At the start of the season, it would have been hard to anticipate the outcome of the Minnesota Wild's penultimate game for the 2009-10 season. The way that the Calgary Flames lit up the competition in their first ten games, very few people expected that they would skate into game 81 having been eliminated from playoff contention. After seasons of futility against their division rivals, nobody could have anticipated that the Minnesota Wild would be looking for their fifth win in the season series, having only dropped one game at home. Even looking at recent history, with the seemingly crippling number of injuries and the amount of untested players being asked to contribute, it seemed unreal to believe that the Wild could topple the Flames.
Topple them they did, though. In a hard-fought, physical game, filled with penalties for both sides, the Wild and their young guns came out the victors. A scary moment came in the third period, with the score tied at 1 and the Wild on the penalty kill, as Niklas Backstrom took a puck to his throat and had to leave the game, but Minnesota responded by continuing to shut down the Flames fizzling offense, and, in the shootout, the only player who didn't use Mikko Koivu's signature move was Koivu himself, as both Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen tallied goals to give the Wild the win.
Game pluses:
- Youth movement. A lot of credit has to go to the way that Cody Almond, Casey Wellman, Robbie Earl, and Nate Prosser played. None of these players were with the Wild to start the season. With the exception of Earl, none were with them at the trade deadline. And yet those four are showing a lot of potential, and they could all make big splashes on the NHL stage next season.
- Penalty killers. The Wild found themselves shorthanded often enough that they may have thought a new rule was inserted that only gave them four skaters on the ice. And yet the penalty kill came up huge, especially with players like Greg Zanon sacrificing themselves to stop the puck.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom has had a shaky season, and had to struggle through injuries. Against Calgary, though, he was brilliant, with the only Flames goal coming thanks to one bad rebound.
Game minuses:
- Power play. The Wild got their regulation goal on the only power play that looked like it had an idea of what to do. The rest of the time, Minnesota couldn't get set up in the offensive zone, and couldn't move the puck well.
- Communication. Passes went to the wrong places, and more than once, it looked like Wild players didn't know where their teammates were.
- Injuries. The Wild came into the game having lost 333 man-games to injury, and were missing another six players before the puck dropped. Over the course of the game, another two players went down, and at least one is guaranteed to not play in the season finale. The Wild definitely have to look at how their guys are training, to help keep them from injury. By the same token, the NHL needs to look more seriously at how some players are getting injured, and how some penalties are doled out. This is a league-wide problem, and, while the first step has been taken, at least with regards to head-shots, sometimes it's the boarding and other assorted penalties that carry larger impacts.
Next up: The Wild finish the season against the team that used to call Minnesota home, and they get to do it in front of their hometown fans. The Dallas Stars come calling on Saturday as the 2009-10 season wraps up.
Showing posts with label Brent Burns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brent Burns. Show all posts
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
2009-10 Game Seventy-Seven: Wild 0, Blackhawks 4
No late game heroics were on the table this time for the Minnesota Wild. The last time the Chicago Blackhawks were in town, the Wild pulled off their most impressive, and most unlikely, come-from-behind victory. This time around, they could barely pull off a standard pass, as Chicago just took it to the Wild all night long.
At this point in the season, the Wild talk about playing for pride, and looking towards next season. However, that shouldn't mean coming out completely flat, especially against a team currently riding a three-game losing streak. The Wild have made a habit this season out of breaking other team's losing streaks, and they've also made a bit of a habit out of playing well and hard for one game, and then coming back the next with a lackluster effort. That was incredibly apparent against Chicago, as the Wild couldn't keep the Blackhawk's fourth line from scoring. Meanwhile, Minnesota barely sniffed the net all night long, and came up empty on an extended 5-on-3 opportunity. At this point, even if the Wild were looking at playoff hockey, they couldn't be looking deep, as the team's glaring inconsistencies keep being showcased.
Game pluses:
- Brent Burns. Arguably the most talented defenseman that Minnesota hockey has seen in a long time, Burns was one of the more solid areas of the ice. His four shots also lead a team that could barely think about getting the puck on net.
- Fourth line. They may not have created a goal, but the line of Cody Almond/Casey Wellman/Derek Boogaard actually looked like they had a bit of a jump in their step, and they applied some early pressure to the Blackhawks.
- Discipline. The Wild returned to their disciplined hockey, at least with regards to the penalty box. One lone penalty was charged against Minnesota.
Game minuses:
- Antti Miettinen. Give Miettinen an open net, and he'll miss it completely. A miscue by him at the end of the first also created the first Chicago goal. Miettinen needs to find his game if he wants to continue to receive top line time, especially looking ahead at next season.
- Andrew Brunette. A minus-3 for the night, Brunette looks like a tired and banged up hockey player. When he and Mikko Koivu are both on, they can elevate the team as a whole. When they aren't, the team tends to get bogged down with them.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild captain is not free from blame for this game either, and he had a mistake that created the third Chicago goal. While he is obviously more comfortable in a playmaker role, Koivu needs to realize that he's on a line without certified goal scorers, and therefore he needs to be more willing to fire the puck on net.
Next up: The Wild continue to play out the remainder of the season, and they face another of the West's best, as the San Jose Sharks return to town.
At this point in the season, the Wild talk about playing for pride, and looking towards next season. However, that shouldn't mean coming out completely flat, especially against a team currently riding a three-game losing streak. The Wild have made a habit this season out of breaking other team's losing streaks, and they've also made a bit of a habit out of playing well and hard for one game, and then coming back the next with a lackluster effort. That was incredibly apparent against Chicago, as the Wild couldn't keep the Blackhawk's fourth line from scoring. Meanwhile, Minnesota barely sniffed the net all night long, and came up empty on an extended 5-on-3 opportunity. At this point, even if the Wild were looking at playoff hockey, they couldn't be looking deep, as the team's glaring inconsistencies keep being showcased.
Game pluses:
- Brent Burns. Arguably the most talented defenseman that Minnesota hockey has seen in a long time, Burns was one of the more solid areas of the ice. His four shots also lead a team that could barely think about getting the puck on net.
- Fourth line. They may not have created a goal, but the line of Cody Almond/Casey Wellman/Derek Boogaard actually looked like they had a bit of a jump in their step, and they applied some early pressure to the Blackhawks.
