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 Eighty-One: Wild 2, Flames 1 (SO)

At the start of the season, it would have been hard to anticipate the outcome of the Minnesota Wild's penultimate game for the 2009-10 season. The way that the Calgary Flames lit up the competition in their first ten games, very few people expected that they would skate into game 81 having been eliminated from playoff contention. After seasons of futility against their division rivals, nobody could have anticipated that the Minnesota Wild would be looking for their fifth win in the season series, having only dropped one game at home. Even looking at recent history, with the seemingly crippling number of injuries and the amount of untested players being asked to contribute, it seemed unreal to believe that the Wild could topple the Flames.

Topple them they did, though. In a hard-fought, physical game, filled with penalties for both sides, the Wild and their young guns came out the victors. A scary moment came in the third period, with the score tied at 1 and the Wild on the penalty kill, as Niklas Backstrom took a puck to his throat and had to leave the game, but Minnesota responded by continuing to shut down the Flames fizzling offense, and, in the shootout, the only player who didn't use Mikko Koivu's signature move was Koivu himself, as both Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen tallied goals to give the Wild the win.

Game pluses:
- Youth movement. A lot of credit has to go to the way that Cody Almond, Casey Wellman, Robbie Earl, and Nate Prosser played. None of these players were with the Wild to start the season. With the exception of Earl, none were with them at the trade deadline. And yet those four are showing a lot of potential, and they could all make big splashes on the NHL stage next season.
- Penalty killers. The Wild found themselves shorthanded often enough that they may have thought a new rule was inserted that only gave them four skaters on the ice. And yet the penalty kill came up huge, especially with players like Greg Zanon sacrificing themselves to stop the puck.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom has had a shaky season, and had to struggle through injuries. Against Calgary, though, he was brilliant, with the only Flames goal coming thanks to one bad rebound.

Game minuses:
- Power play. The Wild got their regulation goal on the only power play that looked like it had an idea of what to do. The rest of the time, Minnesota couldn't get set up in the offensive zone, and couldn't move the puck well.
- Communication. Passes went to the wrong places, and more than once, it looked like Wild players didn't know where their teammates were.
- Injuries. The Wild came into the game having lost 333 man-games to injury, and were missing another six players before the puck dropped. Over the course of the game, another two players went down, and at least one is guaranteed to not play in the season finale. The Wild definitely have to look at how their guys are training, to help keep them from injury. By the same token, the NHL needs to look more seriously at how some players are getting injured, and how some penalties are doled out. This is a league-wide problem, and, while the first step has been taken, at least with regards to head-shots, sometimes it's the boarding and other assorted penalties that carry larger impacts.

Next up: The Wild finish the season against the team that used to call Minnesota home, and they get to do it in front of their hometown fans. The Dallas Stars come calling on Saturday as the 2009-10 season wraps up.

2009-10 Game Eight: Wild 1, Oilers 4

The Minnesota Wild skated into Edmonton banged up, and still reeling a bit from their recent losses. Neither of those may be bad things, overall. With the number of injured players, and the fact that the team is just playing to finish out the season, some of the newer faces are getting an opportunity to play with the big club. While the Wild doesn't want to finish the season looking like a team holding try-outs, the experience being given to their rookies could prove to be very valuable down the road.

However, while the rookies are showing a lot of compete, and some flashes of brilliance that could make for a memorable season down the road, the team as a whole just isn't playing together as a unit. When the forecheck is there, players can't get into the lane to take shots. When the shots are there, passes may be completely off the mark. Defensive breakdowns hang their goaltender out to dry, and the player between the pipes hasn't been able to keep soft shots from fooling them. This season has definitely worn the Wild down, but, thanks to injuries, fans might be getting an early preview for next season.

Game pluses:
- Nate Prosser. Prosser wasn't expected to do anything more than practice with the Wild since he was signed as a free agent. The injury bug changed all that, and Prosser put up some big minutes against Edmonton, also netting his first NHL point with an assist.
- Casey Wellman. Wellman has game-breaking speed and ability. All he needs is focus, and a better handle on when to shoot. Those will come, hopefully sooner, rather than later.
- Cody Almond. Another of the Wild's young guns played well, providing a spark when he was on the ice. Almond has struggled with injuries this season in Houston, but getting the chance to play with the Wild should bring big results for next year.

