Wednesday, April 29, 2009

2009 Playoff Preview - Conference Semifinals

The first round of the NHL's second season has ended, and, for some teams, it ended in surprising and stunning fashion. The first round featured some shocking upsets, fantastic plays, and a couple of teams asserting their dominance. It should make the second round that much more interesting.

Eastern Conference
#1 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes
The Bruins made sort work of their long-time nemesis, sweeping the Montreal Canadiens out of the playoffs behind brilliant play in all aspects of the game. The goaltending was fantastic, the offense was sparkling, and the defense was putting up walls in front of Montreal all series. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes needed a few last-minute heroics to steal a series win from the New Jersey Devils. Still, the Hurricanes have a strong team, and now they have a mission.

For Carolina to get past Boston, though, they're going to need more than fluky goals in the last minute and a half, or a deflection off of a skate. The Bruins are a team that plays all aspects of the game very well, and, while luck definitely comes into play during the run to the Stanley Cup (just ask Martin Brodeur and the Devils), there are times where sheer skill is going to win out. The Bruins won't march through the Hurricanes in the same fashion that they bowled over Montreal, but don't look for a different result. Boston in six games.

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #4 Pittsburgh Penguins
In many ways, the Penguins drew an easier draw in the first round, taking on the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers banged Pittsburgh all series long, but the Pens just had to get enough offense to keep Philadelphia at bay, and they did so. Meanwhile, the Capitals needed a game seven to rid themselves of the New York Rangers, largely because they put themselves into a 3-1 hole. Eventually, the Capitals were able to put together solid goaltending and allowed their offense to pick up the pieces on the way to a thrilling series win.

This second round match-up is both a dream and a nightmare for the NHL, because it features the league's two golden boys, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. In many ways, whichever team wins the series, the league will be losing somewhat, as they lose an immediately bankable player. However, the two teams match-up very well. Pittsburgh is better defensively, marginally, and the Capitals hold the same slim edge when it comes to offense. It should be a tremendous series, but the main question comes down to which team is more banged up. Both the Rangers and the Flyers took their toll during the first round, and Pittsburgh has had a little more time to recover. Still, don't count out a team that bounced back from the hole Washington did. Expect another long series, with Pittsburgh squeaking it out in seven games.

Western Conference
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs #8 Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks shocked the playoff world by sending the San Jose Sharks home early. Their reward? They get to face a rested Stanley Cup champion team in the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings manhandled Columbus in the first round, moving easily into the second, while the Ducks, behind the goaltending of Jonas Hiller, frustrated the Sharks at all ends of the ice. San Jose simply couldn't find their offense, and the Ducks got some emerging stars to contribute big goals through the series.

The problem that the Red Wings might face? Taking the Ducks too lightly. Anaheim will play Detroit more physically than Columbus did, and actually have a chance of disrupting the free-wheeling Detroit offense. Meanwhile, Detroit is going to need to use their crisp passing to get the puck around the Anaheim defense, which, as the Sharks saw, collapses around the net, making rebounds (something Detroit thrives on) even more difficult to gather up. But how long can Jonas Hiller be the stud in goal? Look for Detroit to take this series in seven games.

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #4 Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago may be the most dangerous opponent in the playoffs right now, and they've just come off of a big series against the Calgary Flames. The Blackhawks young stars grew up in front of the playoff glare, standing up the more experienced Flames before skating away with the series victory. Meanwhile, the Canucks showed just what happens when two streaking teams meet, but only one team has the Sedin twins. The Blues just didn't have an answer for either Sedin, and the only time they got decent shots towards (and past) Roberto Luongo, they found iron instead.