- Discipline. The Wild returned to their disciplined hockey, at least with regards to the penalty box. One lone penalty was charged against Minnesota.
Game minuses:
- Antti Miettinen. Give Miettinen an open net, and he'll miss it completely. A miscue by him at the end of the first also created the first Chicago goal. Miettinen needs to find his game if he wants to continue to receive top line time, especially looking ahead at next season.
- Andrew Brunette. A minus-3 for the night, Brunette looks like a tired and banged up hockey player. When he and Mikko Koivu are both on, they can elevate the team as a whole. When they aren't, the team tends to get bogged down with them.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild captain is not free from blame for this game either, and he had a mistake that created the third Chicago goal. While he is obviously more comfortable in a playmaker role, Koivu needs to realize that he's on a line without certified goal scorers, and therefore he needs to be more willing to fire the puck on net.
Next up: The Wild continue to play out the remainder of the season, and they face another of the West's best, as the San Jose Sharks return to town.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
2009-10 Game Seventy-Six: Wild 3, Kings 2
With their post-season fate decided, the Minnesota Wild are in a position to play spoiler to other teams in the league. They did just that against a Los Angeles Kings team that is still in playoff positioning, but falling quickly. Even with the odds stacked heavily in the favor of the visiting team, the Wild just kept bearing down and they ended up pulling out something of a nail-biter.
It didn't have to be as close as it was. The Wild had a 2-0 lead, but they coughed it up to Los Angeles, who just kept driving. Minnesota also didn't help their case as the spent too much time marching to the penalty box, thereby shortening their bench and making it tougher than it needed to be. However, the defining moment of the game had to be the full two-minute 5-on-3 power play that the Kings had, as the Wild were bottled up in their own zone, unable to even get a line change, but they still stifled every chance that Los Angeles had. Shortly after that turn of events, the Wild got a power play of their own, and they converted it into the game winner.
Game pluses:
- Greg Zanon. Already playing on a broken ankle, Greg Zanon just continues to work, and he blocked another 6 shots against the Kings, including one to a tender area. He was one of the big reasons why the Wild didn't give up a goal during either of their extended 3-on-5 stints.
- Brent Burns. Sometimes, Burns tries too hard to make things happen. Other times, he just lets the game develop around him, and his goal to put the Wild up by two is a prime example of the second. When Burns is feeling the game, amazing things seem to come naturally.
- Niklas Backstrom. It would be tough to find too much at fault with Backstrom's game. He also stepped up at the exact right moment, being the team's best penalty killer.
Game minuses:
- Discipline. The Wild should be used to the fact that calls aren't going to go their way by now. That also means that they should take extra effort to not get themselves into positions where a questionable penalty could be called. Both 5-on-3 power plays could have been avoided if the Wild had been more conscious of their own play.
- Casey Wellman. Eventually, the kid had to have a rough outing, and that game came against the Kings. Wellman is also the type of player who should do better with more ice time, and the dynamic of the game lead him to sitting on the bench quite a bit.
- Marek Zidlicky. Yes, he was questionable before the game. Yes, he gritted it out and played anyways, showing some skill. But he was also one of the more undisciplined Wild players, and he was in the penalty box during both of the 2-man power plays that the Kings secured.
Next up: The Wild will face a team that is fast, powerful, and looking to take home-ice advantage. It's also a team that let Minnesota crawl back and steal a victory after leading them by four goals, as the Wild look to take down the Chicago Blackhawks.
It didn't have to be as close as it was. The Wild had a 2-0 lead, but they coughed it up to Los Angeles, who just kept driving. Minnesota also didn't help their case as the spent too much time marching to the penalty box, thereby shortening their bench and making it tougher than it needed to be. However, the defining moment of the game had to be the full two-minute 5-on-3 power play that the Kings had, as the Wild were bottled up in their own zone, unable to even get a line change, but they still stifled every chance that Los Angeles had. Shortly after that turn of events, the Wild got a power play of their own, and they converted it into the game winner.
Game pluses:
- Greg Zanon. Already playing on a broken ankle, Greg Zanon just continues to work, and he blocked another 6 shots against the Kings, including one to a tender area. He was one of the big reasons why the Wild didn't give up a goal during either of their extended 3-on-5 stints.
- Brent Burns. Sometimes, Burns tries too hard to make things happen. Other times, he just lets the game develop around him, and his goal to put the Wild up by two is a prime example of the second. When Burns is feeling the game, amazing things seem to come naturally.
- Niklas Backstrom. It would be tough to find too much at fault with Backstrom's game. He also stepped up at the exact right moment, being the team's best penalty killer.
Game minuses:
- Discipline. The Wild should be used to the fact that calls aren't going to go their way by now. That also means that they should take extra effort to not get themselves into positions where a questionable penalty could be called. Both 5-on-3 power plays could have been avoided if the Wild had been more conscious of their own play.
- Casey Wellman. Eventually, the kid had to have a rough outing, and that game came against the Kings. Wellman is also the type of player who should do better with more ice time, and the dynamic of the game lead him to sitting on the bench quite a bit.
- Marek Zidlicky. Yes, he was questionable before the game. Yes, he gritted it out and played anyways, showing some skill. But he was also one of the more undisciplined Wild players, and he was in the penalty box during both of the 2-man power plays that the Kings secured.
Next up: The Wild will face a team that is fast, powerful, and looking to take home-ice advantage. It's also a team that let Minnesota crawl back and steal a victory after leading them by four goals, as the Wild look to take down the Chicago Blackhawks.
Friday, March 26, 2010
2009-10 Game Seventy-Four: Wild 4, Flyers 3 (OT)
Which was going to happen? Was Minnesota going to continue their good play against the Eastern Conference, or were they going to fall apart on the road? Would the Wild halt yet another opponent's losing streak, or would they battle hard and play the role of spoiler for a team desperate for playoff positioning? The way things looked at the start of the game, it certainly seemed like Philadelphia had the Wild's number. But, once the final horn sounded, the Wild were the ones skating away with two points.
