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.

Olympic break and looking ahead

All but five Minnesota Wild players have been resting and taking things easy for awhile, and, after last night, all but three are able to return to regular practices. The NHL's schedule freeze has come and gone, and while there's still a roster freeze in effect, teams can at least start skating together again, and try and shake off the rust that ten days away can grow.

Not only did the Wild return to practice, but they got to return to the business of taking care of some of the free agents on their roster. While teams can't trade players until after the Olympics are over (and need to get it done by March 3), they can hammer out contract extensions, and that's exactly what the Wild did with regards to Cal Clutterbuck, signing him for another three years. Looking down the pipe, and new contracts concerning Marek Zidlicky and Guillaume Latendresse should be coming, as well. But don't forget that Mikko Koivu will be entering a contract season, and he has helped put Finland on the cusp of the gold medal game.

Once the Olympics wrap up, the Wild will have a couple of days to make some decisions on players. The team is currently five points out of a playoff spot, but they feel confident that they can close that gap over the next 21 games. At least, the players feel that way. The question is whether or not the front office feels the same, and how they treat the trade deadline. The Wild haven't been shy about making moves that should help the team both short- and long-term, with the recent trade for Cam Barker proves, but they still have some questions to answer. Here's a few players that might see themselves on the block:

James Sheppard - Much like Benoit Pouliot before him, Sheppard is graced with talent, but that has never manifested with the Wild. His development was stunted thanks to some mind-boggling decisions made by the prior front office, and it might be time to let Sheppard go. He has the potential to be a decent power forward in the league, but needs a change of scenery, and needs it soon. If the Wild can pull off another Latendresse-like deal, more power to them, but it might be best to let Sheppard go for a draft pick or two.

Eric Belanger - The Wild need good quality centers, and Belanger often fits the bill. While he is dominant in the face-off, Belanger doesn't have a lot of the grit and drive that is starting to characterize this Wild team. The Wild need a center that fits their style a bit better, and Belanger might be the easiest piece to use to lure another team into making that trade.

Antti Miettinen - Miettinen is a streaky player, and the one piece that still doesn't quite mesh on the Wild's top line. If Chuck Kobasew can play soon, that makes Miettinen even more vulnerable. Still, don't expect to see him moved before Draft Day, if even then.

Owen Nolan - It would be a shame to see Owen Nolan wearing any other jersey, especially in what might be the last month or two of his career, but if the Wild decide that they are playoff pretenders, and not in a position to make a viable run, they might let Nolan go. He's exactly the type of player a playoff team would look to add at the deadline, and, given that his contract is up after this year, there's always a chance he would come back as a free agent.

Josh Harding - The Wild's back-up goaltender seemed set to be traded earlier this season, and then he ran into some difficulties with his game. Once he started getting back on track, he suffered his hip injury, which may have made it harder to move him. Harding deserves a starting job somewhere in the league, but, with Niklas Backstrom, the odds aren't good that he'll find one with Minnesota.

The Wild have a ton of decisions to make, and, honestly, signing Cal Clutterbuck to an extension doesn't even confirm that he'll be wearing a Wild sweater when the team lines up against Calgary on the night of Deadline Day. There's also no indication that anything will move between then and now, and the roster for the Wild's first post-Olympic break could be exactly what was seen in their final pre-break game against Vancouver.

2009-10 Game Fifty-Nine: Wild 2, Coyotes 3

Sometimes, the bounces just don't go the way you want them to. That seems to be the case relatively often for the Minnesota Wild, and that was certainly the case against the Phoenix Coyotes, as the winning goal was scored on such a bizarre shot that Niklas Backstrom never even saw the puck. But that's the way it's been against Phoenix this season, as the Wild failed to secure even one point from a team that they had previously dominated year after year.

