2009-10 Wild Season Recap

The playoffs are barely a week old. The old season has been put behind everyone, and the "second season" has provided exactly what people love to see out of the NHL, as physical play has been offset by impressive offense, and the different series have all provided different sorts of thrills. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild have been sitting at home, evaluating what happened this past year, and looking ahead to what can be better next season. What better time to take a look back at what went right and what went wrong for Minnesota during the 2009-10 campaign.

What Went Right?
- Benoit Pouliot for Guillaume Latendresse trade. Pouliot had spent his career for the Wild being something of an underachieving player. Unquestionably, he has talent, but he wasn't showing it consistently for Minnesota. The same was true for Guillaume Latendresse in relation to his time in Montreal. A mid-season trade reinvigorated both players, and Latendresse ended up leading the Wild in goals. His appearance also gave a jump start to Martin Havlat, who had previously looked like a huge bust.

- Martin Havlat comes to Minnesota. At the beginning of the season, it didn't look good for Minnesota, with regards to their acquisition of Martin Havlat. The Wild made it seem as though Havlat was being brought in to replace Marian Gaborik, but the two players are very different in what they can provide. Gaborik is a goal scorer, who will gather assists, but is mainly going to be a sniper. Havlat, on the other hand, is a playmaker, and his ability to create opportunities is huge. However, without a finisher, Havlat looked lost. Enter Guillaume Latendresse, and suddenly, Havlat found his game. Once the Wild's second line was secured, the only player who looked more comfortable in the system was Mikko Koivu.

- Mikko Koivu named first permanent Wild captain. The Wild have needed a permanent captain for a long time, and what better player to pick for the team than a player who is often underrated, but is able to play both ends of the ice, and does it all with his heart on his sleeve? In his first season as the full-time captain, Koivu shouldered the pressure well, setting a new career high in points, and he was willing to place the team on his back and pull them through some of their more troublesome moments.

- Young call-ups given chances. The Wild's cupboard is one of the more empty in the National Hockey League, but they are working on fixing that. More importantly, some of the players that were called up this season should have a good chance to break into the roster for next season, providing some more speed and scoring to a line-up that desperately needed it. Robbie Earl, Nate Prosser, and Casey Wellman all have some seasoning and conditioning to go through before proving that they're ready, but they're definitely close and should be able to contribute. Don't forget about Colton Gillies, who spent his second season in Houston to improve his game and get him ready for the big show.

What Went Wrong?
- James Sheppard falls off the radar. Sheppard may be the biggest casualty of the previous management staff. He was brought up to the Wild right away, without getting some needed conditioning in the AHL. He spent too many games on the ice, which would force him to be placed on waivers before being dropped to the minors. During the pre-season, it looked like Sheppard might have a breakout year, but then he just dropped off the map, and turned in his lowest point total since entering the league. Sheppard is a player who desperately needs a change of scenery, much like Benoit Pouliot. Hopefully, the Wild will be able to find another diamond like Latendresse.

- The injury bug strikes... over and over again. The Wild just couldn't stay healthy. The number of man-games lost to injury this season set a new record by a long shot. Key players, from both starting goaltenders to Brent Burns, from Chuck Kobasew to Pierre-Marc Bouchard, weren't able to play the full season, and, in Bouchard's case, only touched the ice once. The Wild is looking at their off-season conditioning to try and fix some of the problems that popped up this season. The Wild definitely has to find out how to be healthy, but it's been a problem that's plagued them, admittedly not this deeply, from day one of their existence.

- Petr Sykora comes to Minnesota. When Sykora was brought to the Wild, it made people believe that the Wild were honestly not in a rebuilding season, but were instead looking to remain competitive. Pairing Sykora with Havlat seemed to give Minnesota a strong second line of scoring, and the veteran's presence would help bring the rookies along. Instead, Sykora never meshed with his teammates or his coaches, and he spent almost as many games scratched instead of playing, although a concussion certainly didn't help. Sykora was eventually released by the Wild, after never finding his game, and is still looking for a new team to pick him up.

What is the Verdict Still Out On?
- Kim Johnsson traded for Cam Barker. In many ways, this trade should have drastically improved the Wild's blue line. Barker plays a similar style of hockey to Johnsson, but has a bigger shot, better mobility, and is younger. Unfortunately, Barker has run hot and cold for the Wild. If he can prove to be the young stud that he was in season's past, the Wild made a great choice. If he can't find his game, then Minnesota may want to be thankful that they have as many defensemen chomping at the bit to make the move from Houston.

- Niklas Backstrom making Josh Harding expendable. In the 2008-09 season, it seemed like a no-brainer. Backstrom was amazing in net, and, while Harding was solid, he didn't look like a starting goaltender. The change of regimes in Minnesota shook that up a bit, as neither goaltender looked quite like themselves. However, both goaltenders showed a lot of heart and made amazing stops to keep their team in games. Expectations are that Harding will be with a different team by the time the 2010-11 season starts. If Backstrom can return to the brilliant form he showed, or if the Wild has the next great goaltender waiting in the wings, then they should leverage Harding for as much offense as they can get. If Backstrom falls off, and Anton Khudobin isn't able to be consistent at the NHL level, and Harding turns into a Vezina winner, the Wild might be kicking themselves for holding on to the wrong mask.