The first five minutes were awful for Minnesota, as they squandered the few good chances that they had, and gave up two quick goals. But after that, the team seemed to calm down and remember what they had come to the rink to do. Even after Philadelphia made it 3-1, the Wild kept crawling back, and the final period and overtime showed exactly why the Flyers are desperate for good goaltending. The game-winning goal wasn't a great shot by any means, but it was knocked into the net by the Flyers themselves, after it was mishandled badly.
Game pluses:
- Casey Wellman. When the Wild looked down and out, one of the players who seemed guaranteed to push into the offensive zone and create chances was Wellman. If he can keep skating like this, his first NHL goal shouldn't be too far away.
- Kyle Brodziak. Brodziak was almost taken out of the game thanks to a high blind-side hit. Instead, he finished strongly, and showed why throwing the puck at the net will result in good things, as he scored the game winner.
- John Scott. The big defenseman had his goal taken away from him, because Andrew Brunette may have tipped the puck out front. Still, Scott was a strong defensive presence, and he definitely created the tying goal. He also was quick to jump to the defense of his team, even if Casey Wellman got there quicker.
Game minuses:
- Andrew Ebbett. The Wild center was skating with the top line, and he was victimized on the two first-period Flyer goals. While he also had a great breakaway chance while shorthanded, he couldn't pull the trigger, with the puck sliding harmlessly to the back wall instead. That goal would have made it 1-0 Minnesota, and instead, a short time later, it was 2-0 Philadelphia.
- Brent Burns. The Wild defenseman is definitely feeling more of his game, but, unfortunately, that game has recently looked unfocused and undisciplined. Burns seems like he's trying to do everything on his own, and he isn't using his vision as well as he could. Forcing the puck up-ice leads to turnovers, and Burns has given up more than his share of pucks recently.
- Niklas Backstrom. Not to take anything away from the way he buckled down and kept the Wild in the game, but the goals given up were not great goals by any means. Backstrom has not shown himself as a lights-out goaltender this season, unlike last season. It may be the difference in the system, but, all told, he still has to find ways to stop the puck, and he hasn't been as strong at that this year.
Next up: The Wild will try and keep their meager playoff hopes alive tonight when they head to Detroit to take on the current 8th place team in the conference, the Red Wings.
The first five minutes were awful for Minnesota, as they squandered the few good chances that they had, and gave up two quick goals. But after that, the team seemed to calm down and remember what they had come to the rink to do. Even after Philadelphia made it 3-1, the Wild kept crawling back, and the final period and overtime showed exactly why the Flyers are desperate for good goaltending. The game-winning goal wasn't a great shot by any means, but it was knocked into the net by the Flyers themselves, after it was mishandled badly.
Game pluses:
- Casey Wellman. When the Wild looked down and out, one of the players who seemed guaranteed to push into the offensive zone and create chances was Wellman. If he can keep skating like this, his first NHL goal shouldn't be too far away.
- Kyle Brodziak. Brodziak was almost taken out of the game thanks to a high blind-side hit. Instead, he finished strongly, and showed why throwing the puck at the net will result in good things, as he scored the game winner.
- John Scott. The big defenseman had his goal taken away from him, because Andrew Brunette may have tipped the puck out front. Still, Scott was a strong defensive presence, and he definitely created the tying goal. He also was quick to jump to the defense of his team, even if Casey Wellman got there quicker.
Game minuses:
- Andrew Ebbett. The Wild center was skating with the top line, and he was victimized on the two first-period Flyer goals. While he also had a great breakaway chance while shorthanded, he couldn't pull the trigger, with the puck sliding harmlessly to the back wall instead. That goal would have made it 1-0 Minnesota, and instead, a short time later, it was 2-0 Philadelphia.
- Brent Burns. The Wild defenseman is definitely feeling more of his game, but, unfortunately, that game has recently looked unfocused and undisciplined. Burns seems like he's trying to do everything on his own, and he isn't using his vision as well as he could. Forcing the puck up-ice leads to turnovers, and Burns has given up more than his share of pucks recently.
- Niklas Backstrom. Not to take anything away from the way he buckled down and kept the Wild in the game, but the goals given up were not great goals by any means. Backstrom has not shown himself as a lights-out goaltender this season, unlike last season. It may be the difference in the system, but, all told, he still has to find ways to stop the puck, and he hasn't been as strong at that this year.
Next up: The Wild will try and keep their meager playoff hopes alive tonight when they head to Detroit to take on the current 8th place team in the conference, the Red Wings.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
2009-10 Game Seventy-Three: Wild 1, Sharks 4
One area where the Minnesota Wild have shown remarkable consistency this up-and-down season is the ability to break other team's losing streaks. Unfortunately, the San Jose Sharks came into town having fallen not only out of the top spot in the conference, but the top spot in their division, and had given up 27 goals in the previous 6 games. The Wild were also facing possible despondency over struggling hard to make up for an awful start to the season, and were still seeing themselves losing ground in the playoff race.
Those elements combined for a big Sharks win, in a game where the Wild just couldn't get things clicking. Minnesota got banged around the ice, and after a few questionable penalties, they seemed to back off somewhat on their own physical play. Meanwhile, the Sharks also broke up their top line, spreading those players out and presenting a defensive challenge to the Wild. Quick, well-placed shots for San Jose were countered with sloppy passes and poor scoring chances, and the end result was determined seemingly from the first face-off.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. The only Wild player to score, and he did it on the power play. Latendresse made some good plays through the night, and created trouble in the San Jose zone.
- Casey Wellman. Wellman looked good playing against the team he grew up cheering for. He used his speed well, and looks to be calming down somewhat on the ice.
- Greg Zanon. Broken ankle or no, Zanon still comes to play, and he showed why he's leading the team in blocked shots, sacrificing his body more than a few times.
Game minuses:
- Brent Burns. Yes, Burns was one of the players who had energy, and seemed to be around the puck a lot. That's part of the problem. Burns was unfocused, and definitely tried to do too much himself. It showed, as he was on the ice for all four San Jose goals.
- Niklas Backstrom. San Jose's first shot ends up in the back of the net. They also got the benefit of a fairly weak goal to keep the game out of reach. Backstrom is the Wild's starting goaltender, but he needs to rediscover the play of the last few seasons.
- Drive. The Wild just didn't look like they had much of a desire to even be at the Xcel, let alone playing against one of the top teams in the league. Everything was out of sync, and now they've got to go on the road. Maybe it's time to shift things around a bit, and see what happens. After all, what's the harm in bumping Latendresse to the first power play line, and giving Wellman a shot?