Of course, the loss makes things even trickier for the Wild when it comes to post-season play. Minnesota firmly believed before this homestand started that they would need to come away with at least eight points in the five games. After getting blanked in the standings by the Coyotes, the Wild need to string together two wins against tough teams to have a ghost of a chance. They currently sit five points back from the current #8 team, and the closest they can get before the Olympic break is one point out. Odds are not good, and odds are even worse that, should the Wild sneak into the playoffs, they'd be able to win a series. True, they are a better team than their record shows, thanks to a very difficult opening month to the season, but they aren't a team that should be expecting to lift the Cup this season. One more loss on this homestand, or an ability to figure out how to win away from St. Paul, will solidify the Wild's position regarding the trade deadline.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. For a guy who had been injured with a bad back, he played pretty well. Backstrom bounced back, and held the Wild in the game, even after they let off the gas. The game-winning fluke goal might just haunt him for awhile, though.
- Marek Zidlicky. The Wild defenseman was more reward than risk against Phoenix, and helped start the play that created the Wild's first goal.
- Fast start. The Wild jumped out to a fast start, and they looked set to make things a blow-out right away. Good energy and pressure from the very first shift of the game was rewarded under five minutes in, when the Wild took the lead. Too bad they couldn't hold it.

Game minuses:
- Pressure. The Wild started the game strong, but didn't keep applying the pressure after taking their early lead. They allowed Phoenix to get their legs under them, and then the Coyotes took control.
- Passing. The Wild simply passed the puck far too much. Instead of taking shots when they were open, the Wild kept looking for the highlight reel play. Ugly goals are worth just as much as pretty ones, and the Wild need to start looking at more ugly goals if they want to play in the NHL's "second season".
- Phoenix. Face it, for the first year ever, the Wild just didn't know how to handle the Coyotes, so playing against them again had to fill fans with a sense of dread. The Coyotes swept the season series, and won each game in regulation, keeping the Wild from getting a single point out of the series. Thankfully, Minnesota won't have to worry about Phoenix again until next season.

Next up: The Wild will try to correct the ship once again, and do so against an Eastern Conference opponent. The Wild have fared well against the East this year, and they look to continue that trend against the Atlanta Thrashers, who seem to be engaging in some spring cleaning of their own.

2009-10 Game Fifty-Eight: Wild 2, Flyers 1

During the recent game against the Edmonton Oilers, a little known Minnesota Wild player got his name etched into the record books. Anton Khudobin, in his first NHL experience, was able to secure his first win with under ten minutes played, becoming the fastest goalie to reach that mark. He got to follow up that appearance with his first NHL start, against a tough Philadelphia Flyers team, and he couldn't have done much more to impress his teammates.

While Khudobin was solid all game long, the rest of the Wild seemed like they were having difficulty getting things going. The first period, the Wild were lucky to have escaped with a tie game, and while things balanced out in the second, the third period showed a surprising lack of drive, as the Wild didn't really apply the pressure to extend their lead, and give their unorthodox netminder a bit of a cushion. At the end of the game, though, the Wild were the ones celebrating, adding another one-goal win to their record, and keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Game pluses:
- Anton Khudobin. Khudobin played solidly against Edmonton, but he only had to face 9 shots. He faced twice as many as that in the first period of the game against the Flyers, and was solid. True, he coughed up a lot of rebounds, but he tended to direct them to safe areas of the ice.
- Owen Nolan. The stats keepers for the game must have thought that Nolan scared the puck to Cal Clutterbuck for the Wild's first goal, since he somehow missed getting an assist. However, his goal and his second period take-down definitely helped lead the Wild to victory.
- Cal Clutterbuck. Clutterbuck showed good awareness, crashing the net at the right time, to tie his goal total from last season.

Game minuses:
- Slow start. When you've got an untested goaltender and you desperately need points in the standings, you can't generally turn in a period like the Wild did for the first twenty minutes of the game. They survived, and Khudobin bailed them out, but it could have gotten scary.
- Physicality. The Wild almost seemed to shy away from the Flyers, even when bowling ball Cal Clutterbuck, or wrecking ball Derek Boogaard were on the ice. Nolan's tackle of Scott Hartnell aside, the Wild almost looked content to take the hits, rather than deliver them.
- Defensive decisions. The Wild defense was sharp most of the game. However, misplayed pucks or baffling passes popped up intermittently throughout the game, with one of the most noticable being a pass from Marek Zidlicky back to Khudobin. The biggest problem? Zidlicky was in the offensive zone at the time.

Next up: The Wild can rest for a couple of days before they welcome the Phoenix Coyotes to town on Wednesday night.

2009-10 Game Fifty-Two: Wild 4, Blue Jackets 2

Hockey Day Minnesota hasn't always treated the Minnesota Wild well, aside from giving them and their fans a ton of hockey to digest before the main course even gets set. Still, there's something special about the way that the state recognizes how important the sport is on so many levels, and there's definitely something special for the programs that got to share a network's day of programming with the NHL team.