Ultimately, the Wild had a better season than anyone had any right to expect, and they should be able to build on that for next season. Having the 9th pick in the draft won't hurt, but it won't help as much as they might have hoped. However, Chuck Fletcher and his staff are working to replenish a stripped down system, adding draft picks and bringing in college free agents, and if they can keep the team moving in this new direction, then the dream of Lord Stanley's Cup getting raised in Minnesota might only be a couple of seasons away.

2009-10 Game Sixty-Nine: Wild 4, Oilers 2

The Minnesota Wild had an opportunity to match the mark for the longest current home win streak against any opponent. Coming into the game, the Wild had beaten the Edmonton Oilers twelve times in a row at St. Paul. After the game was over, the Wild had tied the mark, thanks to a strong all-around game, especially with some great play by the team's centers.

Those centers might have been feeling a little pressure, given that the Wild signed a college free agent who could be looking to take a job away from one of them. Minnesota brought Casey Wellman from the University of Massachusetts, and almost played him in his first chance. Wellman's debut was put on hold, but he did get some time to skate with the team during warm-ups, and might see time in the upcoming game against the Nashville Predators. Meanwhile, the rest of the Wild stepped up, and responded in a huge way after Edmonton twice tied the game. This was especially notable given how the on-ice officials almost seemed to be trying to hand the Oilers the win. Don't believe it? Watch the play that lead to the eventual 5-on-3 Edmonton power play, and try and find two clear penalties in that scrum.

Game pluses:
- Centers. On a day where the Wild added a coveted player (beating out 21 other teams) to their center ranks, the team's current line-up of centers stepped up in a big way. Strong play is expected out of Mikko Koivu, but Andrew Ebbett notched a multi-point game, Kyle Brodziak was forechecking, and James Sheppard showed a compete level that he hasn't shown often this season.
- Martin Havlat. The Wild winger keeps finding ways to get himself into the quiet areas on the ice, and he was rewarded with a big insurance goal.
- Chuck Kobasew. Kobasew hadn't scored since his hat trick the day after Thanksgiving. A nice way to break that streak is to put home the game winning goal, especially after Edmonton kept clawing back in.

Game minuses:
- Officiating. It was yet another lousy game called by the officials, with plenty of bad or missed calls going both ways. Still, the penalties that put Edmonton on a 5-on-3 jump out as some of the worst ones. Yes, there was a penalty on that call. But the second?
- Late defense. The Wild held on at the end of the game, but they certainly didn't help themselves by giving up 20 shots to the Oilers in the third period. This was the first time gave up that many shots in one period all season.
- Antti Miettinen. Yes, Miettinen scored. However, he also missed on some great chances, by putting the puck too far or too high. He may not be a sniper, but for a team that could use more scoring, being that badly off target has to change.

Next up: The Wild try to roll off their fourth win in a row, and keep moving themselves up the standings, when they face the Nashville Predators next.

2009-10 Game Sixty-Eight: Wild 4, Blues 2

If the Minnesota Wild finish out the remaining games on their schedule playing the way they have for the last two, it's going to be an entertaining finish. Backed into a wall for their playoff lives, the Wild are playing like they have nothing to lose, and, as a result, put together two of the more impressive wins they've had this season.

Take nothing away from the come-from-behind victories, but watching the Wild dominate the play from the opening puck drop has been few and far between. Seeing them weather an offensive flurry with some smart defense and better goaltending has been more common, but it's often been to keep the team down by only a goal, as opposed to up by a couple. Given the number of injuries that the team has been dealing with (yet another player went down before the game against St. Louis), if the Wild can somehow keep this current surge going, it's going to be quite the ride for the boys from St. Paul.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's heart and soul played like it. Koivu was everywhere on the ice, and he notched another multi-point game to lead the Wild to victory.
- Martin Havlat. Yes, sometimes Havlat fools even himself with his puck handling. Still, the two assists he added to his season total both came thanks to stellar plays by the winger.
- Josh Harding. No, he wasn't as scintillating as he was the previous game against Buffalo, but Harding didn't need to be. What he was this time around was just a solid presence in the net, keeping St. Louis out when it really counted.

Game minuses:
- Injuries. No doubt, the Wild need to find a way to get players healthy. Three defensemen are out, and they almost lost a fourth. Wingers are banged up, shortening the Wild bench. The goaltenders haven't both been healthy for a long stretch in quite some time. To maintain this pace, the Wild need players back, and they need them back badly.
- Discipline. Once again, the Wild marched to the penalty box. They only coughed up one power play goal, but good teams limit those chances by taking better care of their sticks and moving their legs more.
- Final push. The Wild found themselves up 3-0 after the first period, and they chased the St. Louis goaltender. What did they follow up with? Not taking shots, and not driving to the net. Instead, they sat back and held onto the lead. In today's NHL, the best defense is continuing to apply offensive pressure, but part of the Wild's old system keeps creeping back in once they've got a couple goal lead.

Next up: The Wild have a day off, but return to the ice against the Edmonton Oilers.

2009-10 Game Sixty-Five: Wild 2, Panthers 3 (SO)

This is the same team that pulled off some thrilling come-from-behind victories earlier this season? A team that overcame a terrible start filled with learning a new system and spending almost the entire first month away from home by firing off one of the hottest Decembers in the league? A team that claims to still have a shot at the playoffs, despite the logjam of teams ahead of them in the standings?

