What a difference a game makes. After turning in the worst defensive performance of the season, the Minnesota Wild was able to get back to basics, and to what they do so well, as they shut down the St. Louis Blues, 4-0. The Wild also rode on the backs of a couple of milestone goals for their players, and a stellar performance from Niklas Backstrom.
Speaking of Backstrom, the best attempt in the first period was shut down by the Wild goaltender through an amazing stick save. Brandon Crombeen fired a shot that looked destined for the net, but Backstrom somehow was able to throw his stick in the way, knocking the puck aside with the toe of the blade. This kept the scored knotted at 0-0, and cleared the way for the second period, and Eric Belanger making personal history.
The third period started with only Belanger's goal standing, but Andrew Brunette wasn't content to let his teammate have all the glory. He scored a milestone of his own, and put the Wild up 2-0 on the power play. Marek Zidlicky scored another power play goal, helping the Wild go to 10 for their last 20 times with the man advantage. As for the fourth goal? The Blue had pulled goaltender Chris Mason, and Antti Miettinen was able to approach the net on a breakaway, before getting tripped from behind. Given that the Wild have already seen a number of calls that don't normally come up (closing the hand on the puck, two players getting waved out of the face-off circle), it shouldn't surprise anyone that a little called ruling allowed the officials to credit Miettinen with his first goal in 16 games.
Game pluses:
- Eric Belanger. The Wild forward scored his 100th career goal, to give the Wild the first lead of the game. And he did it while outnumbered in the offensive zone.
- Andrew Brunette. When Brunette first went to Colorado, Minnesota fans definitely had to wonder if he'd ever be back in a Wild jersey. How fitting that he was able to score his 200th career goal, giving the Wild an insurance marker, and doing it in the hometown arena?
- Niklas Backstrom. After giving up six goals in forty minutes, the Wild netminder got enough help from his defense to turn away all twenty-two shots he faced on Wednesday.
Game minuses:
- First period. Maybe the Wild was still shell-shocked from their game against Colorado on Monday, but it took them awhile to get rolling, even though they were outshooting the Blues.
- Antti Miettinen. True, he was given the goal, but if he'd been able to pull the trigger a little earlier, the ruling might never have come up. By the same token, Miettinen has been having problems finding the net as of late, so maybe it was better for him to get the tally this way.
- Empty net. The Wild only has two empty net goals all season, and one came last night when Miettinen got hauled down. They need to find a way to close out the games more definitively, espeically with a yawning net at the other end.
Next up: The Wild will dance with division rivals, the 14-9-2 Vancouver Canucks, who play Detroit tonight. Will the Wild still be in first place in the division when the puck drops on Friday?
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