Even better, the Minnesota Wild found a way to get things going early in the game, instead of waiting until they were down by a couple of goals and time was running out. The Wild played a solid game from the first drop of the puck, and challenged the Columbus Blue Jackets all night long. True, things sort of fell apart in the final minute of play, but, by that point, the Wild had already assembled a four goal lead, and were looking comfortable. The win also helped pull the Wild back within four points of eighth in the conference.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's top line was shaken up recently, in an attempt to revitalize the players. It seems to have worked, at least for Koivu, who had the first two goals of the game.
- Robbie Earl. The kid got thrown onto waivers before the Detroit game, and has scored in each game since. Nothing like feeling the pressure to help spark a talent.
- Niklas Backstrom. It was obvious Backstrom was deflated by the first Columbus goal, and that lead to the second goal. But it's easy to see why. Backstrom had played a solid game, and was twenty seconds away from a shutout before the puck bounced off his teammate into the net.

Game minuses:
- Power play. To think, this Wild team couldn't score even strength to start the season. Now they can't buy a power play goal, and, far too often, a Wild power play looks like a chance for the opposing team to get some shots on net.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson may be able to skate, but he doesn't play a physical game, and he has had more than his share of pucks bounce off of him and behind his own goaltender. It happened again against Columbus, and, whether it's positioning, puck awareness, or something else, something definitely has to change within Johnsson if he wants to be considered an elite defenseman.
- Odd-man rushes. The Wild seem to keep giving up great chances to their opponents, and they did it again to Columbus, most notably on an opportunity for R.J. Umberger to tie the game. Thankfully, Marek Zidlicky made a great play to break up the attack, but the Wild need to do more to keep those types of plays from happening.

Next up: The Wild get to relish their victory for a bit before taking to the ice on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. Given that the Wild are still trying to catch the Wings in the standings, and how the last game between these teams went, Wednesday night should be interesting.

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 Thirty-Eight: Wild 4, Blues 3

The stockings may have been hung by the chimney, and sugar plums may have danced in people's heads, but, in the NHL, Christmas means some time away from the ice. However, barely a week removed from the bizarre equipment fire, the Minnesota Wild had one more gift left to give to their fans, and was delivered by one of the newest faces in the building, as the Wild skated to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.

The game itself was fast, hard-hitting, and featured some things that wouldn't have been predicted before the puck hit the ice. With recent history as a guide, who would have guessed that the Wild would score first? Who could have predicted that the defensemen would be so active? And yet, the Wild did just that, and they kept the pressure on a St. Louis team that had recently been trouncing Northwest Division opponents.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. A change of scenery has done "The Tenderness" wonders, as he has put up 6 goals since coming to the Wild, including two goals against the Blues.
- Kim Johnsson. The much-maligned Wild defenseman (especially here, admittedly) turned in a terrific performance against St. Louis, even without his stellar play to create his own goal.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky was active all night, moving the puck well, stick handling when needed, and finding the open man. Latendresse may have scored the game winner, but Zidlicky set him up with great plays.

Game minuses:
- Nick Schultz. Schultz got victimized on Blues goals, getting turned inside out. He was out of position more than a few times, and St. Louis capitalized on it.
- Cal Clutterbuck. Sometimes, Clutterbuck's willingness to hit anything he gets in his sights works against him, as it did when the Blues scored during a 4-on-4 stretch of hockey. Clutterbuck connected with a Blues player, but it completely removed him from the play, and set up St. Louis for a quick rush.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger is a face-off specialist, but, after the puck was dropped, he became a detriment. He seems to be trying to accomplish some of the same things that Mikko Koivu is doing, but he seems to be trying to do them without Koivu's awareness or skill.

Next up: The Wild take a quick trip to California, starting tonight against the Los Angeles Kings.

2009-10 Game Thirty-Three: Wild 2, Blue Jackets 1

The Minnesota Wild made a brief stop at home Tuesday night, and faced their sister team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both teams are sitting around the same place in the standings right now, thanks to Columbus treading water while losing, and the Wild finding ways to put together points from most of their recent games. That trend continued, as both teams seemed ready to head into overtime until the Wild found their offense again, with under a minute remaining in the period.

