2009-10 Game Seventy-Two: Wild 4, Flames 3

The Minnesota Wild aren't eliminated from the playoff race, but they might want to consider themselves as such. Especially if it leads to gritty performances like the one they turned in against the Calgary Flames. This is a time where the Wild can spoil other team's playoff chances, and Minnesota did just that by sending Calgary away with a regulation loss.


It's been said before. If the Wild can play a gritty, tough game and compete from start to finish, it will be entertaining to watch even a loss. If the Wild don't press, don't forecheck, and don't skate, the rest of the season could be painful. Against Calgary, both Wild teams showed up, but more of the former was there, as they cling to the slimmest of playoff hopes. They're also doing it with players who, by all rights and means, should be sitting in a recovery room to heal their injuries, but are instead gutting it out every night on the ice. Meanwhile, the game also featured two extended play-stoppages. On one, a ferocious check from Guillaume Latendresse broke the penalty box door. On the other, a fluky play lead to Calgary's Daymond Langkow taking a scary injury, with a puck striking him just below the back of his neck while his head hit the ice. It was a frightening moment, with Langkow being carted off the ice on a stretcher. Thankfully, reports are saying that Langkow hasn't lost any mobility, so hopefully he'll be able to return to the ice soon.


Game pluses:
- Chuck Kobasew. One of the Wild's "walking wounded", Kobasew scored twice, and almost got to complete his second hat-trick of the season.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Even without the monster hit, Latendresse had an impact on the game, scoring a beautiful backhander on the power play. This is a skater who has come to Minneosta and done all of the things he supposedly didn't do in Montreal; showing speed, hands, and a physicality that's hard to compete with.
- Casey Wellman. The Wild's freshest face has talent, and his forecheck helped create Kobasew's first goal. He's sometimes out of position, but that can be handled by calming his nerves and getting him more familiar with the system. Wellman has shown he can play with the big boys, so he could make a very interesting camp next season for the Wild centers.


Game minuses:
- Daymond Langkow. Obviously, no matter which team you support, you hate to see any kind of injury on the ice. That goes double when it's something as strange and as dangerous as Langkow's injury. Hopefully he won't be away from the game for too long.
- Josh Harding. While Harding wasn't awful, he wasn't stellar, either. He's obviously another of the "walking wounded", playing through his reaggravated hip injury. Still, he allowed Calgary to climb back into the game and make things interesting.
- Defense. While Harding wasn't as strong in net as he could have been, the guys right in front of him had a rough game, too. True, they tightened up at the end of the contest, but there were more than a few defensive lapses that created some of the great Flames chances.

Next up: The Wild next face the San Jose Sharks, who are fighting to secure the top spot in the conference. Given the Wild's tendency to play to their opponents ability levels, it could be a very tough game for San Jose.