2009-10 Game Forty-Five: Wild 6, Blackhawks 5 (SO)

There's stealing a point out of a game, and then there's what the Minnesota Wild did to the Chicago Blackhawks over the weekend. After practically giving the game away, and making sure that Niklas Backstrom had no hope to hold them into it, the Wild switched goalies, and started playing hockey. The third period was dominated by Minnesota, who mounted the biggest comeback victory in the history of the franchise.

With the way that this Wild team has played this season, there was reason for the 19,000+ fans to stay in their seats. From the home opener, where Minnesota beat the Anaheim Ducks after falling behind 3-0 all through the season, the Wild have mounted comeback after comeback. They've trailed in over half of their victories. But nothing comes close to the way they fought back against the Blackhawks. Minnesota had no business coming back onto the ice for the final twenty minutes after the way that they played the first forty, and it almost became a question of how much the team cared. Suddenly, the defense that had been suspect all night stifled Chicago, and the offense that couldn't put the puck in the net fired off three goals in four shots, pulling Minnesota back within one. After the score reached 5-4, it was a question of whether enough time lasted for Minnesota to ride the momentum into a tie, and at least sneak one point out of the game. That question was answered with under two minutes remaining, thanks to a smart forecheck and an opportunistic goal, and all that remained was an eventless overtime, and an eight-round shootout, capped by Owen Nolan's top shelf goal.

Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. Harding may have saved the game for the Wild. He definitely helped them steal their two points. After Niklas Backstrom was hung out to dry all night long, Harding came in and didn't allow a single puck past him until the shootout. With Chicago's firepower, that's no easy task.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Nobody saw Latendresse coming off of the bench to score the tying goal. It even looked like he fooled his teammates with how quickly he got to the loose puck, but there's no questioning his finish in the game. With two goals, Latendresse has now scored nine times since coming to Minnesota. Looks like the fresh start was exactly what he needed.
- Mikko Koivu. His line may not be clicking, but he certainly is. Koivu deserved to be rewarded, and rewarded he was, with a goal in both regulation and during the shootout. Koivu is one of those players who always plays with his heart, and his fire helped the Wild sneak back into the game.

Game minuses:
- Marek Zidlicky. If he hadn't notched the power play goal that put the Wild within one, Zidlicky may have been forced to look for a new home. His pass to Marian Hossa gave the Blackhawks an amazing shorthanded breakaway, and it's hard to stop a player of Hossa's skill when it's just him and the goaltender.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette did not have a very good game, coughing up the puck, taking a bad penalty, and overall playing out of position.
- Defense. At least for the first two periods, the Wild defense was non-existent. On the first three Chicago goals, there was no chance for Backstrom to stop the puck, because the Wild simply watched it get passed around the ice. On the fourth, Cal Clutterbuck crashed the wrong net, and prevented Backstrom from getting a look. And, well, the fifth goal was the aforementioned breakaway for Marian Hossa. The team came together again for the third period, but they definitely didn't deserve the win for the way they played the first two periods.

Next up: The Wild hope to ride the momentum even further than their stunning victory over Chicago, as they face off against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Wild did beat the Penguins earlier this season, so they will be hoping for history to repeat itself.

2009-10 Game Forty-One: Wild 2, Kings 5

With a chance to make December 2009 the winningest month in their ten year history, the Minnesota Wild came out flat twice in a row. First, taking on an Anaheim Duck team that has been ripe for the pickings all season long. Then, after failing to get the win in Anaheim, the Wild returned home, had a day of rest, and prepared to face a Los Angeles Kings team that was in the middle of a four-game losing streak, and had to play a brutal game the night before in Calgary.

Maybe someone should have told the Wild that, because they came out with no jump, no skating ability, and they continued to have serious problems passing the puck. For a team that had started to put things together and was moving in the right direction, their last two games, with flat efforts, showed just how far the team really has to go before they can consider themselves among the NHL's elite.