This series should prove interesting, as, much like against Calgary, it's going to be a series of youth vs. experience. Stars like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews stepped up for Chicago, and will need to continue doing so if the Hawks want to make it to the Conference Finals. Meanwhile, Vancouver is going to need to get a spark from players who aren't named Sedin if they want to continue their run. Look for Chicago to knock out their second Northwest Division opponent, as they advance in six games.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Shake-up at the office

After the regular season ends, the teams that missed the playoffs often have some tough choices to make. Within the Northwest Division alone, two teams are looking to retool more than just the on-ice product after disappointing seasons. One team, the Edmonton Oilers, suffered a late collapse, sliding from playoff positioning thanks to an inability to string together wins at the end of the season, and their coach, Craig MacTavish, has paid the price for it. MacTavish was fired by the Oilers, and he was really the victim of a team that missed the playoffs one time too many.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild have their own coaching conundrum, with the resignation of Jacques Lemaire. But that's not all the Wild have to worry about, as they will be looking to revamp their front office. On Tuesday, Wild owner Craig Leipold fired GM (and President) Doug Risebrough, signaling a new direction for Wild hockey.

There are some who are upset about the firing of Risebrough, and they have every right. But any who think that the Wild made the wrong choice in this are being blinded by the accomplishments he brought when the team was created. True, Risebrough turned an expansion team quickly into a contender, but, after those initial seasons, he's actually done more to hurt the team than help it. A lack of flexibility at the trade deadline, an unwillingness to move assets to get a different look, the loss of draft picks and key free agents for not much in return. These qualities alone made it clear that the Wild needed to look elsewhere.

Leipold stated in his announcement that he'd made his decision with a month remaining in the season, but didn't want to disrupt the playoff chase. The final straw may very well have come from Risebrough himself in discussions about Jacques Lemaire's departure. First off, Risebrough expressed surprise, even though everyone around the league new that Lemaire was almost guaranteed to be finished with Minnesota after the season. Secondly, Risebrough said that there was no rush to find a new coach, and certainly that there wasn't the pressure to find one by draft day. That's an indication of a GM who is looking to stay the same course, costing the team top talent (and future options) while they seek out someone who will do things as they've always been done. While the head coach has a direct impact on the product displayed on the ice, it is the GM that assembles the tools that the coach can use. When your most frequent trades are giving away draft picks for either burnt-out players (Chris Simon), or simply to move up slightly in the draft order (the Tyler Cuma pick of this past season), you've lost the insight to push the team forward. When you're one season removed from winning the division, no key pieces are added, and you blame yourself for "high expectations", you've proven that you're out of touch with your fan base. When you shift from stating that injuries didn't affect your team during the season to claiming that a healthy line-up would have guaranteed different results, you've proven that you aren't even aware of the locker room that you helped create.

All in all, Craig Leipold did exactly what he needed to do to try and move the Wild forward. Lemaire's departure was practically guaranteed from the beginning of the season. Risebrough needed to go with him. And the Minnesota Wild can now go about the business of finding a new GM and a new head coach, allowing a new vision to come to Minnesota hockey.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

2009 Playoff Preview - Western Conference

The Eastern Conference was given a quick look yesterday, which is only fitting, since most of the games tonight take place there. Today, the Western Conference gets its time to shine, with a quick look at their first round playoff match-ups.

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks
For the last month of the season, teams were vying to try and avoid the final playoff spot. While playing the defending champion Red Wings may not seem like much of a victory, the Red Wings still aren't the President's Trophy-winning San Jose Sharks, and the Sharks are hungry to prove that they can actually make it all the way to the Cup. The Sharks come in with a powerful offense and some great goaltending. Meanwhile, the Ducks put together a bit of a hot streak near the end of the season, but their mountain got even tougher with the information that Jean-Sebastien Giguere will miss at least the first game of the series. In a California series, the Sharks should take this one handily, refusing to wilt under the playoff lights this early, as they send the Ducks home in six games.

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets
One of the teams that "won" the chance to avoid San Jose for one round is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are going to the playoffs for the first time in their history. Unfortunately for Columbus, they're running into the defending champions. Detroit is a high-flying team that challenged San Jose for #1 throughout the season, and they simply outskate their opponents. The biggest problem for the Wings this season has been in net, simply because neither Chris Osgood nor Ty Conklin have been perfect throughout the year. Columbus will come in flying high, but the Red Wings should be able to skate circles around them. Ultimately, the Blue Jackets will challenge, but the Red Wings will win the series in six.