Next up: The Wild skate to Philadelphia to take on a banged-up Flyers team.
Those elements combined for a big Sharks win, in a game where the Wild just couldn't get things clicking. Minnesota got banged around the ice, and after a few questionable penalties, they seemed to back off somewhat on their own physical play. Meanwhile, the Sharks also broke up their top line, spreading those players out and presenting a defensive challenge to the Wild. Quick, well-placed shots for San Jose were countered with sloppy passes and poor scoring chances, and the end result was determined seemingly from the first face-off.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. The only Wild player to score, and he did it on the power play. Latendresse made some good plays through the night, and created trouble in the San Jose zone.
- Casey Wellman. Wellman looked good playing against the team he grew up cheering for. He used his speed well, and looks to be calming down somewhat on the ice.
- Greg Zanon. Broken ankle or no, Zanon still comes to play, and he showed why he's leading the team in blocked shots, sacrificing his body more than a few times.
Game minuses:
- Brent Burns. Yes, Burns was one of the players who had energy, and seemed to be around the puck a lot. That's part of the problem. Burns was unfocused, and definitely tried to do too much himself. It showed, as he was on the ice for all four San Jose goals.
- Niklas Backstrom. San Jose's first shot ends up in the back of the net. They also got the benefit of a fairly weak goal to keep the game out of reach. Backstrom is the Wild's starting goaltender, but he needs to rediscover the play of the last few seasons.
- Drive. The Wild just didn't look like they had much of a desire to even be at the Xcel, let alone playing against one of the top teams in the league. Everything was out of sync, and now they've got to go on the road. Maybe it's time to shift things around a bit, and see what happens. After all, what's the harm in bumping Latendresse to the first power play line, and giving Wellman a shot?
Next up: The Wild skate to Philadelphia to take on a banged-up Flyers team.
Monday, March 8, 2010
2009-10 Game Sixty-Four: Wild 2, Flames 5
How do you mark your 400th consecutive sell-out? If you're a fan of the Minnesota Wild, you had to be hoping that they'd mark it with a win, continuing their season of dominance over the Calgary Flames, and keeping themselves in the running to surprise everyone with a playoff berth.
Reality can be a tough pill to swallow, as none of those things happened.
The Wild found itself chasing almost from the start of the game, and leave it to Wild-killer Jerome Iginla to step up after not scoring in ten games against Minnesota. While the Wild might still have an outside shot at the playoffs, they certainly aren't making it any easier on themselves, and time is definitely running short. Coming out of the Olympics, Minnesota looked poised to make a push, and possibly even put a scare into some of the top teams. However, after easily handling Calgary while visiting Canada, the Wild fell to a lackluster performance against Edmonton, and just couldn't overcome an early hole from the Flames.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. How good does Latendresse look? He was one of the Wild players buzzing the net all game long, and he was rewarded with scoring the only two goals the Wild saw.
- Martin Havlat. If it hadn't been for Havlat's pass on Latendresse's first goal, the Wild might not have scored all game.
- Brent Burns. Ignore the delay of game penalty. Burns ultimately played a strong game, and had a beautiful feed to Latendresse for the Wild's second goal.
Game minuses:
- Coming to play. Yes, the Wild found themselves down a mere 20 seconds into the game, thanks to a puck deflecting off a skate (and it may have been kicked in), but they didn't really recover until the second period. For a team that needs to string together wins, they haven't come ready to play the last two games.
- Cal Clutterbuck. The Wild's hit leader and energy guy went down in the first period to injury and didn't return. The Wild need him healthy if they're going to put together much of anything in the final eighteen games.
- Officiating. Not to harp on this one again, but the officiating in Wild games has been awful this season, and, since the Olympic break, it almost seems as though it's gotten worse. This time, the whistles were used, but for some questionable calls that made earlier non-calls stand out even more. The most glaring example? The goaltender interference call against Mikko Koivu, when a similar play had happened earlier at the other end of the ice.
Next up: The Wild need to get moving if they want to hold hope of playing in the NHL's second season. Maybe playing against the Florida Panthers will be the balm the team needs.
Reality can be a tough pill to swallow, as none of those things happened.
The Wild found itself chasing almost from the start of the game, and leave it to Wild-killer Jerome Iginla to step up after not scoring in ten games against Minnesota. While the Wild might still have an outside shot at the playoffs, they certainly aren't making it any easier on themselves, and time is definitely running short. Coming out of the Olympics, Minnesota looked poised to make a push, and possibly even put a scare into some of the top teams. However, after easily handling Calgary while visiting Canada, the Wild fell to a lackluster performance against Edmonton, and just couldn't overcome an early hole from the Flames.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. How good does Latendresse look? He was one of the Wild players buzzing the net all game long, and he was rewarded with scoring the only two goals the Wild saw.
- Martin Havlat. If it hadn't been for Havlat's pass on Latendresse's first goal, the Wild might not have scored all game.
- Brent Burns. Ignore the delay of game penalty. Burns ultimately played a strong game, and had a beautiful feed to Latendresse for the Wild's second goal.
Game minuses:
- Coming to play. Yes, the Wild found themselves down a mere 20 seconds into the game, thanks to a puck deflecting off a skate (and it may have been kicked in), but they didn't really recover until the second period. For a team that needs to string together wins, they haven't come ready to play the last two games.
- Cal Clutterbuck. The Wild's hit leader and energy guy went down in the first period to injury and didn't return. The Wild need him healthy if they're going to put together much of anything in the final eighteen games.
- Officiating. Not to harp on this one again, but the officiating in Wild games has been awful this season, and, since the Olympic break, it almost seems as though it's gotten worse. This time, the whistles were used, but for some questionable calls that made earlier non-calls stand out even more. The most glaring example? The goaltender interference call against Mikko Koivu, when a similar play had happened earlier at the other end of the ice.