Game pluses:
- Owen Nolan. One of the few Wild players to get some offensive chances, Nolan was able to convert one.
- Petr Sykora. It was good to see Sykora back on the ice, and he had some chances at the net. It's obvious that his hands aren't back yet, but he should be able to soon give the Wild a bit of help on the scoring end.
- Derek Boogaard. Oddly enough, the Wild's enforcer had some of the best looks at the net, and was one of the strongest defensive forwards all game long. Boogaard may not have his goal yet, but he's getting much closer.

Game minuses:
- Niklas Backstrom. Three goals allowed in the first period. Another very early on in the second. It was surprising that Backstrom didn't get replaced.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson was one of a few players on the ice for most of the Kings goals, but his positioning and the defensive choices he made certainly didn't help an already shaky goaltender keep the team in the game.
- Opportunity. The Wild didn't have a lot of chances, and it seemed like the refs went out of their way to keep more from piling up, but, all told, the Wild just didn't take care of the chances that they did get. From missing the net to just not taking a shot at all, Minnesota needs to find ways to make ugly hockey work for them.

Next up: The Wild have no time to rest, as former coach Jacques Lemaire brings his new squad to town. The Wild take on the New Jersey Devils Saturday night.

2009-10 Game Forty: Wild 2, Ducks 4

Coming off of a thrilling victory the night before, and facing a team that has been struggling as of late, it would seem as though the Minnesota Wild had all of the momentum going their way. Unfortunately for Minnesota, their momentum met up with some desperation from the Anaheim Ducks, and the Wild just couldn't keep pace with their opponents as they fell 4-2.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Wild/Ducks game without extra curriculars, and both of the Wild's big men found themselves in the penalty box for 10 minute stretches. Derek Boogaard got his misconduct for an extra couple of punches after the officials tried to break up his fight, and John Scott followed almost immediately, for dropping the gloves in spite of the officials stepping in right away. It also didn't help that the Wild just didn't have their legs for most of the game, and couldn't do much to slow down Bobby Ryan or the Anaheim attack. The Wild had some chances to tie the game late in the third period, but they couldn't finish with strength, and ended yet another road trip 1-1. At least this time, nothing caught on fire.

Game pluses:
- Kim Johnsson. He's up, he's down, he's praised, he's maligned. Johnsson has had a less-than-impressive season, but he may have found his game, and how he fits in the new system. For the first time in his career, Johnsson has a three-game goal scoring streak, thanks to a booming shot to bring the Wild within one.
- Josh Harding. Aside from one questionable goal, Harding was actually fairly solid in net, especially so for a guy who hadn't played in almost a month. Both of Bobby Ryan's goals were off of shots that any goalie would have problems stopping.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's captain often got the better of his older brother, and he worked hard to create some of the few chances that Minnesota had. He notched assists in both Wild goals.

Game minuses:
- Officiating. Not to sound like a broken record, but the officials gave this game to the Ducks. Possibly as retaliation of sorts for what happened during the fights during the second period, the Ducks were handed a 5-on-3 power play for almost two minutes thanks to some very weak penalties. The same types of plays had been going on all game, and often for the Ducks, and they were left uncalled. Mere moments after the first penalty expired, Bobby Ryan scored the game winning goal.
- John Scott. With the recent play of Clayton Stoner, Scott needs to prove that he belongs in the line-up. One good way not to do so is to get involved in a fight and get assessed a ten-minute misconduct penalty moments after your team was already saddled with that exact situation.
- Passing. The Ducks looked like they had magnetized their sticks, because, no matter where they stuck them, the puck was drawn to them. Not so for the Wild, who had trouble making passes all game long. It certainly didn't help that the Wild played like they hadn't slept at all since beating Los Angeles the night before.

Next up: The Wild reach the mid-point of the season before they reach the new decade, as they return home for a Thursday night match-up against the Los Angeles Kings.