You couldn't tell it from watching the way they played against the Florida Panthers. Even though the Wild jumped out to a 2-goal first period lead, they couldn't hold onto it, and eventually fell in the shoot-out. Part of that is surely due to the mini-march to the penalty box, continuing a disturbing trend for Minnesota as of late. The bigger cause, however? The team just didn't have any desire or drive, as they couldn't even get to ten shots without using the overtime period. While mathematically still in playoff contention, the Wild may have knocked themselves out of any realistic hope with the lackluster play, and it only gets tougher this weekend, with games in Detroit and Buffalo.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. During the Wild's four-shot first period, Koivu showed good patience to fire a shot in for a pretty power play goal.
- Robbie Earl. Filling in for suspended Derek Boogaard, Earl took his chance, and on the Wild's third shot of the period, put the puck into the net.
- Niklas Backstrom. With the Wild putting together a mere 11 shots through overtime, the only reason that they found themselves in the game was because Backstrom held them in it. The Wild goalie was solid in net, until defensive lapses backed him into a corner.

Game minuses:
- Desperation. This is a team that is allegedly trying to prove that they can make the playoffs, and, instead, they put on one of their worst displays of the season, and did it in front of the home fans. When four shots in the first period is your high for the game, something is wrong. The shots that Minnesota took during the shoot-out? Not indicative of a team trying to win, as the shots were ultimately harmless, and many of them were off the mark.
- Penalties. Say what you will about the officiating, but the Wild certainly didn't help themselves, as they put themselves into penalty trouble. True, the Panthers didn't score on the power play, but the Wild couldn't establish any flow, partially because of spending so much time short-handed.
- Physicality. This type of game is exactly why the Wild need to have Cal Clutterbuck, or someone like him, healthy and throwing their body around. The Wild had no energy, and the most physical player ended up being Martin Havlat, who got into a couple of shoving matches as the game wore on.

Next up: The Wild need to find something within themselves to reverse their current direction, or they can start planning for a vacation at the end of April by the end of this weekend. Unfortunately, to do that, they'll have to get back on track against the reigning Western Conference champions, the Detroit Red Wings.

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.

2009-10 Game Fifty-Seven; Wild 4, Oilers 2

The first period of the Minnesota Wild/Edmonton Oilers game looked very similar to the game played earlier in the week by the Wild against the Dallas Stars. For the first twenty minutes, the Wild dominated the play, keeping their opponent back on their heels and peppering the net with shots. For the first twenty minutes, the Wild couldn't solve the opposing goaltender, setting up a potential collapse. Of course, at the end of the day, the Wild had a very different presence in their own net, and they weren't forced to play from behind.

In a game where it often seemed as though the officials were trying to hand Edmonton the win, Minnesota just kept fighting, and they needed to. After getting shut out in the first period, they were able to take a 1-0 lead, but the Oilers tied the game on an extended power play, thanks to some questionable penalties. That was where things stood until the second period, where Minnesota again took a one goal lead, only to have it erased yet again by a baffling on-ice call. Then came the moment that, if the Wild make the playoffs, could be looked back at as the catalyst for saving the entire season.

It's been no secret that Josh Harding has been playing with an injured hip as of late, and he took more abuse to that joint during the scrum and beating the created Edmonton's second goal. Shortly after that, completely out of position, Harding dove across the net mouth, just trying to stifle an Edmonton shot and hold the game at 2. It was a brilliant save, and should get plenty of replay, but it was immediately followed by the image of the Wild's goaltender laying flat on the ice, unable to get back up. He was eventually helped off of the ice, and Minnesota needed to rely on another unproven goaltender in Anton Khudobin. The Wild fired off two goals to take the lead, and Khudobin performed admirably in relief, securing his first NHL victory with under ten minutes of work. Expect him to get more work than that upcoming, as the odds are good that the Wild will be without their top two goaltenders for some time.

Game pluses:
- Goaltending. Josh Harding was huge, and obviously playing through pain, but still managed to keep his team in the game. As soon as he went down, there was a sense that the season was slipping away, but Anton Khudobin, who has suffered his own streak of bad luck, was able to keep Edmonton from scoring again. The fans responded in a big way, and gave Khudobin a large boost.
- Martin Havlat. The Wild's top player was absolutely brilliant against Edmonton, and, with the Wild dressing 7 defensemen, Havlat ended up being double-shifted. He took every opportunity handed to him, and played possibly his best game in a Wild jersey.
- Guillaume Latendresse. The guy that helped spark Havlat's play earlier in the season continues to play his game, and play it well. While his game-winning goal was nice, his feed to set up Havlat's second goal of the game showed his overall hockey awareness.

Game minuses:
- Injury. Nothing can take away Harding's brilliant save. However, the Wild really need to sweep their home stand if they want to have playoff aspirations, and that task just got a lot harder with Harding reaggravating his hip injury.
- Andrew Brunette. For someone who's normally so good just a couple of feet away from the net, Brunette had a very off game. He had at least three opportunities to convert from the goal mouth, and just pushed the puck wide each time.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson again looked soft in the defensive zone, and had some mind-boggling plays with the puck, creating chances for the Oilers.

Next up: The Wild come back on Saturday with a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Minnesota has done well against the Eastern Conference this season, and really needs to continue that trend right now.