Next up: The Wild need to get moving if they want to hold hope of playing in the NHL's second season. Maybe playing against the Florida Panthers will be the balm the team needs.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
2009-10 Game Fifty-Six: Wild 2, Stars 4
The Minnesota Wild have to be happy that, unless some weird twist of fate happens, they don't have to return to Dallas until the 2010-2011 season. They continued their futility in Texas, falling yet again to the Dallas Stars. The difference in this game is that, unlike most times Minnesota has visited there, the Wild actually outplayed the Stars, and they did so all game. However, as has been habit when playing against Dallas, the Wild just couldn't finish their chances, and ended up turning an average goaltender into an All Star.
The Wild dominated in every way but two. The Stars were the more physical team, thanks largely to Steve Ott continuing to be able to run around and cause whatever havoc he wants on the ice, and the Wild peppered 40+ shots on net, but most of them were completely harmless. To make matters worse, when the Wild tried to crawl back into the game, they didn't do so until they were already down by two, and immediately after pulling to within one goal, they surrendered a huge goal each time, taking whatever wind they might have assembled completely out of their sails.
Time is starting to run short for Minnesota with regards to the playoff chase, as well. They're only a few points back, but there is a huge jam of teams in the Western Conference, and, while the Wild need the teams ahead of them to lose, that will often result in a different team ahead of them winning. The conservative estimate to make it into the playoffs in the West is with 94 points, which the Wild could achieve, but they need to find a way to string together wins, and to string them together on the road. With the sudden question as to the status of their goaltending, thanks to injuries and illnesses, the obstacles in front of Minnesota loom even larger, and they might find themselves selling at the trade deadline, whether they want to or not.
Game pluses:
- Brent Burns. Burns is starting to look more and more like himself, and that can only bode well for the Wild in the future. However, as he's been stepping up, other defensemen have been falling apart.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Latendresse was buzzing the net and creating chances. His tip of the Brent Burns shot on the power play gave the Wild some much-needed life... too bad it only lasted for thirty seconds.
- Andrew Brunette. The Wild winger kept his positioning well much of the game, and was rewarded with a big goal.
Game minuses:
- Wade Dubielewicz. It may not have been kind for Dubielewicz to play his first game in a Wild sweater in an arena where the Wild haven't won in seven years, but he certainly didn't help himself, surrendering four goals on 18 shots.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson made some very bad decisions with the puck, and didn't pursue the physical side of the game at all. For someone getting paid as much as he is, he needs to show more life on the ice if he wants to get anything approaching a similar contract.
- Letting up. The Wild outplayed Dallas, but couldn't seem to figure out how to score. They got a power play late in the second period, notched a goal, and had the momentum. Then the Stars roared back, scored a quick goal, and set up a two-goal lead again. The same thing happened late in the third, and the Wild need to figure out how to keep applying the pressure after scoring, instead of coasting on that first shift, as they so often have.
Next up: The Wild return home, which should help stop their slide, but they do so with some question marks in the net. They face the Edmonton Oilers next.
The Wild dominated in every way but two. The Stars were the more physical team, thanks largely to Steve Ott continuing to be able to run around and cause whatever havoc he wants on the ice, and the Wild peppered 40+ shots on net, but most of them were completely harmless. To make matters worse, when the Wild tried to crawl back into the game, they didn't do so until they were already down by two, and immediately after pulling to within one goal, they surrendered a huge goal each time, taking whatever wind they might have assembled completely out of their sails.
Time is starting to run short for Minnesota with regards to the playoff chase, as well. They're only a few points back, but there is a huge jam of teams in the Western Conference, and, while the Wild need the teams ahead of them to lose, that will often result in a different team ahead of them winning. The conservative estimate to make it into the playoffs in the West is with 94 points, which the Wild could achieve, but they need to find a way to string together wins, and to string them together on the road. With the sudden question as to the status of their goaltending, thanks to injuries and illnesses, the obstacles in front of Minnesota loom even larger, and they might find themselves selling at the trade deadline, whether they want to or not.
Game pluses:
- Brent Burns. Burns is starting to look more and more like himself, and that can only bode well for the Wild in the future. However, as he's been stepping up, other defensemen have been falling apart.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Latendresse was buzzing the net and creating chances. His tip of the Brent Burns shot on the power play gave the Wild some much-needed life... too bad it only lasted for thirty seconds.
- Andrew Brunette. The Wild winger kept his positioning well much of the game, and was rewarded with a big goal.
Game minuses:
- Wade Dubielewicz. It may not have been kind for Dubielewicz to play his first game in a Wild sweater in an arena where the Wild haven't won in seven years, but he certainly didn't help himself, surrendering four goals on 18 shots.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson made some very bad decisions with the puck, and didn't pursue the physical side of the game at all. For someone getting paid as much as he is, he needs to show more life on the ice if he wants to get anything approaching a similar contract.
- Letting up. The Wild outplayed Dallas, but couldn't seem to figure out how to score. They got a power play late in the second period, notched a goal, and had the momentum. Then the Stars roared back, scored a quick goal, and set up a two-goal lead again. The same thing happened late in the third, and the Wild need to figure out how to keep applying the pressure after scoring, instead of coasting on that first shift, as they so often have.
Next up: The Wild return home, which should help stop their slide, but they do so with some question marks in the net. They face the Edmonton Oilers next.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
2009-10 Game Fifty-Three: Wild 5, Red Wings 2
The Minnesota Wild are definitely starting to enjoy their time at home, compiling an impressive record inside the Xcel Energy Center as of late. If they can find a way to keep that roll going while on the road, they could find themselves in playoff positioning. They certainly helped their cause, beating one of the teams ahead of them in the standings with a very sound victory.
Of course, the way that the Wild and the Red Wings started the game, the potential victor wasn't obvious. The teams put together a 5-goal first period, with the Wild taking the advantage 3-2 before entering the second, where neither team amassed much in the way of offense. In the third period, the Wild took control, scoring on each of their first two shots of the period, and then they staved off a Detroit team that got some late opportunities, and also took some liberties with some chippy, and potentially dirty, hockey.
Meanwhile, there must have been something about Detroit coming to town that helped the Wild make their minds up regarding Petr Sykora. Just before last week's game, the Wild placed Sykora on waivers, setting the stage for his eventual exit. Before last night's game, the Wild made the move to cut ties completely, assigning Sykora to Houston, knowing full well that he wasn't going to report, and now, pending approval from the NHL, Sykora and the Wild will part ways. He will become an unrestricted free agent, and the Wild will be free of his salary for the remainder of the season.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Koivu may not have scored any goals himself, but he was a force in the offensive zone, feeding players and punishing the Red Wings with a strong forecheck.