2009-10 Game Thirty-Nine: Wild 4, Kings 3

The way the first two periods were going, it certainly looked like the Wild were going to coast to their first victory over Los Angeles in six tries. Then the third period started, the entire game shifted, and it started to look like Minnesota was going to come down on the wrong side of a one-goal game.

It's amazing what twelve seconds can do.

That's how long it took the Wild to turn around from tying the game to taking back the lead, and, this time, not giving it up. The Wild have played more one-goal games than anyone else in the league, and they seem to keep finding ways to win them. Even when the game started slipping away, the Wild were able to keep enough composure to put the puck back into the net, and they head into the second half of the back-to-back tonight with an impressive victory.

Game pluses:
- Eric Belanger. Just a game ago, Belanger looked like nothing more than a face-off specialist. Against the Kings, Belanger lit the lamp twice, and assisted on Martin Havlat's opening goal. Belanger scored the game winner just seconds after being on the ice for the Kings tying goal.
- Martin Havlat. Taking a great poke check from Belanger, Havlat turned up the ice and fired a quick wrist shot that blew through to the Kings net. The opening goal put a little more jump into the Wild, and helped them carry the first two periods.
- Andrew Brunette. Just watching his pass on the power play goal is mesmerizing. Brunette is starting to find the open spots, and appears to be the third Wild player to get a really good grasp of the team's offensive system.

Game minuses:
- Officiating. Once again, the officiating fell short in the game. Not only did they count a goal that should have been wiped out because of goaltender interference, but they didn't keep control, which almost certainly created a much chippier atmosphere in the final period.
- Kim Johnsson. Yes, he scored a power play goal, giving himself a two-game goal streak. He also deflected a harmless shot past his own goaltender. Again, Johnsson showed a lack of awareness for spacing on the ice, and his own positioning again came into question.
- Antti Miettinen. Maybe the guy's just snakebit, but how can one player hit so many posts and not get a shot into the net? True, he's beating the opposing goalies, but he hasn't been able to do anything more than ring the iron. Looks like he needs to work some target shooting in practice.

Next up: If the Wild played in the East, they'd be firmly entrenched in the playoff positioning, as opposed to still trying to crack the top 8, in spite of their recent success. Tonight, they try to keep things moving in the right direction when they take on the Anaheim Ducks.

2009-10 Game Five: Wild 2, Ducks 3

The Minnesota Wild is in deep trouble. And, to make matters worse, the trouble is largely the team's own doing. It's going to take a lot to get the ship righted, and, with so much of their talent sitting due to injury, the long first month could easily turn into a long season.

The Wild showed a distinct lack of hockey knowledge right away against Anaheim, giving up the puck during a line change, which allowed Corey Perry to net his first easy goal of the game. His second wasn't much more difficult, as again, as they have all season thus far, the Wild defense hung their goaltender out without help. Backstrom made some impressive saves to try to keep the Wild in the game, but there's only so much one player can do. That's why this is a team game, and the Wild haven't yet put together the pieces to really look like a team. With injuries to Cal Clutterbuck, Petr Sykora, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and now Martin Havlat, the Wild are down in skill, and desperately need to figure out some way to scrap and chip their way through games.

Plain and simple, with all of the injuries, if the Wild hopes to start reversing course, they need to stop trying to play pretty hockey. Instead of looking for the perfect pass to create a beautiful one-timer, the Wild just need to shoot the puck. When they've been able to apply offensive pressure, good things have happened. Unfortunately, too easily, they fall back on their heels, and fall into the type of play that was on showcase in previous seasons. Thanks to the way the front office ran during those previous seasons, there isn't a lot of help in Houston to be called up, either. The Wild are in trouble, and they need to find a way to fix it.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Letting Koivu loose on the forecheck can be a beautiful thing to watch. His physical play caused the puck to squirt free and into high-percentage zones more than a few times. Unfortunately, the Wild couldn't capitalize.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger's heads-up play at the end of the second period to steal the puck and complete the breakaway is an example of what could happen if the entire team starts playing with more determination.
- Andy Hilbert. The Wild call-up played with more determination and grit than his size should have allowed. If only the rest of the team could pick up on his fire.