In fact, the Wild offense started the game strong, but then started to fade as the periods wore on. The first period was played in a mere twenty-seven minutes from start to finish, but neither team could keep up that pace. This was troubling, as Minnesota also had jumped out to an early lead in shots on goal, but couldn't get things moving until Columbus had given themselves the one-goal advantage. Still, the Wild were able to do what they've done so many times this season, and they came from behind to get two points in the standings, putting them a mere four out of the top eight.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Latendresse came to Minnesota in a trade with Montreal, and the Wild couldn't be happier, definitely getting the immediate advantage in effectiveness. Latendresse played a strong game, and took a Martin Havlat feed for the tying goal.
- Martin Havlat. Speaking of Martin Havlat, the guy may not be proclaiming himself as being "back" yet, but it's hard to argue with six points on the last seven Wild goals.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's captain did what he does best, and he had an assist both on Latendresse's goal, but also on Marek Zidlicky's game winner with under a minute remaining.

Game minuses:
- Playing from behind. Conventional wisdom says that giving up the first goal is a horrible thing, and yet this season's Wild team just seems to defy that, winning 11 of their 16 after trailing. Still, it would be nice to see the team play with a lead a little more frequently.
- Energy. Sure, the Wild has been on the road a lot so far this season, and that takes a toll. However, the way that Minnesota started the game should have lead to a huge lead that they could carry. Instead, they couldn't get clean shots on net, and couldn't keep the energy up once the second period started.
- Jason Chimera. Obviously still upset over a preseason hit from Eric Belanger, Chimera spent the third period taking runs at the Wild center, and jabbing him with his stick. Something needs to be done in the league when this kind of activity is allowed to occur unchecked (and no, the Wild aren't the only team it happens to).

Next up: Latendresse and the rest of the Wild head to Montreal to play the Canadiens Thursday night.

2009-10 Game Twenty-Six: Wild 5, Predators 4 (OT)

The recent string of points gained by the Minnesota Wild can largely be attributed to a couple of things. First, the players that have been with the team all season long are starting to understand the new system, and few show that as well as Mikko Koivu. Second, the new acquisitions brought in by Chuck Fletcher are coming in with fire, something to prove, and some good puck awareness.

In a game where the Wild got their first three-goal first period of the season, and then turned in such an awful second period that they started giving the game away, the pieces all fell together in the end, with long-time Wild players and guys that have only been with Minnesota for a few weeks keying off of each other for a big win in a tightly played game. Of course, this recent surge is going to make things harder on some players once the team recovers from it's injuries, as some of the new guys might be making some other players previously considered "safe" into tradeable commodities.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Since being traded, Latendresse has barely even been able to practice with his new team. He's still been putting together some great hockey, with a strong forecheck, a decent shot, and physical play. His goal against the Predators was the result of great patience, and, if it hadn't been for hitting three posts in the game, he would have been able to score more, including a great chance at the end of the third period.
- Andrew Ebbett. Another player that felt he had something to prove, Ebbett has been big recently, scoring the Wild's only goal against Boston, getting the shootout clincher against Colorado, and scooping up Latendresse's rebound in overtime for the winning goal against Nashville. Imagine what might have been if the Wild had claimed him the first time he was on waivers.
- Mikko Koivu. Heck, the dance after his power play goal alone would have landed him here. Koivu is playing some of his best hockey right now, and he's leading a Wild team that suddenly looks like they're surging in the standings.

Game minuses:
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild's netminder had a very atypical game against the Predators, giving up goals that normally would be easy saves. The most glaring example came on Jason Arnott's second goal of the game.
- Returning players. Antti Miettinen aside, and the players who found themselves back in the line-up for Minnesota did not have great games. Neither Marek Zidlicky nor Kim Johnsson had good puck movement in the defensive end, and Martin Havlat looked like he was still struggling with his hamstring issues, limiting his mobility.
- Second period. After playing a strong first period, the Wild shut down in the second, only putting three shots on goal. Not good, considering they had found weaknesses in the Nashville defense during the first twenty minutes, and simply needed to continue exploiting them.

Next up: The Wild look to continue their points streak on Friday night, taking on the Anaheim Ducks.

2009-10 Game Eighteen: Wild 3, Lightning 4 (SO)

Two plays that dramatically changed the course of the game. One huge mistake that handed the win away. One point left behind on the ice in Tampa Bay, as the Minnesota Wild dominated the Lightning for 60 minutes, and still lost the game.

