It was incredibly apparent just how much the Minnesota Wild missed center Mikko Koivu on Tuesday night. The team just couldn't seem to get much going, and was beaten badly most of the night in the face-off circle, as the New York Rangers skated away with a tough 2-1 victory. The Wild played a gritty game, with even Marian Gaborik tallying hits, but bad penalties and an overall lack of direction resulted in the Wild slipping even further in the standings.
Another presence that was missed for Minnesota was that of an enforcer. Whether that enforcer was Derek Boogaard, Craig Weller, or John Scott, there just wasn't anyone to play that role for the Wild. End result? Their hits leader and key energy guy goes off thanks to a fight with Sean Avery, and their leading scorer scraps with Colton Orr. Losing Cal Clutterbuck and Owen Nolan for those penalties only added to the Wild's on-ice woes, as they tried to get things working without their best all-around player.
Game pluses:
- Marian Gaborik. Not only did he score in his second game back, but he started showing a physical side that has been missing through much of his career. It was a surprise to see that Gaborik was the one to floor Markus Naslund.
- Dan Fritsche. Fritsche just missed getting the tying goal in the third period. He played well against his former team, stepping up well in Koivu's absence.
- Cal Clutterbuck. Take away the fight with Avery, and Clutterbuck played his game the same way he has all season. He was another player with a great opportunity to tie the game in the third.
Game minuses:
- Shooting. Once again, the Wild struggled to get shots on net. They actually had more shots in the second period against Edmonton than they did the entire game against the Rangers. Hard to score when you aren't pulling the trigger.
- Marc-Andre Bergeron. Bergeron continues to look lost on the ice, making errant passes or getting chased down only to have the puck stolen from him. How he has avoided being a scratch lately is one of the Wild's biggest mysteries.
- Antti Miettinen. Miettinen started the season very strongly, but has been floundering as of late. He took a bad penalty to negate a Wild power play, and never really got the puck anywhere near to where he wanted to. It looked like he was stuck in the mindset of making set plays, regardless of where his teammates were on the ice.
Next up: The Wild try and put the game against the Rangers behind them, and hope that they can skate away from New York City with a better chance at a playoff berth. Tonight, they take on the New York Islanders. The biggest problem for the Wild? They tend to play up (or down) to their opponents, depending on the skill of the other team. The Islanders are in the league's basement.
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