2009-10 Game Fifty-Four: Wild 1, Avalanche 0

Suffice it to say, but this most recent victory was anything but by the book. For most of the game, it was easy to see which team was playing in the second night of a back-to-back situation, and which team had been resting for a couple of days. But somehow, the Minnesota Wild pulled out a victory, snatching it from the jaws of defeat with under five minutes to play. They finished their season series against the Colorado Avalanche with an impressive 5-1 mark, and the way the contests have gone this season, Colorado is probably hoping that they won't see this same Minnesota team again come playoff time.

The Wild were outplayed for much of the game, and they couldn't mount much of an offense. However, in many ways, the Avalanche had just as many problems, and they weren't able to get the puck into the Wild net, despite a goaltender suffering through hip problems who was playing for the second night in a row. Still, with the way that this season has gone for Minnesota, they had to feel in good shape entering the third period tied. They took control of the final frame again, creating the game's only goal with some hard-nosed hockey. It wasn't pretty, but this Wild team needs road wins more than they need pretty wins.

Game pluses:
- Martin Havlat. He started the play that created the game-winning goal, so it was only fitting that he get to finish it. Still, nobody could have expected that Havlat would be able to score while smothered by three Colorado defenders. This is the player that the Wild made the big off-season move for, and he's definitely feeling his game now.
- Kyle Brodziak. Brodziak played the puck well, and his positioning and awareness showed when he fed the puck back to Havlat for the winner.
- Josh Harding. Harding needs to get some more goal support, but completing a shut-out while banged up and exhausted had to feel good. Interesting to note that the last time Harding played two nights in a row, he won both of those, as well.

Game minuses:
- Power play. The Wild just couldn't get anything done with the man advantage, and that ineptness almost burned them in the end. While winning the game takes away the sting, it should never have been close.
- Passing. Part of the reason why the Wild couldn't do anything on the power play is because they simply didn't have a passing touch all night long. They couldn't get the puck from tape to tape, with a few exceptions. Even when the passes were crisp, too often they were a little too late to turn into a scoring chance.
- Injuries. Niklas Backstrom is out with back problems. Josh Harding aggravated his sore hip, which casts doubt on his ability to play Saturday. Owen Nolan took a slap shot to the hand. The Wild was just starting to get healthy again, so the last thing they need is more players to miss time, especially when both goaltenders are questionable.

Next up: The Wild look to keep their roll going when they take on the San Jose Sharks.

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.

2009-10 Game Forty-Nine: Wild 4, Coyotes 6

Too little, too late. That might be the mantra for the Wild season, but it was certainly in play against the Phoenix Coyotes. The Wild had a golden opportunity to do what they've done so many times this season, entering the third period down by a goal. Cue the circus music and the defensive lapses, and the Wild suddenly found themselves in a 5-1 hole. That was followed by Minnesota firing off three goals, including two power play markers, to bring themselves back to within one, but that ended up being all she wrote, as Phoenix took advantage of another opportunity to seal the deal.

Part of the Wild's current woes certainly deal with only one line really being active and playing well throughout the game, and it certainly isn't the "top" line of Mikko Koivu, Andrew Brunette, and Antti Miettinen. The Wild will be shuffling those players around before the Dallas game, and it could lead to some interesting new combinations. It could also see a player return to the ice after a long hiatus, in the form of Petr Sykora.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Hard to argue with a guy who gets a hat trick, and had a couple of opportunities for more. He now leads the Wild in goals scored.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat had three assists to help drive what offense the Wild showed, and his chemistry with Latendresse is amazing.
- Kyle Brodziak. Rounding out Minnesota's best line, Brodziak was solid at center, and he engineered a couple of the tic-tac-toe plays the ended up in the net.

Game minuses:
- Top line. A combined -13. Almost no shots. No goals whatsoever. Is it any wonder that they're being split up?
- James Sheppard. Sheppard was something of a ghost on the ice, not really making himself visible. When he did appear, it seemed like it was to make a bad play. Not good for a kid trying to prove that he belongs in the league.
- Niklas Backstrom. True, more than a couple of the six goals he gave up were on plays that he had no chance of stopping. But Backstrom needed to do more to find a way to keep Phoenix out of the net on the other plays, and he simply didn't have the stuff in the desert.

Next up: The Wild face the Dallas Stars in Dallas, looking for a positive end to this road trip.

2009-10 Game Forty-Eight: Wild 0, Blues 1

For many, this most recent game for the Minnesota Wild was bound to happen eventually. Not playing against St. Louis, but totally collapsing, not having any energy, and not looking like they had any business playing hockey. In fact, this sort of game was expected after the Wild used a ton of energy and hockey smarts beating Chicago in that thrilling come-from-behind affair. The two games that followed, against Pittsburgh and Vancouver, certainly carried their fair share of physicality, to go with the grueling shortened schedule. But, after four high octane games, it was seemingly inevitable that the Wild would collapse.

The funny thing is, even with the collapse, the Wild had plenty of chances to win the game, going up against a St. Louis Blues team that's still trying to find its game after their head coach was replaced. Minnesota just didn't assemble enough effort to take any real good chances, and they came up short on a night where neither team really deserved to win.

Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. The Wild's back-up goaltender did everything he could to keep the Wild in the game, but they need to give him some help on a more regular basis. Far too often during his career, Harding has gotten the start and played well, but the skaters in front of him can't put together simple passes.
- Guillaume Latendresse. The only Wild player to look like he wanted to play offensive hockey for the night was Latendresse, and he directly created the only real scoring threats that the Wild had.
- Greg Zanon. Zanon was solid in the defensive zone, blocking shots and holding good positioning. If Zanon hadn't been playing as well as he did, Harding might have been staring at 50+ shots on goal, instead of the 37 that he did face.

