POST GAME RECAP: RANGERS FALL TO WILD 5-2

FINAL STATS
NY RANGERS 2 MINNESOTA WILD 5
Scoring Summary
1st Period
08:27 MIN Mikko Koivu (7) Backhand shot - ASST: Thomas Vanek (13), Zach Parise (9) 1 - 0 MIN
2nd Period
17:30 MIN PPG - Matt Dumba (5) Deflected shot - ASST: Nino Niederreiter (6), Mikael Granlund (16) 2 - 0 MIN
19:51 NYR Dominic Moore (3) Snap shot - ASST: Emerson Etem (3), Tanner Glass (1) 2 - 1 MIN
3rd Period
09:38 MIN PPG - Jason Pominville (4) Backhand shot - ASST: Mikko Koivu (20), Ryan Suter (18) 3 - 1 MIN
10:18 MIN Chris Porter (2) Backhand shot - ASST: Justin Fontaine (5), Ryan Suter (19) 4 - 1 MIN
16:23 NYR Ryan McDonagh (5) Snap shot - ASST: J.T. Miller (10), Jesper Fast (5) 4 - 2 MIN
17:43 MIN Mikko Koivu (8) Wrist shot - ASST: Ryan Carter (2), Charlie Coyle (8) 5 - 2 MIN
Penalty Summary
1st Period
08:52 NYR Dylan McIlrath Interference - 2 min against Ryan Carter
2nd Period
10:34 MIN Jarret Stoll Tripping - 2 min against Oscar Lindberg
15:40 NYR Dan Boyle Hooking - 2 min against Charlie Coyle
3rd Period
09:20 NYR Brady Skjei Holding - 2 min against Jarret Stoll
11:05 MIN Nino Niederreiter Interference on goalkeeper - 2 min against Henrik Lundqvist
18:10 MIN Charlie Coyle Roughing - 2 min against Dylan McIlrath
18:10 NYR Dylan McIlrath Roughing - 2 min against Charlie Coyle
shots by period
Period NYR MIN
1st 5 5
2nd 9 15
3rd 9 15
Total 23 35
Team Stats
Category NYR MIN
Power Plays 0/2 2/3
Hits 22 15
Faceoff Wins 25 28
Giveaways 10 6
Takeaways 3 4
Blocked Shots 10 11
Penalty Minutes 8 6

RECAP:
 

Rangers Lose Raanta, Fall to Wild

The Rangers lost the game and possibly their backup goaltender Thursday night in Minnesota.
Antti Raanta started in place of Henrik Lundqvist, but had to leave the game just 11:49 into the first period after taking a Marco Scandella shot off the mask. Lundqvist took over the game, but ultimately he and the Rangers fell, 5-2, to the Wild at XCel Energy Center.
It was Lundqvist's first relief appearance since Oct. 12 2013 against the St. Louis Blues. He made 26 saves.
The Rangers had a chance to open the scoring just 49 seconds into the game when Keith Yandle was awarded a penalty shot. Yandle went low glove side but was denied by Devan Dubnyk. It was the first time in Rangers history that two defensemen were awarded penalty shots in the same season--Dan Boyle was the other this season, and the first time since the 1934-35 season that the Rangers had at least five attempts in one season.
The Wild did break through when captain Mikko Koivu snuck a low backhand shot under Raanta's pads at 8:27 of the first period.
The teams traded opportunities with former Ranger Jarret Stoll in the penalty box midway through the second period. Kevin Hayes fired a wrist shot from the top of the circle that trickled through Dubnyk but was swept aside at the goal line. The Wild answered back when Justin Fontaine's backhand beat Lundqvist but missed the outside of the post.
The Wild extended their lead to 2-0 on the power play when Matt Dumba batted in a rebound out of air and into the cage. Lundqvist stopped the initial shot from Nino Niederreiter, but Dumba was left alone in the slot.
Minnesota nearly made it a three-goal lead before the second period was through. Defenseman Dan Boyle had a pass knocked down by Jason Zucker, who then toe dragged into the slot and fired a wrist shot that caught Lundqvist and then post.
The Rangers broke through late in the second period when Dominic Moore buried a shot from the slot past Devan Dubnyk to cut the deficit in half. The goal extended Moore's point streak to three. The goal was the result of strong board play by Emerson Etem, who battled for a puck along the boards before flipped a backhand pass to Moore.
The momentum did not carry over into the third period.
The Wild nearly went up a pair again 3:30 into the third period when Jason Pominville broke in and snapped a wrist shot from the dot that beat Lundqvist but caught iron, keeping it a one-goal affair.
But Pominville didn't miss on his next opportunity. With Brady Skjei whistled for holding at 9:20 of the third, Pominville snuck a backhand shot between the legs of Lundqvist at 9:38 of the third to put the Wild up 3-1.
Chris Porter scored 40 seconds later to make it 4-2.
Ryan McDonagh would bring the Rangers back to within two goals with his fifth of the season with 3:37 left in the third period, but it was too little, too late.
Koivu would add his second of the night with 2:17 to ice the game.
While the loss stung, the potential loss of Raanta for any extended period of time looms large.
The Rangers have little time to rest as they finish this latest back-to-back set tomorrow night in Winnipeg against the Jets.
By Matt Calamia

 NEXT GAME: TOMORROW 8:00 PM NY RANGERS @ WINNIPEG JETS