- Antti Miettinen. Miettinen was the recipient of some great passes, and he delivered with two goals. He also had a few chances at completing the hat trick after the Wild took control.
- Josh Harding. Harding gave up two goals in the first period, but one was off of an incredible deflection.
Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard looks completely out of sync with his linemates, and he almost negated a Wild power play by retaliating. Much like Benoit Pouliot earlier in the season, it is looking more and more like Sheppard needs new scenery to find out if he truly is the player that he was hyped as being.
- Brent Burns. The Wild defenseman is still getting his skating legs under him, but he also seems to be trying too hard to make plays when there's nothing there. Burns has always been a risk/reward type of player, but he needs to simplify his game right now.
- Size. A lot of NHL teams seem to have difficulty matching Detroit in the size department, but the Wild, with both Derek Boogaard and John Scott scratched, looked even smaller than usual. The Wild have never been short on grit, but if they make the playoffs, they might need to rely on size more. It was even more surprising to see the Wild heavyweights out of the line-up with some of the players skating for Detroit.
Next up: The Wild head to Colorado to begin a three-game road trip against the Avalanche.
Of course, the way that the Wild and the Red Wings started the game, the potential victor wasn't obvious. The teams put together a 5-goal first period, with the Wild taking the advantage 3-2 before entering the second, where neither team amassed much in the way of offense. In the third period, the Wild took control, scoring on each of their first two shots of the period, and then they staved off a Detroit team that got some late opportunities, and also took some liberties with some chippy, and potentially dirty, hockey.
Meanwhile, there must have been something about Detroit coming to town that helped the Wild make their minds up regarding Petr Sykora. Just before last week's game, the Wild placed Sykora on waivers, setting the stage for his eventual exit. Before last night's game, the Wild made the move to cut ties completely, assigning Sykora to Houston, knowing full well that he wasn't going to report, and now, pending approval from the NHL, Sykora and the Wild will part ways. He will become an unrestricted free agent, and the Wild will be free of his salary for the remainder of the season.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Koivu may not have scored any goals himself, but he was a force in the offensive zone, feeding players and punishing the Red Wings with a strong forecheck.
- Antti Miettinen. Miettinen was the recipient of some great passes, and he delivered with two goals. He also had a few chances at completing the hat trick after the Wild took control.
- Josh Harding. Harding gave up two goals in the first period, but one was off of an incredible deflection.
Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard looks completely out of sync with his linemates, and he almost negated a Wild power play by retaliating. Much like Benoit Pouliot earlier in the season, it is looking more and more like Sheppard needs new scenery to find out if he truly is the player that he was hyped as being.
- Brent Burns. The Wild defenseman is still getting his skating legs under him, but he also seems to be trying too hard to make plays when there's nothing there. Burns has always been a risk/reward type of player, but he needs to simplify his game right now.
- Size. A lot of NHL teams seem to have difficulty matching Detroit in the size department, but the Wild, with both Derek Boogaard and John Scott scratched, looked even smaller than usual. The Wild have never been short on grit, but if they make the playoffs, they might need to rely on size more. It was even more surprising to see the Wild heavyweights out of the line-up with some of the players skating for Detroit.
Next up: The Wild head to Colorado to begin a three-game road trip against the Avalanche.
Friday, January 22, 2010
2009-10 Game Fifty-One: Wild 3, Red Wings 4 (SO)
For it being the first game against the Detroit Red Wings this season, everything looked a little too familiar for the Minnesota Wild. They started out with a completely lackluster first period, followed by slowly turning on their game in the second. They waited to really start playing the game until the third, when they were down by a couple of goals. They closed the gap, but ultimately couldn't secure the two points. This time they took it to a shootout, but the Wild just couldn't stop a Red Wings team that has had it's own struggles this season.
And how about how the Wild goals were scored. Two of their goals were reviewed, due to the strange way that the puck entered the net. The goals ultimately counted, but only one of the Wild's goals was a skilled play. The other two were the benefit of hard work and crashing the net, something that the Wild need to do more frequently if they want to have much hope of trying to sneak into playoff positioning this season.
Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. He got his first start at home in over a year, but it was unfortunately short-lived, as an injury forced him out early. Still, when the Wild couldn't get things going, Harding did everything in his power to keep them in, and made some brilliant stops along the way.
- Andrew Brunette. The goal that tied the game was a beauty of a shot, and a fantastic play. Watching Brunette snag the puck out of the air, drop it to himself, and fire it into the net was magic.
- Brent Burns. While Detroit's second goal may rest squarely on the shoulders of Brent Burns, he was just coming back from a long-term injury, and ultimately played fairly well. He definitely provided a bit of a spark for a suffering Wild team.
Game minuses:
- Passing. The Wild couldn't make passes all night long. It seemed like half of the time that they had the puck, they moved it right off of their own stick, and straight to a Detroit stick. The number of Detroit breakaways was simply ridiculous.
- Slow start. Again, the Wild managed fewer than five shots in the first period. Coaches talk about playing 60 minutes of hockey, but that's often to keep teams from letting up at the end of the game. Minnesota is having struggles figuring out how to get their heads in the hockey mindset right from the initial face-off.
- Dump and chase. The Wild of previous seasons were a team that dumped the puck into the offensive zone, and then hoped to get it away from the defensive team. This year's Wild is supposed to be a team that controls the puck and attacks the zone with speed. Against the Red Wings, everything reverted to the dump and chase, and the Wild had to play catch-up all night long.
Next up: Maybe the atmosphere of Hockey Day in Minnesota will help the Wild out, as they cap the day's festivities with a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
And how about how the Wild goals were scored. Two of their goals were reviewed, due to the strange way that the puck entered the net. The goals ultimately counted, but only one of the Wild's goals was a skilled play. The other two were the benefit of hard work and crashing the net, something that the Wild need to do more frequently if they want to have much hope of trying to sneak into playoff positioning this season.
Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. He got his first start at home in over a year, but it was unfortunately short-lived, as an injury forced him out early. Still, when the Wild couldn't get things going, Harding did everything in his power to keep them in, and made some brilliant stops along the way.