The two plays that were mentioned above? One was on the short-handed goal that put Tampa Bay on the board. Shane Hnidy was banged up in the play, thanks to a tripping non-call. Instead of an immediate whistle when Tampa touched the puck, play was allowed to continue, and the Lightning scored. Given that Brent Burns was called for a trip after getting his stick caught in a player's skates earlier in the game, and a whistle was blown right away when a Tampa player went down with an injury later in the game, this play stood out. The second play was Chuck Kobasew's goal that was waved off by the officials, because it bounced off of his glove. Because it touched the glove, it was waved off, no matter that there was no forward motion. If it had been a skate, at least the goal would have stood. If he'd bounced it off of his stomach, the Wild take their fourth goal of the game. But because it hit his glove (and barely hit his glove), the goal was disallowed.

Still the Wild should have had this game. To go from leading 3-1 to losing 4-3 in the shootout is a tough pill to swallow, but hopefully it will lead to Minnesota learning to take care of their business on the ice. Late mistakes gave Tampa enough life to claw back into the game that they had no right to be in.

Game pluses:
- Owen Nolan. How pretty was Nolan's goal, giving the Wild the 3-1 lead? The grizzled Irishman may be trying to show the kids how it's done.
- James Sheppard. Sheppard has been having a rough season, and things probably aren't turning around yet, but he made some great plays against Tampa, including the play that set up Benoit Pouliot's goal.
- Greg Zanon. Zanon is a shot-blocking machine, and he's giving the Wild something they may not have realized they were missing.

Game minuses:
- Kyle Brodziak. The biggest mistake of the game for the Wild came off of Brodziak's stick, as he somehow completely lost the puck while on a 3-on-1, leaving it behind instead of making a pass. It was a glaring example of a lack of awareness.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky has a lot of offensive upside, and he's been a more consistent defenseman this season. However, against Tampa he stopped moving his legs, and took some foolish penalties after the Lightning pulled to within 1.
- Killer instinct. The Wild just didn't have the drive to finish off the Lightning, and they paid for it in the end. They had multiple opportunities to put the game out of reach, but resorted to a "pass first" mentality, instead of peppering the net with shots.

Next up: The Wild don't have time to dwell on the loss, as they face the Washington Capitals this evening. Luckily for Minnesota, it appears as though they won't have to face Alex Ovechkin.

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.

2009-10 Game Fourteen: Wild 2, Penguins 1

Less than twenty-four hours after the Minnesota Wild earned their first regulation home win for the season, they faced a daunting task. That task? Head to the home of the Stanley Cup champions, and try to avoid extending their winless streak on the road. Who would have predicted that they would do just that, handing the Penguins one of very few losses?

Even more interesting, the Wild were actually outplayed in a lot of areas of the game. In a lot of ways, it was very similar to the way that the Wild played against the Edmonton Oilers a few weeks back, where the team that was better throughout the game ran into a hot goaltender and some stellar defense.

Game pluses:
- Eric Belanger. He paid a price late in the game, taking a stick across his nose. But his goal with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first stood up as the game winner, and it helped ease the pain.
- Niklas Backstrom. One again, Backstrom stood tall in net, keeping the Wild in the game. The difference this time is that he got a lot of help when he coughed up the few rebounds he did. Most of the time, however, it was one shot and an immediate whistle.
- Marek Zidlicky. Arguably, the best play made by the Wild all game was when Zidlicky goaded Sidney Crosby into a fight to end the second period.

Game minuses:
- Defensive zone possession. The Wild couldn't get the puck on their sticks in their own zone. Even worse, they couldn't seem to get the puck out without giving up a scoring chance.
- Opportunism. Aside from Kyle Brodziak's goal from the side of the net, and Belanger's quick release, the Wild just didn't seem like they could put themselves in the right place much of the game.
- Officiating. Both teams committed penalties that didn't get called, but Pittsburgh seemed to get a bit more benefit. While not every penalty can, or should, be called, sometimes games can get out of hand if the players are allowed to skate too freely.

Next up: The Wild have some time off, which might be the last thing they want with their current momentum. They'll face the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

2009-10 Game Twelve: Wild 3, Predators 4

This Minnesota Wild team will get better. They will play hard for 60 minutes, and apply a strong offense. They will have a forecheck to be reckoned with, and the goaltending will be stellar. The defense will help out, and the stars on the team will be allowed to shine.