Game minuses:
- Power play. It's been said before, and it needs to be said again. When the game is on the line, if you're given a power play, you need to take advantage of it. Instead, the Wild could barely move the puck, even when they had the man advantage. In fact, the power play displayed some of the worst puck handling of the night.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat's turned his game on recently, but he wasn't clicking against the Blues. More than one turnover came directly off of his stick, and the Wild's best chance of the game was shot just wide, instead of buried by Havlat in the wide open net.
- Fire. When your team has fewer than ten shots through two periods, and it isn't because the other team is playing stellar defense, you know the players aren't into the game. The Wild weren't shooting, weren't passing, and weren't hitting.

Next up: The Wild take a day to regroup and recover, and then they face the Phoenix Coyotes.

2009-10 Game Forty-Six: Wild 4, Penguins 3

The Minnesota Wild and the Pittsburgh Penguins played dueling forwards in Saint Paul. Lining up in that role for Pittsburgh was Sidney Crosby, the type of player that the league doesn't see that often. His counterpart for the Minnesota Wild was someone who wasn't even part of the team at the beginning of the season, but is quickly becoming proof that the Wild front office have an eye for talent that will fit. And who could have guessed that Guillaume Latendresse would end up coming up on the better side of things than "Sid the Kid"?

In all honesty, the Wild just outplayed the Penguins, and they kept their composure better. It seemed like all of the extracurriculars were started by guys in white jerseys, obviously frustrated that, even though they dumped almost forty shots on net, they were getting beat by a team that had barely put together twenty shots themselves. That, and Pittsburgh had to be feeling pressure, not wanting to fall to the Wild like Chicago did. At the end of the day, they took their own route to defeat, as the Wild pulled off another come-from-behind victory, and won their NHL-leading 17th one-goal game this season.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Latendresse had the biggest night of his career, and he electrified the Xcel Energy Center crowd. One game after capping the Wild's huge comeback with the tying goal against the Blackhawks, Latendresse played a part in all four Minnesota goals, scoring the game winner.
- Martin Havlat. Latendresse may have found his home, but he apparently brought Marty Havlat's game with him. Havlat scored a goal of his own, and now has an eight-game point streak. His give-and-go with Latendresse was fantastic to watch.
- Niklas Backstrom. Sure, he gave up three goals. But he stopped far more chances than he had any right to, including a brilliant glove save that may have sealed the game for the Wild. Not a surprise, as Backstrom has a habit of bouncing back strong after getting pulled from a game.

Game minuses:
- Antti Miettinen. Right now, he's something of a non-presence on the ice, unless you're looking for someone to shoot the puck wide. Something needs to be shaken up on the Wild's top line, and Miettinen might be the odd man out.
- Power play. As it turns out, the Wild didn't need to score with the extra man, but they had a beautiful opportunity to do so during a five-minute major. However, as so many Wild power plays have gone this season, the puck was cycled without any real threat in the offensive zone. Something has to click.
- Sergei Gonchar. Normally, events for the Wild are focused on here. But it's hard to ignore what Sergei Gonchar did to Cal Clutterbuck in retaliation for a clean hit. Gonchar may face suspension for his hit, since it certainly looked like there was an intent to cause injury. He also got lucky to not get tossed out of the game for misconduct. Clutterbuck may antagonize other players, but it's largely because he's physical and plays a clean game. There was no excuse for what Gonchar did, and he deserves to sit for a while because of it.

Next up: The Wild started this current winning streak by beating a divisional opponent. Can they keep it going by taking their first victory of the season from the Vancouver Canucks?

2009-10 Game Forty-Three: Wild 1, Blackhawks 4

Will the real Minnesota Wild please report to the Xcel Energy Center? Is the Wild the team that rattled off ten wins through December, thanks to some opportunistic goal scoring and impressive defense? Or are they the team that's currently in a tailspin, finding themselves further and further from a playoff spot thanks to a four-game losing streak, while surrendering at least three goals for the past six games?

More troubling, are both teams the current representation of the Wild? The last four losses, with the exception of the game against the Ducks, the Wild were playing against teams that have propelled themselves towards the NHL's elite, and the last two games specifically have been against conference leaders. The Wild simply don't have the finishers to make themselves competitive against some of the better teams in the league. Maybe today's call-up of Robbie Earl will help pull this team off of their recent skid, but even Earl's call-up makes for some interesting managerial moves.

Plain and simply, Robbie Earl playing tonight, unless it gets deemed an emergency call-up due to players being injured, means that he'll have to be thrown on waivers before returning to Houston, so he could end up being here for the long haul. This is due to Earl not being on an entry-level contract, so his free call-up time was limited. With the Wild's playoff hopes dimming rapidly, it might also be the best time of year for GM Chuck Fletcher to start seriously evaluating who he would like to see wearing a Minnesota Wild jersey next season, and start trying to work his magic through trades to improve the team in the long run. Remember, it wasn't too long ago that the Chicago Blackhawks were one of the worst teams in the league, and through good drafting and smart trades, they assembled themselves into a powerhouse. It's time for Fletcher to start making moves to help the Wild do that in the next couple of years.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Proof that Fletcher can spot talent that fits his team, Latendresse has been a huge acquisition for the Wild, and he notched another goal against the Blackhawks. He had another couple of chances later in the game, but was stifled on each.
- Martin Havlat. Wild fans are starting to see the type of player that Havlat can be on any given night, as he continues to direct the play around him. He helped set up the Latendresse goal, and created chances for plenty of other players.
- Clayton Stoner. Stoner may not have had the strongest game of the season, but his poise while playing against some of the bigger and tougher NHL teams has been impressive, and he hasn't made any glaring mistakes.