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues
The Vancouver Canucks quietly assembled a division-winning season. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues appeared ready to sneak the #1 draft pick away from the New York Islanders before they came roaring back. Both teams are on incredible hot streaks, and both have had to face adversity throughout the season. Vancouver has a number of players at the end of their contracts, while St. Louis is looking to give their young guns a taste of May (and June) hockey. The Canucks just aren't going to be able to derail the St. Louis Blues train as they fall in five games.

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames
At the trade deadline, who expected that the Calgary Flames wouldn't even have home-ice advantage. Big acquisitions like Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold immediately paid dividends, and the Flames had a huge lead over Vancouver to take the Northwest division. Then came what may have been Calgary's longest month, as they watched the Canucks creep up, and watched themselves give away the lead. Now they have to face a Chicago Blackhawks team that was very stingy at home, and is loaded with young talent. Toews and Kane are starting to really find their weaponry, and the Blackhawks also have great goaltending in Nikolai Khabibulin. The Flames are reeling, and the only reason that they're going to make it to a fifth game is because their home arena is just so incredibly unforgiving to visiting teams. Blackhawks skate into the second round after five games.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

2009 Playoff Preview - Eastern Conference

It's that time of year again. The time where the hockey gets kicked up to another level, as only 16 teams remain standing. This is where physical play combined with talent truly pays off, and a team can find its fortunes turned around with the drop of a puck. The next two days here will include some playoff predictions and previews, starting today with the Eastern Conference. Just in time, because tomorrow night, the puck drops on the NHL's "Second Season".

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
Let's do it all over again. The Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens seem to face each other every year in the playoffs, as is only fitting for an Original Six match-up. More often than not, Montreal seems to have the upper hand, and they are riding into the playoffs in their 100th season. But it's Boston that could (and possibly should) march straight to the Stanley Cup finals. While Montreal was free-falling through the East, almost out of the playoffs, the Bruins were putting together an impressive season, challenging for the President's Cup behind their outstanding goaltending and young offensive studs. The Canadiens will challenge Boston, but don't expect an upset. The Bruins knock the Canadiens out in five games.

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers
The Washington Capitals have the most dynamic offensive player in the league on their side. Unfortunately for them, Alex Ovechkin cannot win a playoff series alone, especially against a team that's as solid defensively as the New York Rangers have been all season. Washington is going to need to keep the game open and flowing, allowing their firepower to come to the forefront, but New York is a team built to get into your head and make you play their game. By bringing back Sean Avery, the Rangers added an annoyance that can make them very dangerous if they go deep in any playoff series. Largely, this series should come down to goaltending, and Henrik Lundqvist is leaps and bounds better than Jose Theodore. The question for Washington is enough Theodore can keep them in the game long enough for the goals to pour in. The Rangers pull off a stunning game seven victory to send the Capitals packing.

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes
Statistically, the Devils and the Hurricanes are the most evenly matched teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Where the two teams diverge, however, are behind the blue line. The Hurricanes add a decent amount of scoring from their defensemen, and they play a smart style of hockey. Meanwhile, the Devils don't have a lot of defensive firepower, but they do have the winningest goaltender in the history of the league. Martin Brodeur suffered a bit of a slump after setting the new record for wins, but he is far from done. So are the rest of the Devils, as players like Brian Rolston and Brendan Shanahan look to bring the Cup back to the place where they got their NHL starts. The Hurricanes keep it close, but get blown out of the playoffs by the Devils in seven.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers
One way to think of the match-up between two Pennsylvania teams is to picture "Beauty and the Beast". On one hand, you've got the Penguins, a team full of talent, agile skaters, and flashy plays. On the other hand, you've got the Flyers, who have been very workmanlike and physical throughout the season, both bullying and gritting their way into the playoffs. The teams have a strong rivalry already, and, after facing off in the conference finals last year, the Flyers will be looking for a little revenge. If this match-up happened later, the Flyers would have Pittsburgh's number. As it is, the legs of the Penguins are just going to be too much, as they ice the Flyers in six games.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Games Eighty-one and eighty-two

The Minnesota Wild entered the final weekend of the season needing to win both of their remaining games, and get some help. They did their part, showcasing offensives skills, creativity, and a little magic with the puck as they defeated Nashville 8-4, and Columbus 6-3. Unfortunately for the Wild, St. Louis and Anaheim didn't give the help that they were looking for, as the Blues defeated Columbus 3-1, and Anaheim took a 5-4 victory from the Dallas Stars.