Game minuses:
- Power play. Not to sound like a broken record, but again, the power play was less than futile, and it coughed up yet another shorthanded goal.
- Cam Barker. Barker is just coming back from a couple of games away due to injury, but he hasn't shown the mobility and physical nature that made him an intriguing acquisition this season.
- Niklas Backstrom. Yes, Backstrom was hung out to dry on a few shots, and he made some of the impossible saves look easy. But Backstrom was also victimized by weak shots, and definitely doesn't look like the same goaltender as last season.

Next up: The Wild skate to Calgary for the penultimate game of their 2009-10 season.

2009-10 Game Seventy-Nine: Wild 3, Canucks 4 (OT)

In their first game officially out of the playoff race, the Minnesota Wild looked like a team that was on the brink of depression. At least, they did for the first forty minutes, where they just couldn't muster much in the way of offense, team spirit, or even a willingness to take to the ice. This was most notable in the lackluster response given when members of the Vancouver Canucks bowled over goaltender Niklas Backstrom. The Wild just didn't have a response, and, even though the power play was given chance after chance, nothing was happening.

That is, until the final period of the game. In those last twenty minutes, the Wild played some tough hockey, and capped it with a thrilling final minute of play, to push the Canucks into overtime. In the end, it wasn't enough, as the Wild fell yet again, but the last minute heroics may have set the stage for some things Wild fans might want to get used to next season.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. It takes a tough goaltender to get run over all night long, and still keep his team in the game. Backstrom was the only reason that the Wild were within reach of Vancouver all night long, and he almost helped his team steal the game, even when being knocked flat onto the ice.
- Cody Almond. The Wild rookie notched his first NHL goal, scoring off of a pretty pass from fellow rookie, Casey Wellman. It helped create the last-minute heroics.
- No quit. The Wild haven't played the entire season like they had nothing to lose, but they managed to put together a thrilling twenty minutes based on pride and hard work. If it hadn't been for a questionable call in the overtime, Minnesota might have been the team skating away with two points.

Game minuses:
- Power play. No doubt about it, the Wild power play has struggled all season, and again came up empty with an extended 5-on-3. They also coughed up their NHL-leading 12th shorthanded goal, looking foolish while doing so.
- Penalties. Both teams got thrown into the box numerous times all night long, and that might mean a short postseason for Vancouver. However, some of the penalties (namely, the high sticking against Greg Zanon in the overtime, and the hooking against James Sheppard to give Vancouver a 5-on-3 advantage) really seemed like calls that shouldn't have been made, and dramatically changed the tone of the game.
- Playing for team. The Wild didn't have much of a team mentality through the beginning of the game. They allowed their goaltender to get pushed around, and, while interference penalties were called, Minnesota didn't do anything on their own to deter Vancouver from continuing to play that style.

Next up: The Wild skate into Edmonton, to finish their season series against the Oilers.

2009-10 Game Seventy-Eight: Wild 2, Sharks 3

After the way the Wild played against the Chicago Blackhawks, they had to find something within themselves to get ready and return to the ice. It might have been even more important during their game against the San Jose Sharks, thanks to needing a win to stay mathematically in the playoff chase, and because it was their Fan Appreciation Night. The Wild have always had a strong connection to their fans, and that made Friday night's game something special for the team of 18,000.

It's just too bad that all of this happened against a Sharks team looking ready to steamroll through the early part of the playoffs. The Wild fought hard, and played with good intensity, but ended up coming up just short against the Western Conference leaders. The loss also confirmed what many have known for weeks; the Minnesota Wild will be watching this season's playoffs on television, instead of participating in them. Still, for a team that wasn't expected to make much noise in the conference, to last this far into the season before being officially out of the chase is an impressive feat.

Game pluses:
- Cal Clutterbuck. Clutterbuck tied his own personal record with ten hits. He also got things rolling for Minnesota, thanks to being in the right place at the right time, as his goal bounced off of his chest.
- Antti Miettinen. Yes, Miettinen can score goals, and he did so on the power play to bring the game back to even.
- James Sheppard. Much maligned, Sheppard has started to find his game, and almost put Minnesota in front, thanks to a penalty shot opportunity. He still has a lot of growing to do, however, and it may not be done in Minnesota.