Game pluses:
- Kyle Brodziak. Yes, the line of Brodziak/Havlat/Latendresse was buzzing the net all night, but Brodziak was one of a few Wild players to show a problem that the team has. When the puck ended up on his stick, he just couldn't finish and take the goal.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette suffered the same problems as Brodziak, not being able to finish. Brunette had opportunities at wide open nets, but delayed too long, allowing Chicago to get back into position, turning a golden opportunity into a momentum breaker.
- Greg Zanon. The third minus almost went to the Wild for allowing so many odd-man rushes, or to the officials for some glaring no-calls, especially when Josh Harding was knocked down shortly before Chicago's second goal. However, Zanon was plagued all night by bad passes and out-of-position play. His clearing attempt in the third period that gave Chicago the 5-on-3 power play was just the capper to a rough night.

Next up: The schedule just doesn't look good for the Wild, as they come fresh off of playing the New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks, only to return home and face the Calgary Flames, a team that has regularly had the Wild's number.

2009-10 Game Forty-Two: Wild 3, Devils 5

Don't look now, but the Minnesota Wild are in a pile of trouble. With one of the toughest parts of their schedule just getting under way, everything is starting to turn the wrong direction. A strong December moved the Wild up in the standings, but, with so many hockey games being worth three points now, it wasn't enough to get them to crack the top eight in the Western Conference. And now they are in the middle of a three-game losing streak, having given up at least four goals in each of those contests.

The Wild were shown just how far they still have to go to compete with the elite teams in the league Saturday night, when the New Jersey Devils got outplayed in most areas of the ice except for where it counted. Minnesota had energy and a lot of jump, but couldn't do enough to beat Martin Brodeur, and the Devils took advantage of every single Minnesota mistake, turning them into goals. The lack of pure goal scorers was shown, as the Wild had many chances at mostly open nets, but too often the puck was turned harmlessly aside.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Watching Koivu's shorthanded goal, and the way he continues to scrap for every inch of ice, and it's easy to see why the Wild are being built around him.
- Cal Clutterbuck. The Wild's bowling ball was showing a more offensive side to his game, and his shots were buzzing the net well. He simply was up against the NHL's premier goaltender.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat's awareness was most evident during Eric Belanger's goal, but he was directing the play when he was on the ice all night, and it kept allowing the Wild to get good chances. Now to work on the finish.

Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard played a stronger game than he has recently, but he still doesn't have the ability to finish. Sheppard was robbed at least twice by Brodeur on what should have been easy empty-net goals.
- Line changes. The Devils took advantage of Wild mistakes, and a couple of times, Minnesota got caught in the middle of a line change, giving New Jersey an almost unhindered look at the net.
- Letting down. Mikko Koivu had just tied the hockey game, and the Wild had all of the momentum, especially with the period about to end in less than a minute. The very next shift, the Wild gave up a goal with under five seconds to play, and they never recovered. The Wild have been prone to big let downs after scoring in the past, and they need to find a way to keep themselves from taking a mental break.

Next up: As stated above, the Wild schedule doesn't get any easier, as they play against the Chicago Blackhawks next.

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

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

It's amazing what twelve seconds can do.

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

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

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

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

2009-10 Game Thirty-Six: Wild 3, Avalanche 4

There's no place like home, and, after the way the most recent road trip ended up, the Minnesota Wild had to be happy to return to their arena. They also got the benefit of playing against an opponent that they've had the number of over the last few years, including a 4-0 mark against this season. It was bound to help shake some of the problems lingering from Ottawa.

Well, maybe the Wild took Colorado for granted. Maybe the players still don't have their heads fully in the game. One thing that is certain is that the Wild didn't put together much of an effort as a team until the third period, and that they actively worked to cripple themselves. Of course, it also didn't help that the officials didn't do a lot to control the game at the start, and, by the time that the game became a physical contest (one which took the Wild out of their own heads), it was too late for the refs to do anything more than call a few weak penalties. Unfortunately, a fair number of those went against Minnesota, including one simply because #24 was the one doing the hitting.

Game pluses:
- Clayton Stoner. The kid can definitely play with the big boys, and got to prove that for the first time in front of the home fans. Aside from his physical play, Stoner also delivered the beautiful pass creating Martin Havlat's goal, and almost put a shot in for the tying marker.
- Owen Nolan. Give the veteran a lot of credit for a patient goal, and for playing well in his return from injury. The biggest thing that Nolan brought, though, was his old self, as he flew to the defense of teammates all game, even being willing to take penalties to make sure the Avalanche knew who was on the ice.
- Cal Clutterbuck. Clutterbuck is the type of guy to get under your skin, and he drew a couple of penalties to give the Wild chances to climb back into the game. He also got the scoring started for Minnesota, thanks to a beautiful shorthanded goal.

