2009-10 Game Seven: Wild 1, Canucks 2

After playing well and still getting beaten badly, nobody would have been surprised if the Wild completely collapsed, just hoping for a long trip back to St. Paul to tend to their wounds for a bit before their next game. That wasn't in the cards for Minnesota, as they played another tough game, this time against the Vancouver Canucks.

Part of the reason that the Wild didn't collapse completely is that the Canucks are in the middle of a slow start to their season, as well. It didn't help Vancouver that they had to play the game without one of the Sedin twins, and they had to face a Minnesota team scrapping for every inch they could get. When the Wild ended the first period with the lead, there was a hint of something positive happening to a team that desperately needs some good news. Unfortunately, the long road trip and too much time playing from behind took the wind out of Minnesota's sails, and the Canucks ended up overtaking an exhausted Wild team, sending them packing with a miserable 0-5 road record to start the season.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Koivu's goal may not have been intended to be a shot, but it ended up in the back of the net either way. Koivu's intensity and fire have been bright spots for the Wild this season, and he needs to keep making the steps he has.
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild wouldn't have even been in the game if it hadn't been for Backstrom. He survived almost 40 shots, and kept giving the Wild chances to get back moving forward.
- Benoit Pouliot. Pouliot may have finally found the fire that was missing in previous stints in the NHL. He continued playing in front of the net, and even helped clear some of the Canucks out of Backstrom's way.

Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard, like Pouliot, tried clearing Canucks out of the crease. Sheppard, like Pouliot, took a penalty for it. Sheppard, unlike Pouliot, chose an awful time and a foolish penalty to take. The ensuing power play gave Vancouver the game winner.
- Power play. Maybe it was exhaustion from too much time losing, but the Wild power play just couldn't get things moving.
- Energy. The Wild just didn't have any, and it caused them to forget what they were doing. By the end of the game, the Wild just didn't have enough gas to put together a legitimate threat to tie the game.

Next up: Things may get better for the Wild as they return home, and, hopefully, see the returns of Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora. The Wild are also met in St. Paul by new acquisition Chuck Kobasew, as they prepare to wear their third jerseys for the first time Wednesday night in a game against the Colorado Avalanche.