Game minuses:
- Defense. Not only did the Wild defense leave Backstrom hanging for all three goals, but they also made dumbfounding plays to try to clear their own zone. Far too many giveaways kept the Wild pinned deep without momentum.
- Power plays. The power play should be a chance to gain momentum, and a chance to move the puck around with relative ease, looking for the clear shot. For the Wild over the last two games, the power play has been a knife in the heart. If things don't reverse course quickly, the Wild may want to see if the NHL would allow them to decline penalties against their opponents.
- Kim Johnsson. It may not seem fair to single out any of the defensemen after another bad defensive showing, but Kim Johnsson is carrying a big contract, and doesn't seem like he has any idea if he's ever seen a hockey game before, let alone play in one.

Next up: A few lucky breaks at home have kept the Wild from being winless, but they haven't put together a complete game on the road. Now they have to head into their own division for back-to-back games, as they travel to face the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

2009-10 Game Four: Wild 2, Sharks 4

The one thing that the Minnesota Wild definitely didn't need any more of was adversity, but that seems to be what they'll be continuing to get plenty of. After battling hard against the San Jose Sharks for a period and a half, the Wild suffered some crippling injuries to Petr Sykora and Cal Clutterbuck. What had been a strong start became a train wreck, as the Wild fell for the third time in four games.

If it hadn't been for the injuries, things might have ended very differently. The Wild found themselves up 2-0 on the Sharks, and they had put together a strong first period for the first time all season. They pressed on the forecheck, and applied pressure, peppering shots on goal. Unfortunately, the injuries caused coach Todd Richards to start rotating only three lines, and the tired players just couldn't keep up the assault. Quick mental lapses allowed the Sharks to tie the game, and more extended periods of exhaustion gave the game away. Proof that the Wild were physically and mentally exhausted happened right away in the third period, when the game was put out of reach.

Game pluses:
- Forecheck. The Wild were attacking and pressuring at the beginning of the game. It was only when they ran out of gas that they had to pull back. Unfortunately, at that point, it was too late.
- First period. For the first time this season, the Wild looked ready to play when the puck dropped. Being able to take a 1-0 lead into intermission had to give the players confidence that the system will work.
- Andrew Brunette. The veteran forward continues to be a bit of a surprise, leading the team with goals. A big reason why? He's able to play his game, battling behind the net and around the sides, with other players like Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat skating out near the circles.

Game minuses:
- Injuries. It may go without saying, but the injuries to Clutterbuck and Sykora may have made a long road trip even longer. The Wild need both to get healthy as quickly as possible, and, without Clutterbuck, they may have difficulty finding a spark.
- Power play. Ignore the power play goal. The Wild should have scored more on the power play, but their inability to convert helped cripple them.
- Awareness. There is simply no excuse for the quick San Jose goal at the start of the third period. One the puck drops, you have to be prepared.

Next up: The Wild look to get their trip back in the right direction as they head to Anaheim, to take on the only team they've beaten thus far.

2009-10 Game Two: Wild 4, Ducks 3 (OT)

Maybe the Minnesota Wild were too busy watching the Minnesota Twins during the first period to put together a sustained rush. Maybe they were too hyped up from watching their crosstown neighbors achieve the highly improbable for them to remember that they were playing their home opener until after they found themselves down 3-0.

Maybe all they needed was a good fight.

The Minnesota Wild entered their home opener with a record of 7-0-1, and they were hoping to extend it. They were also excited to show the hometown crowd what the new look Wild was going to be like. For two periods, it didn't look good. While part of the problem is still not having a good grasp on the system, the rest of the problem was more about not having a good grasp on hockey fundamentals. It wasn't until after the Ducks had beaten Niklas Backstrom three times that they stood up and paid attention. Not that Backstrom could have done much against any of those goals, as he was caught in a perfect storm of great shots and lousy defense.