Something that Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said to the team must have sunk in from Friday morning. According to reports, the Wild were told to play the game and show the fans how much they love it, which turned into some great all-around performances on the ice. As it turns out, the Wild's strong performances were also their last for Lemaire, as he announced his resignation from the team. This past weekend may also have been the final weekend in a Wild sweater for Marian Gaborik, the Wild's one guaranteed gamebreaker. Gaborik put his talent on display at the end of the season, returning from his hip surgery to put together ten goals over the last eleven games.

Game pluses:
- Complete games. The Wild struggled during points of the season to put together a complete 60 minutes. That wasn't a problem either Friday or Saturday, as the Wild played well for the entire game, didn't take a shift off, and skated to easy victories. Imagine if they had been able to do that earlier in the season, when it wasn't a do-or-die situation.
- Creativity. Another thing that the Wild had problems doing throughout much of the season was stepping away from scripted plays. Again, both Friday and Saturday night, the Wild showed some very creative thinking, which helped create the offensive onslaught.
- Special teams. The Wild had a strong penalty kill all season, and their power play was never something to scoff at. During the final games, the Wild got goals from just about every on-ice combination you can see, from 4-on-4 to shorthanded to operating with the power play.

Game minuses:
- St. Louis. The Wild needed the Blues to lose both of their games, with at least one of those happening in regulation. Unfortunately for Minnesota, St. Louis took on a Columbus team that was bound for a let-down after securing their first playoff appearance, and a Colorado team that has been stuck in reverse for much of the season.
- Anaheim. The only other team that the Wild could catch was the Anaheim Ducks, and the Ducks knocked the Wild out of contention simply by forcing overtime against the the Dallas Stars. Winning the shootout simply added the exclamation point.
- Too little, too late. The Wild finally found a way to put together a three-game winning streak, but they did it with their backs against the wall. The Wild simply gave away too many points during the season, especially during December, to really stand a chance to make the playoffs.

Next up: The Wild has a lot to do during the off-season. Can they find a way to reel in Marian Gaborik for at least one more year, and, if not, can they find a player that will provide a similar spark? Now that Lemaire has left the Wild franchise, who will the next coach be, and what type of team will they put together? And was the way that Lemaire handled his resignation an indictment of parts of Wild management? Lemaire will almost undoubtedly find himself behind a bench in another part of the league, while the Wild may find themselves dwelling in mediocrity for a few seasons. Only some tough decisions, and some very strong moves, will craft the Wild into a playoff-ready team again. They can build around Mikko Koivu and Niklas Backstrom, but they still need to find the way to bring in talent. The Wild were a team that overachieved through much of the season, especially in the standings, and a lot of that was because of their coaching. With a different face behind the bench, next season could be a painful one for the Wild faithful.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Game Eighty: Wild 3, Stars 1

Don't tell the Minnesota Wild that their season is almost over. It just might light enough of a fire under them to allow them to put together a winning streak. After shutting out the Calgary Flames, and fighting hard against the Detroit Red Wings, the Wild returned home to take on the Dallas Stars. The Stars have been something of a nemesis to the Wild for much of the franchise history, and Dallas hadn't lost to Minnesota yet this season.

But none of the recent history between the two teams mattered as the Wild were able to skate to a 3-1 victory. The boys in red started out lackluster again, but eventually found their game, and outplayed a Dallas team looking to play spoilers. After the game, the Wild was able to see that they got help from Chicago (who defeated Nashville), but not from Phoenix (who fell to St. Louis).