But right now, and until that happens, watching the games could be difficult for more fair-weather fans. Part of what the previous regime did to the Wild through consistent competitiveness is to strip the cupboard bare, and the Wild aren't keeping pace with other teams when it comes to young talent. Add to that an extremely road-heavy schedule to start the season, and it isn't much of a shock that the Wild had barely any fire, even after a goal-scoring flurry in the second period. The team needs a win badly, and they need some confidence, but they're skating on tired legs after having lived on a plane for the first month of the season. The tide will turn, but how long will Wild fans give the team before the sell-out streak ends?

Game pluses:
- Owen Nolan. The oldest member of the team is still showing that he wants to get the Wild going in the right direction, and his skate-to-stick play leading to his goal was an example of what kind of puck handling skills he can possess.
- John Scott. The big defenseman almost put the puck in the net, most notably during a scrum in front. The fact that Scott was heading to the goal mouth is a great sign. Hopefully, the rest of the Wild pay attention to this.
- Opening of the second period. For three minutes, the Wild showed just what kind of team they can be. However, after firing off three quick shots, getting three goals, and chasing the Nashville netminder, the Wild sat back on their heels, waiting to give the lead back.

Game minuses:
- Niklas Backstrom. Plenty of times this young season, Backstrom has kept the Wild in games. Against Nashville, he was one of the big reasons that they were out of it, giving up three relatively soft goals, which is something he doesn't do often.
- James Sheppard. While the officials certainly didn't help, Sheppard once again showed a lack of awareness of his surroundings, or what he was doing with his stick.
- Possession. The Wild couldn't keep the puck on their sticks. One of the more glaring times came when Marek Zidlicky got his pocket picked on the way to Nashville's game-winning shorthanded goal, but none of the Wild seemed to have a good handle on the puck.

Next up: The Wild have their work cut out for them, but they get to stay home through Friday, when they take on the New York Rangers. Former Wild star Marian Gaborik is currently sitting with an injury, so he may be out of the line-up, which would be a bit of a blessing for the Wild, given that Gaborik is leading the Rangers in scoring thus far.

2009-10 Game Eleven: Wild 1, Blackhawks 3

Maybe it's the fact that the team finally gets to play two consecutive home games for the first time this season. Maybe it's a lack of talent, something that was hidden by the previous system. Maybe they just don't have the drive on the road to get things done. Whatever the cause, the Minnesota Wild found themselves in a similar position against the Chicago Blackhawks. After playing hard for the first ten minutes, a defensive lapse gave Chicago a lead, and the Wild just couldn't put things together after that. Even when handed power play after power play, the Wild offense was completely ineffective, as the Blackhawks powered straight through the Wild on the way to the victory.

The Wild look lost, as they became the first team in over a decade to go without a point in their first eight road games. The scorers are either not making shots, or taking bad angle shots, hitters aren't hitting with their usual force, and the defense keeps trying to pinch in for an extra attacker, but leaving themselves open for an opposing breakaway. If it wasn't for the goaltending the Wild have gotten the last few games, they wouldn't have even had a chance to pull even. The team needs to find the fire within themselves to get it done, or they may be letting go of any thoughts towards a post-season before Thanksgiving.

Game pluses:
- Andrew Brunette. The Wild are offensively futile for the most part, but Andrew Brunette continues to display a veteran's patience, and is one of the few players for the Wild that can be counted on to put a point onto the score sheet.
- Greg Zanon. A game after he almost scored the OT winner, Zanon was again a force for blocked shots.
- Faceoffs. An area of trouble for last year's Wild team, this year, the Wild are winning the puck battle right away. Unfortunately, they aren't keeping it for long, or aren't doing anything with it when they do have it.

Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. True, Sheppard didn't get into the game much thanks to all the special teams play. By the same token, what better way to display your desire than taking those few minutes and working hard? Sheppard spent too much of the game looking, and not enough playing physically.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky didn't have the worst game of his Wild career, but he's quickly becoming a bit of a liability for puck possession. He also had more trouble clearing the defensive zone last night than he's had in awhile.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat started the game strong, and almost put together a beautiful play for an early Minnesota lead. However, he was stifled, and proceeded to frustrate himself into ineffectivenesss for the remainder of the game.

Next up: The Wild return home, to the site of their only victories this season. Their opponents? The Nashville Predators, giving Zanon and Zidlicky a chance to skate against their old team.