- Andrew Brunette. The goal that tied the game was a beauty of a shot, and a fantastic play. Watching Brunette snag the puck out of the air, drop it to himself, and fire it into the net was magic.
- Brent Burns. While Detroit's second goal may rest squarely on the shoulders of Brent Burns, he was just coming back from a long-term injury, and ultimately played fairly well. He definitely provided a bit of a spark for a suffering Wild team.
Game minuses:
- Passing. The Wild couldn't make passes all night long. It seemed like half of the time that they had the puck, they moved it right off of their own stick, and straight to a Detroit stick. The number of Detroit breakaways was simply ridiculous.
- Slow start. Again, the Wild managed fewer than five shots in the first period. Coaches talk about playing 60 minutes of hockey, but that's often to keep teams from letting up at the end of the game. Minnesota is having struggles figuring out how to get their heads in the hockey mindset right from the initial face-off.
- Dump and chase. The Wild of previous seasons were a team that dumped the puck into the offensive zone, and then hoped to get it away from the defensive team. This year's Wild is supposed to be a team that controls the puck and attacks the zone with speed. Against the Red Wings, everything reverted to the dump and chase, and the Wild had to play catch-up all night long.
Next up: Maybe the atmosphere of Hockey Day in Minnesota will help the Wild out, as they cap the day's festivities with a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Sykora Experiment cancelled
The Minnesota Wild pulled a trigger yesterday that may have surprised quite a few hockey fans, but shouldn't have come as quite as much of a shock as it did. To help clear up some space for returning defenseman Brent Burns, the Wild had to put a player on waivers. They placed two there, electing to put Robbie Earl up for grabs, along with Petr Sykora. Both players cleared, which force the Wild to make some decisions.
With Earl, it's very little shock, as he's played well, but still hasn't made a huge impact on the team. He was probably the safest player to throw onto waivers at this point, with the expectation that he would most likely clear, and then be available to be returned to Houston to continue developing. He'll probably stay up for another few days, but, if the Wild keeps getting healthy, there's a good chance he'll be Texas-bound before too long.
The Sykora issue is more interesting, and, in many ways, the Wild had a large hand in how little he ended up meshing with the team. At the start of the season, his play was mismanaged, and while the entire club was trying to figure out what they were supposed to do on the ice, Sykora and Martin Havlat were sometimes looked at the most intensely, and both players found themselves on limited ice time during that initial start. The biggest difference between where Havlat and Sykora are now? The Wild made a move to bring in Guillaume Latendresse, which gave Havlat someone to play catch with. Sykora, on the other hand, suffered a concussion, and was limited in his ice time returning, never really developing a groove and never truly gaining the confidence of his coach.
Here's the thing. To be effective, Sykora needs to be a top six forward. When he didn't click with Havlat at the start of the season, he should have been rotated with the remaining top forwards at that time. Odds are, he would have fit well with one of them, and the suspicion is that a line featuring Sykora, Mikko Koivu, and Andrew Brunette could have been deadly if given the chance to mesh. The concussion came at the worst possible time for the Wild to determine if he would fit anywhere, and, when he finally did return, he was buried on a line with Andrew Ebbett and Derek Boogaard, which is honestly no place for a goal scorer of his caliber to be.
Now the Wild has to make a decision. When Sykora first signed with the Wild, there was a stipulation in place that would allow him to head to a Russian-league team, but there are currently no teams there looking to bring him on board. He could be assigned to Houston, but the odds are that he wouldn't report, which certainly wouldn't help anyone. The Wild could try and throw him on re-entry waivers, and see if a team wants to bite at half of his salary cap hit, instead of his full hit. Or Minnesota could feverishly work the phones, find an amicable trade, and wish Sykora well on his way to a new NHL team. For all involved, that would seem to be the best option, and with the trade deadline fast approaching, and the Olympic freeze coming even sooner, the Wild have less time than they might like to make something happen.
Depending on what the Wild does try and work for a trade might also be an indication of which way the team feels that they're heading, with regards to the playoffs. By the same token, Sykora is the type of player who can make an impact on almost any team in the league. It's just too bad that he was never able to do so with the Minnesota Wild.
With Earl, it's very little shock, as he's played well, but still hasn't made a huge impact on the team. He was probably the safest player to throw onto waivers at this point, with the expectation that he would most likely clear, and then be available to be returned to Houston to continue developing. He'll probably stay up for another few days, but, if the Wild keeps getting healthy, there's a good chance he'll be Texas-bound before too long.
The Sykora issue is more interesting, and, in many ways, the Wild had a large hand in how little he ended up meshing with the team. At the start of the season, his play was mismanaged, and while the entire club was trying to figure out what they were supposed to do on the ice, Sykora and Martin Havlat were sometimes looked at the most intensely, and both players found themselves on limited ice time during that initial start. The biggest difference between where Havlat and Sykora are now? The Wild made a move to bring in Guillaume Latendresse, which gave Havlat someone to play catch with. Sykora, on the other hand, suffered a concussion, and was limited in his ice time returning, never really developing a groove and never truly gaining the confidence of his coach.
Here's the thing. To be effective, Sykora needs to be a top six forward. When he didn't click with Havlat at the start of the season, he should have been rotated with the remaining top forwards at that time. Odds are, he would have fit well with one of them, and the suspicion is that a line featuring Sykora, Mikko Koivu, and Andrew Brunette could have been deadly if given the chance to mesh. The concussion came at the worst possible time for the Wild to determine if he would fit anywhere, and, when he finally did return, he was buried on a line with Andrew Ebbett and Derek Boogaard, which is honestly no place for a goal scorer of his caliber to be.
Now the Wild has to make a decision. When Sykora first signed with the Wild, there was a stipulation in place that would allow him to head to a Russian-league team, but there are currently no teams there looking to bring him on board. He could be assigned to Houston, but the odds are that he wouldn't report, which certainly wouldn't help anyone. The Wild could try and throw him on re-entry waivers, and see if a team wants to bite at half of his salary cap hit, instead of his full hit. Or Minnesota could feverishly work the phones, find an amicable trade, and wish Sykora well on his way to a new NHL team. For all involved, that would seem to be the best option, and with the trade deadline fast approaching, and the Olympic freeze coming even sooner, the Wild have less time than they might like to make something happen.