Game minuses:
- Greg Zanon. Zanon wasn't his usual imposing, defensive self against the Avalanche, and he had problems staying on his feet. A less-than-effective Zanon was a strange experience for this year's Wild team.
- Niklas Backstrom. Equipment struggles or not, Backstrom just isn't on top of his game, and he hasn't been as stellar this year from start to finish as he has been in year's past. Many of the shots that have beaten him this season have been pucks that he would normally have stopped, and he got victimized yet again, giving up four goals for the second game in a row.
- Power play. Something has to give. The Wild power play has been awful recently, and a misplayed puck coupled with a bad line change handed the Avalanche their fourth goal on a silver platter. Fixing what's wrong won't be easy, but something has to be done to help this team out, or the man advantage will continue to be a detriment.

Next up: The Wild get to stay at home, as they welcome the Edmonton Oilers to their rink.

2009-10 Game Thirty-Five: Wild 1, Senators 4

How do you spell "adversity"? If you're an NHL fan, you just might spell it "Minnesota Wild". The Wild had more than their fair share of adversity heading into their game against the Ottawa Senators. If Minnesota had found a way to win the game, it might have ranked as one of the biggest surprises the NHL had ever seen. As it was, the Wild played hard, with a lot of energy, but it was easy to tell that the team was not on the same page as each other mentally.

Facing a goaltender in his NHL debut, the Wild had chances, but couldn't seem to get the puck into the net. Pucks left untouched in open areas, posts hit, and shots just misdirected right into the Ottawa goaltender left the Wild exposed to chances, and the Senators made the most of theirs. On a night where most of the Wild was playing with unfamiliar equipment, they put forth a strong effort, but couldn't find a way to capitalize on any of the mistakes made by Ottawa, and left the short road trip with a 1-1 record.

Game pluses:
- Wild staff. The fact that the Wild was able to take the ice at all against Ottawa, let alone play a relatively physical game, is thanks to the Wild staff, who put in extra time making sure that the team had the materials to play.
- Martin Havlat. True, the goal that extended Havlat's points streak was an accidental deflection off of his angle, but Havlat was playing well, in spite of having lost much of his gear. His shot after getting tripped almost went in, and shows that he is finding his game.
- Clayton Stoner. Playing in only his second NHL game, Stoner clocked a lot of ice time, scored his first NHL point by assisting on Havlat's goal, and was a strong defensive presence all game.

Game minuses:
- Adversity. Not only were the Wild playing their 21st game (out of 35) on the road, and not only did they have to deal with randomized gear for the most part, but they also got hit with a flu bug, shortening the bench even further. For all intents and purposes, the Wild only had 10 forwards for the game, and it showed by the end.
- Niklas Backstrom. It was easy to see that Backstrom was not himself, and he didn't really look like himself all game. Chalk it up to the difficulties of the past 24 hours, and not having gear he was familiar with. Still, why not give Anton Khudobin a shot in a game against a non-conference opponent, when it's more important to get on the ice and play than it is to put together a perfect contest?
- Power plays. The best way to overcome adversity is to embrace every advantage given. The Wild were given plenty, thanks to Ottawa marching to the penalty box. Unfortunately, the Wild power play was completely disjointed, and couldn't often connect on a pass, let alone get a shot towards the goal.

Next up: The Wild return home, and hopefully return to a better sense of self, as they face the Colorado Avalanche.

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 Thirty-Two: Wild 3, Canucks 4

The end of an extended road trip. The sixth game in eight days. Fresh off of an unlikely, but energetic win. It wouldn't surprise anyone if the Minnesota Wild had come out flat against the Vancouver Canucks, and skated quietly into the night. Instead, the Wild showed life, and, if it hadn't been for some very questionable officiating, the Wild might have finished their time away from Saint Paul with a 4-1 road mark.

However, regardless of the penalty status, the Wild did start off a bit slow, and that allowed the Canucks to get a quick jump. When given that opportunity, few take it as quickly or as efficiently as the Sedin twins, who put up huge nights against Minnesota. It certainly didn't help that the Wild penalty kill was as strong as wet paper, and that Josh Harding played one of his worst games in awhile. Still, the Wild didn't shut down, and made a game of it, continually fighting to get back into it. This is drastically different from the team that began this season.

Game pluses:
- Martin Havlat. Havlat definitely looks like he's found his game. After playing a part in both Wild goals against Calgary, he followed up by notching a goal and two assists. The last two games, Havlat has been the catalyst for the offense, and this can only help the team.
- Faceoffs. The Wild won over 70% of the faceoffs against the Canucks, and that number helped create an exciting end to the game. Unfortunately, Minnesota didn't do enough to capitalize on that puck possession advantage.
- Surprising contributions. Who would have guessed that, before Havlat, the Wild goal scorers would be Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy? Both defensemen scooped up fantastic feeds from Martin Havlat, and put terrific shots into the net.

Game minuses:
- Game ownership. The Wild had the advantage in faceoffs, in shots, and, in many ways, in control of the game when playing it five-on-five. And yet they stopped moving the puck, instead relying on the method of shooting pucks straight into the goaltender's body. The Wild need to get better about getting the opposing goalie moving, or getting shots on net that are likely to create rebounds.
- Josh Harding. True, Harding played the game while battling an illness, and that may have contributed to his poor showing. He also didn't secure the posts, and dropped into his butterfly far too quickly. Vancouver knew it, and they showed it by putting shots up and towards the corners.
- Special teams. The Wild got victimized by questionable penalties, but didn't do enough to kill off Vancouver power plays. When they got their chance with the man advantage, including a full four minutes, they retreated to the old system of making too many passes, and not getting enough shots on net. Now that the rest of the game seems to be clicking, it might be time for the Wild to look seriously at their special teams, and figure out what needs to be done to make them work again.