The only way for the Wild to make the playoffs this season is to beat Nashville on Friday and Columbus on Saturday, and hope for some aid. By winning their remaining two games, the Wild would leapfrog over Nashville, who also have a tough game against Detroit on Thursday. The Wild can still catch the Anaheim Ducks, provided that the Ducks lose in regulation to both Dallas and Phoenix. Minnesota fares better when looking to St. Louis. The Blues would need two points to eliminate the Wild from playoff contention, so, again, if Minnesota wins out, the Blues would either need to beat Columbus or Colorado, or go into overtime in both games. The odds are stacked heavily against Minnesota, but this franchise has pulled off miracles before.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild started out slowly, and, even after finding their game, they coughed up the puck a lot. Backstrom was there to give the Wild time to find the net themselves.
- Cal Clutterbuck. The Wild winger was all over the ice, adding to his NHL hits lead, and taking some good shots. He also drew the penalty at the end of the game that allowed Minnesota to breathe easy and finish on a power play.
- Marian Gaborik. Wild management needs to find a way to sign Gaborik for one season. He once again provided the offensive spark, scoring in his fifth straight game, and adding two assists.

Game minuses:
- Marek Zidlicky. A game after being victimized by Detroit, Zidlicky once again showed that he isn't responsible in his own zone, jumping up too early, or making errant passes that lead to Dallas breakouts.
- Marc-Andre Bergeron. Bergeron continued his trend of coughing the puck up behind the net, handing chances to Dallas all game long. At some point, the threat of his slapshot has to be weighed against his lack of solid defensive play.
- Kurtis Foster. The Wild's Masterson trophy nominee had a rough game against the Stars, losing the puck behind the net a couple of times. Foster has added a physical edge to his game as of late, but seemed to leave it in the locker room against Dallas.

Next up: The Wild play at home again on Friday, with a must-win game against the Nashville Predators. The Predators will be fresh off of a game against the Detroit Red Wings, and might be playing for their own playoff lives at that point.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Games Seventy-eight and seventy-nine

On Friday night, it almost looked like the Minnesota Wild was going to squeak its way into the playoffs. Playing against a banged-up Calgary Flames team, the Wild put together a fantastic effort, showing the desperation that they've needed to play with for at least the past month, and they simply shut down the Flames. Even when Calgary was given chances, Niklas Backstrom stood huge, and the Wild got points from 12 different skaters as they went on to win 4-0. It helped that they also got some assistance from the teams that they were chasing, and the Wild moved within 2 points of a playoff spot.

By the time Minnesota woke up in Detroit on Sunday, they'd slipped a point in the standings, but could still feel good being only three points back with four games remaining, one more than most of the teams they were chasing. Another strong effort, and the Wild could be sitting a meager one point back, with games upcoming against very beatable Dallas, Nashville, and Columbus. Plus, the momentum from being able to beat Calgary and Detroit would have to carry over.

Well, the Wild squandered a golden opportunity, and couldn't figure out how to get things moving against Detroit. The Red Wings had the puck for most of the game, and, if it hadn't been to some fantastic play by Backstrom, the Wild wouldn't have even had a ghost of a chance to steal a point. All those hopes came crashing down, bringing the Wild season with them, as Detroit took advantage of Eric Belanger losing an edge, and Marek Zidlicky foolishly jumping into the neutral zone. The puck ended up on the stick of Marian Hossa, and he fired into a pretty open net with 53 seconds remaining, and the Wild had to return home after losing 3-2.

With the Wild losing on all tiebreakers, the three points that they're behind in the playoff chase are really four, which means that the points needed to eliminate the Wild from contention are sitting at two. The best the Wild can do this season is 89 points, and they need to hope that none of the teams currently ahead of them do any better than 88. Given that the Wild have had trouble stringing together victories, and given that the odds are good that St. Louis, Anaheim, and Nashville all have at least one win remaining in their season, the Wild have to start planning for the off-season now, and figure out what it will take to build a consistent team for next year.

Game pluses:
- Cal Clutterbuck. The NHL hits leader became one of only three Wild players to score at least 10 goals in their rookie season, getting goals against both Calgary and Detroit.
- Marian Gaborik. Sometimes infuriating on the ice, Gaborik also proved that he's still got an amazing touch. His goal against Calgary was a perfect example of shot placement.
- Applying the pressure. The Wild scored twice in 29 seconds Friday night, which caused the Flames to briefly switch goalies. Against Detroit, the Wild just kept hanging on, causing the Wings to make some bad plays that almost paid off.