Depending on what the Wild does try and work for a trade might also be an indication of which way the team feels that they're heading, with regards to the playoffs. By the same token, Sykora is the type of player who can make an impact on almost any team in the league. It's just too bad that he was never able to do so with the Minnesota Wild.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
2009-10 Game Seventeen: Wild 5, Maple Leafs 2
The way the season started, who could have expected that the Minnesota Wild would finish their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs by having won their fourth game in the last five? The Wild seems to be responding to the system coach Todd Richards has been trying to instill, and the positives are starting to roll their way. The team still has a long road ahead of it, but the positives are starting to show.
Of course, the Wild didn't make it as easy as the score showed, almost collapsing at the end of the game. With the score sitting at 4-2, the Wild took two quick penalties, and the Maple Leafs had an empty net, giving them, for all intents and purposes, a 6-on-3 power play. But leave it to a goaltender looking for his 100th win to keep the puck out of the net, and leave it to the oldest member of the team to get the puck to travel into the empty net to help secure the victory.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Yes, Koivu had one of the late penalties (the always irritating delay of game call), but he also put together a three-point night behind a goal and two assists.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky has been quietly stepping up and improving his game all season, and he had another good one against the Leafs. He also notched a two-point game of his own.
- Niklas Backstrom. The tail end of the game, facing a 6-on-3, Backstrom did what he's done for his previous 99 wins, and he shut the door in cool, calm fashion. Any other goalie, and the Wild might have been looking at overtime.
Game minuses:
- Brent Burns. Burns keeps trying to do too much with the puck, even though he's acknowledged that simplifying his game makes him a better player. His puck mishandling almost lead to a Toronto short-handed goal.
- Third period. The Wild had a 4-1 lead, and they settled back into a bit of a trapping defense. Minnesota had trouble getting the puck out of their end of the ice, and even more trouble sustaining it.
- Late penalties. After being pinned in their zone most of the final 20 minutes, the Wild's penalties at the end of the game made things more interesting than they should have been. Backstrom kept the game firmly in Minnesota's grasp, but they shouldn't have been forced to kill off a 6-on-3 power play.
Next up: The Wild are undefeated this season against the Eastern Conference, and they hope to keep that going Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Of course, the Wild didn't make it as easy as the score showed, almost collapsing at the end of the game. With the score sitting at 4-2, the Wild took two quick penalties, and the Maple Leafs had an empty net, giving them, for all intents and purposes, a 6-on-3 power play. But leave it to a goaltender looking for his 100th win to keep the puck out of the net, and leave it to the oldest member of the team to get the puck to travel into the empty net to help secure the victory.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Yes, Koivu had one of the late penalties (the always irritating delay of game call), but he also put together a three-point night behind a goal and two assists.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky has been quietly stepping up and improving his game all season, and he had another good one against the Leafs. He also notched a two-point game of his own.
- Niklas Backstrom. The tail end of the game, facing a 6-on-3, Backstrom did what he's done for his previous 99 wins, and he shut the door in cool, calm fashion. Any other goalie, and the Wild might have been looking at overtime.
Game minuses:
- Brent Burns. Burns keeps trying to do too much with the puck, even though he's acknowledged that simplifying his game makes him a better player. His puck mishandling almost lead to a Toronto short-handed goal.
- Third period. The Wild had a 4-1 lead, and they settled back into a bit of a trapping defense. Minnesota had trouble getting the puck out of their end of the ice, and even more trouble sustaining it.
- Late penalties. After being pinned in their zone most of the final 20 minutes, the Wild's penalties at the end of the game made things more interesting than they should have been. Backstrom kept the game firmly in Minnesota's grasp, but they shouldn't have been forced to kill off a 6-on-3 power play.
Next up: The Wild are undefeated this season against the Eastern Conference, and they hope to keep that going Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Welcome to Minnesota
The pre-season is continuing to click past, and the Wild are closer to announcing their starting line-up. Of course, two of the major acquisitions from last year are already bringing some excitement to the ice, and a couple of workhorses from previous seasons have continued to power the team through their own style of play.
Naturally, the workhorses mentioned are Brent Burns and Cal Clutterbuck. Both players have been solid thus far in the pre-season, with Clutterbuck almost completing a hat trick on Friday night against Columbus, and Burns simply taking over the defense the way that everyone anticipated he could. It's great to see Burns back on the ice with confidence, because last season looked rough for him. Clutterbuck and Burns are also two players who definitely play the game because they love it.
Meanwhile, the two big Minnesota acquisitions paid dividends by putting the goals in against Chicago. Martin Havlat showed exactly why he might like to play against the Blackhawks more frequently, scoring two goals, including one that turned the Chicago defense inside out, and Petr Sykora demonstrated why he's been a 20-goal scorer for his last ten seasons. Take into account the players that Havlat and Sykora are replacing on the Wild roster (Marian Gaborik and Stephane Veilleux respectively), and the Wild are definitely a stronger offensive team. They still need to figure out the center position, and the defensive picture is looking interesting with some good competition for the 7th roster spot, but, all told, the Wild should definitely be able to get more offensive production, taking some of the pressure off of their goaltenders.
Naturally, the workhorses mentioned are Brent Burns and Cal Clutterbuck. Both players have been solid thus far in the pre-season, with Clutterbuck almost completing a hat trick on Friday night against Columbus, and Burns simply taking over the defense the way that everyone anticipated he could. It's great to see Burns back on the ice with confidence, because last season looked rough for him. Clutterbuck and Burns are also two players who definitely play the game because they love it.
Meanwhile, the two big Minnesota acquisitions paid dividends by putting the goals in against Chicago. Martin Havlat showed exactly why he might like to play against the Blackhawks more frequently, scoring two goals, including one that turned the Chicago defense inside out, and Petr Sykora demonstrated why he's been a 20-goal scorer for his last ten seasons. Take into account the players that Havlat and Sykora are replacing on the Wild roster (Marian Gaborik and Stephane Veilleux respectively), and the Wild are definitely a stronger offensive team. They still need to figure out the center position, and the defensive picture is looking interesting with some good competition for the 7th roster spot, but, all told, the Wild should definitely be able to get more offensive production, taking some of the pressure off of their goaltenders.
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