thanks to a goal from Simon Holmstrom.
Ben Jones’s Milestone
The highlights of the match included a remarkable moment for Wild’s forward Ben Jones, who finally scored his inaugural NHL goal, marking a significant milestone in his career after 49 games in the league.
Jones’s first goal came in the form of a tip-in off a shot from Brock Faber, who received an assist from Quinn Hughes. This goal not only ended Jones’s long wait for a point but also stood out as he and Hughes shared a history as teammates in their youth through the Toronto Marlboros.
Describing the moment, Jones expressed relief, saying, “You try not to focus on it, but it’s great to contribute. It was nice to get the first one, and yeah, a big sigh of relief for sure.”
Jones’s Journey
Having spent three seasons in the NHL prior to this game, Jones had endured a bit of a frustrating start, going 408 minutes and 11 seconds of ice time across 48 games without recording a point—an unfortunate second-longest streak following a similar record from Adam Durish in the 2006-07 season. However, injuries and a tough rookie year defined his initial NHL experience as he had no points in 26 games the previous year while adding to his physical stats with 51 hits.
Jones reflected on his previous games where he had three goals disallowed due to goalie interference, feeling that this moment was long overdue.
Coaching Praise
Head coach John Hynes praised Jones, recognizing his hard work and adaptability and noted the team’s strategy to attack the net, which clearly paid off.
“Good for him and happy for him,” said Hynes, emphasizing the importance of Jones’s contribution to the team’s efforts moving forward.
Jones’s goal certainly brings a wave of positivity not just for himself, but also for the Wild as they continue to compete in the challenging NHL season.