Game minuses:
- Defense. Marek Zidlicky got burned badly on Detroit's winning goal, but throughout both games, the defensemen were coughing the puck up to the other team, usually with badly placed passes. If it wasn't for Backstrom, the Wild would have been blown out of the water twice, and not even have a hope at the playoffs.
- Opportunities. The Wild had opportunities. They just didn't make the most of them. The Wild had chances to add another three goals at least against Calgary, and, against the Red Wings, Minnesota should have had the first goal of the game, along with another couple thanks to open nets. Minnesota just couldn't seem to get their sticks onto the puck.
- Shooting. This ties into the missed opportunities. Far too often, the Wild passed two or three times too many, looking for a perfect play, as opposed to throwing the puck at the net and going in to fight for it. All those passes make for highlight reel goals, but they also lead to blocked shots, missed shots, and just coughing the puck up to the other team, and this is a problem that's plagued Minnesota all season.

Next up: The Wild return home to face the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, in a game that might very well be meaningless by the time the puck drops.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Game Seventy-seven: Wild 1, Canucks 2 (OT)

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting dim for the Minnesota Wild. After doing just about everything right against the Vancouver Canucks, and getting help from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Wild still found themselves on the losing end of a close game. Henrik Sedin scored the game winner in overtime to break the Wild, and make it almost impossible for Minnesota to get a postseason berth. At the same time, the Sedin goal vaulted Vancouver into first place in the Northwest Division.

It's been said before, but if Marian Gaborik is healthy the whole season, it's Minnesota fighting with Calgary for the division crown. Gaborik is a player that changes the game singlehandedly, as he was able to prove yet again. Not only does he have the Wild's best shot, but his presence creates space for other players. Even given that, Gaborik wasn't on the ice at the beginning of overtime, which may have been an indication that Vancouver was being handed the game. This after the Wild had kept the Canucks from getting a shot on net for the entire third period. Plain and simple, though, the Wild need to win if they want to keep playing hockey this season, and they can't take any consolation from getting only one point in a game where they dominated the other team from start to finish. With games remaining against Calgary, Detroit, Dallas, Columbus, and Nashville, the road isn't going to get any easier.

Game pluses:
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette started the play that created Gaborik's goal with some good forechecking, and good puck smarts. He also was able to set up near the goal mouth and came teasingly close to scoring more than once.
- James Sheppard. Sheppard may finally be coming into his own, which will bode well for the Wild for next season. The young center really stepped up his game when Mikko Koivu went down with a knee injury, and, against the Canucks, he was all over the ice.
- Defense. Holding any team without a shot on goal for an entire period is no easy feat. The Wild made it look simple, with good positioning throughout much of the game, finally doing to Vancouver what so many other teams have done to them.

Game minuses:
- Kim Johnsson. Maybe Johnsson broke a mirror or something before the start of the season, but he hasn't been the player that the Wild have grown used to over past seasons. Both Canucks goals came off of Johnsson (the Pavol Demitra goal was bounced off of his knee, and the Sedin goal was tipped by his stick). The problem? This isn't the first time this season that Johnsson's done that.
- Special teams. While the officiating was spotty (two very big missed calls at the end of the first period), it really wouldn't have helped the Wild to get more time on the power play. With the man advantage, the Wild looked disjointed, unable to figure out how to move the puck. A sharp contrast to the way that they handled the puck when playing even strength. As for the Demitra goal? It came during a collapse while the Wild were killing off a penalty of their own.
- Jacques Lemaire. The only coach the Wild have ever had has made it clear that he's always willing to shuffle his lines, looking for the best match-ups possible, and trying to give his team the best chance to win. Given that, why was his best player on the bench during the start of the intermission, while the Wild had a 4-on-3 power play? Lemaire stood by the guys he's used all season, which is admirable, but #10 is a player who thrives on open ice.

Next up: The Wild play host to the other team trying to win the Northwest Division when the Calgary Flames come to town on Friday night. By the end of the weekend (Minnesota plays at Detroit on Sunday), the Wild will know if they can start planning vacations yet, or if they still have meaningful hockey to play.