Next up: The Wild return home for one game, facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

2009-10 Game Thirty-One: Wild 2, Flames 1 (OT)

A sign that a team really is different from year-to-year is the way that they approach an opponent, and an arena, that has often thwarted even their best efforts. While the Minnesota Wild may not be ready to completely shake off the demons of playing in Calgary, for one night, at least, they were able to do something they hadn't done in almost three years; they won inside of the Saddledome.

In previous years, the Wild were a team that didn't spend a ton of time in the attacking zone. They would get their chances, but then they would retreat into a defensive style of play, and just try to hang on. This time, the Wild utilized a strong forecheck to keep the Flames from assembling much of an offense, and, if it hadn't been for the Wild trying to shoot through Miikka Kiprusoff instead of around him, the Flames wouldn't have even gotten a point out of the game. For one night, at least, the Calgary demons that have haunted the Wild in the past were put to rest.

Game pluses:
- Martin Havlat. Havlat played great against the Flames while in Chicago, and leave it to Calgary to find a way to reignite his game. Great feeds lead to scoring chances, and his puck awareness put the winner into the yawning net. Wild fans are starting to see what kind of player Havlat can really be.
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild netminder didn't have to duel with Kiprusoff in total shots faced, but he performed just as admirably when the game was on the line. One of these two goaltenders will probably be starting for Finland in the Olympics.
- Derek Boogaard. Take away Boogaard's fight early on, and you still have a pretty good game. Boogaard was a presence on the ice, almost getting the puck into the net once, and he was right there, just in case James Sheppard couldn't make his goal count.

Game minuses:
- Power play. The Wild had an extended 5-on-3, and couldn't get the puck into the net. Antti Miettinen had the best opportunity, but the Wild just couldn't get the man advantage to click.
- Shot selection. Kiprusoff is a big goalie, but that doesn't explain why the Wild decided the best place to put the puck was right into the center of his chest on far too many shots. The Wild heavily outshot the Flames, but just couldn't move the puck enough to fool Kiprusoff most of the night.
- Kim Johnsson. For a defenseman who's supposed to be an offensive asset, and someone who's supposed to have good overall awareness, Johnsson needs to show that he knows where things are on the ice. Too often, he makes mistakes at the blue line that could cost the Wild the game.

Next up: The Wild left Calgary, but stayed within the Northwest Division, wrapping up their road trip with a visit to Vancouver.

2009-10 Game Twenty-Nine: Wild 0, Coyotes 2

All good things must come to an end. When Minnesota and Phoenix clashed, they were representing teams that hadn't lost since Thanksgiving. The Wild did it through offense, putting up big scores on the way to their five game winning streak. The Coyotes did it through defense, shutting down opponents to win four in a row themselves.

Well, they say defense wins championships. The way both teams played in the desert, neither one should be looking at the Stanley Cup all too expectantly, but the Coyotes were able to stifle a Wild team that couldn't get itself moving in the right direction. More often than not, Minnesota shut themselves down, coughing up the puck instead of moving it with any efficiency. They couldn't pass, couldn't shoot, and, with Cal Clutterbuck and Derek Boogaard out of the line-up, they couldn't hit. To make matters worse, the game only got more physical as it wore on, and the Wild didn't have an answer for a Coyotes team that was allowed to skate pretty freely, doing whatever they felt without worry of repercussions from the refs. Even when the Wild did get a power play, it was almost a guarantee that they would shut themselves down with an errant pass.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom was victimized by two quick goals in the second period, but he also bailed the Wild out more often. If he hadn't played as well as he did, the game would have gotten out of hand much sooner.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat was one of the few Wild players who seemed to show any sort of spark in the offensive zone. Unfortunately, the guy's just snakebit, as his coast-to-coast play showed.
- Mikko Koivu. Another skater that was pushing through the game, Koivu almost dropped the puck into the net a few times. Unfortunately for Minnesota, nothing was working.

Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. He may be feeling the pressure since recent trades, but Sheppard just looks like he's trying too hard, without actually having an idea of where his teammates are, or how to effectively play.
- Kim Johnsson. Maybe he hasn't shaken the flu bug quite yet. Johnsson seemingly had an aversion to the puck, coughing it up all game long, and often doing so in dangerous spots on the ice.
- Officiating. Not to say that the Wild deserved to win but got crippled by the officials, which isn't the case. The Wild played a horrible game, but they certainly weren't helped by penalty calls off of weak incidents (any of the Wild's slashing penalties, but most notably the first), or non-calls that fly in the face of the NHL's desire to protect players (the forearm hit against Andrew Ebbett by Ed Jovanovski, and the pummeling of James Sheppard by Vernon Fiddler). The league should definitely take a closer look at the game, but there is a question how much their ownership of the Coyotes is affecting things, as well.

Next up: The Wild look to recover from a very down performance Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. The Wild have fared well against Colorado so far this season, having defeated the Avalanche all three times the teams have faced each other thus far.