Leave it to a player who almost didn't make the roster to change the tone, and then a player that was heralded as the new Wild savior to take control and put the pressure on. After John Scott and Martin Havlat turned the momentum, all the Wild needed to do was play the type of hockey Todd Richards has been hoping for from the first drop of the puck, and it resulted in an overtime winner for Minnesota.

Game pluses:
- John Scott. The big man stood up to another giant in the beginning of the third, getting into a fight with George Parros. Impressively, Scott knocked Parros to the ice, and the Wild took the energy from that confrontation to find their legs and change the game.
- Martin Havlat. Showcasing some of his puck handling skills, Havlat took control of the game, and notched the first assist on all three of the Wild's third period goals.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger finished the game between Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora, and brought a goal and two assists along with him. The veteran may be fighting to stay in Minnesota, and more periods like the third will only help.

Game minuses:
- Eric Belanger. The guy had a fantastic third period, but was very below average before that. Thankfully, he put it all together, but he has to start playing the right style earlier.
- Passing. Far too often, Wild passes went straight to Duck players, or worse, straight to open ice with nobody to take advantage of it. The first two periods also featured far too many passes for each shot.
- Defense. Watching the first and second period, it appeared that the Wild defense forgot who to cover, and just chased the puck instead. Again, they tightened up for the third, but the Wild aren't yet a team that can hope for too many come-from-behind victories.

Next up: The Wild leave the friendly ice of the Xcel Energy Center again, this time for two weeks as they head to their next game Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings.

2009-10 Game One: Wild 1, Blue Jackets 2

The wait finally ended Saturday night. While it may have only been a few months ago that the Pittsburgh Penguins lifted the Stanley Cup over their heads, the wait has been a long one for Wild fans. Gone was the brain trust that turned the Wild into a very successful expansion club, but then couldn't seem to get out of first gear to make them into a perennial Cup contender. Gone was the most electrifying player to wear a Wild jersey, provided that his fragile body could hold up to the rigors of a season. Gone was the only coach the Wild had ever known.

In their place, Wild fans were treated to a new front office, new coaching, and some new stars on the ice. A troubled pre-season kept the team from skating as a full unit until the tail end, but Saturday everything started anew. What would Wild fans see?

They would see that the team still has some growing pains to go through.

The Wild are a talented hockey club. They should be better this year than they were last year, and they should be much more competitive. But for that to happen, they need to learn and embrace the new system being put into place, and, when the brain starts shutting down, they need to just play hockey. Going up against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Wild showed flashes of just what type of hockey Minnesota fans can expect later in the season. Wild fans need to be patient, but the team itself needs to keep pushing. After all, tonight is the home opener, where the Wild have never lost.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild's star goaltender once again did exactly what the team expected of him. While the two goals he gave up weren't terrific goals by a long shot, Backstrom would have had to have been beyond superhuman to make the stops.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat showed some of what he can do with the puck, turning Columbus players inside out. Unfortunately, he was also part of the miscue that led to the first Columbus goal.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette played a solid game, and was able to put his 600th point of his career into the net. He worked well with Havlat and Mikko Koivu, but how long will it be before Petr Sykora and he switch lines?

Game minuses:
- Stick problems. The Wild couldn't seem to keep sticks. Cal Clutterbuck especially found himself without a stick more than once, either because he lost his own, or because he had to give his away to the defense.
- Defense. What had been the typical strong point for the Wild in years past looked confused and a shambles against Columbus. How much is due to still learning the new system remains to be seen.
- Learning curve. As mentioned above, the defense didn't look confident. The offense also wasn't completely with it. Once the new system is learned, the Wild should be a much more high-powered team. However, as long as the transition continues, fans may see more confusing plays than dazzling ones.

Next up: The Wild pit their 7-0-1 record in home openers against the Anaheim Ducks, who are coming off of a 4-1 loss. The game also marks the first time this season for Mikko Koivu to skate against his big brother, Saku, who turned down the Wild this summer.