Game minuses:
- Short bench. The Wild played a very physical game, and did so with only 11 forwards. With a team as offensively talented as San Jose, missing even one forward can definitely turn the game.
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild's goaltender has been somewhat exposed by the system, but a couple of fluky goals snuck past him, allowing San Jose to sweep the season series.
- Season. The season hasn't come to a complete close for the Wild, but there has to be a sense of sadness over officially ending their playoff chances. Not that there should have been much expectation for Minnesota to perform well in the playoffs, but knowing that it's time to look ahead to next season is always sobering.

Next up: The Wild finished up their season series against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

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.

2009-10 Game Seventy-Four: Wild 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

Which was going to happen? Was Minnesota going to continue their good play against the Eastern Conference, or were they going to fall apart on the road? Would the Wild halt yet another opponent's losing streak, or would they battle hard and play the role of spoiler for a team desperate for playoff positioning? The way things looked at the start of the game, it certainly seemed like Philadelphia had the Wild's number. But, once the final horn sounded, the Wild were the ones skating away with two points.

The first five minutes were awful for Minnesota, as they squandered the few good chances that they had, and gave up two quick goals. But after that, the team seemed to calm down and remember what they had come to the rink to do. Even after Philadelphia made it 3-1, the Wild kept crawling back, and the final period and overtime showed exactly why the Flyers are desperate for good goaltending. The game-winning goal wasn't a great shot by any means, but it was knocked into the net by the Flyers themselves, after it was mishandled badly.

Game pluses:
- Casey Wellman. When the Wild looked down and out, one of the players who seemed guaranteed to push into the offensive zone and create chances was Wellman. If he can keep skating like this, his first NHL goal shouldn't be too far away.
- Kyle Brodziak. Brodziak was almost taken out of the game thanks to a high blind-side hit. Instead, he finished strongly, and showed why throwing the puck at the net will result in good things, as he scored the game winner.
- John Scott. The big defenseman had his goal taken away from him, because Andrew Brunette may have tipped the puck out front. Still, Scott was a strong defensive presence, and he definitely created the tying goal. He also was quick to jump to the defense of his team, even if Casey Wellman got there quicker.

Game minuses:
- Andrew Ebbett. The Wild center was skating with the top line, and he was victimized on the two first-period Flyer goals. While he also had a great breakaway chance while shorthanded, he couldn't pull the trigger, with the puck sliding harmlessly to the back wall instead. That goal would have made it 1-0 Minnesota, and instead, a short time later, it was 2-0 Philadelphia.
- Brent Burns. The Wild defenseman is definitely feeling more of his game, but, unfortunately, that game has recently looked unfocused and undisciplined. Burns seems like he's trying to do everything on his own, and he isn't using his vision as well as he could. Forcing the puck up-ice leads to turnovers, and Burns has given up more than his share of pucks recently.
- Niklas Backstrom. Not to take anything away from the way he buckled down and kept the Wild in the game, but the goals given up were not great goals by any means. Backstrom has not shown himself as a lights-out goaltender this season, unlike last season. It may be the difference in the system, but, all told, he still has to find ways to stop the puck, and he hasn't been as strong at that this year.

Next up: The Wild will try and keep their meager playoff hopes alive tonight when they head to Detroit to take on the current 8th place team in the conference, the Red Wings.

2009-10 Game Seventy-Three: Wild 1, Sharks 4

One area where the Minnesota Wild have shown remarkable consistency this up-and-down season is the ability to break other team's losing streaks. Unfortunately, the San Jose Sharks came into town having fallen not only out of the top spot in the conference, but the top spot in their division, and had given up 27 goals in the previous 6 games. The Wild were also facing possible despondency over struggling hard to make up for an awful start to the season, and were still seeing themselves losing ground in the playoff race.

Those elements combined for a big Sharks win, in a game where the Wild just couldn't get things clicking. Minnesota got banged around the ice, and after a few questionable penalties, they seemed to back off somewhat on their own physical play. Meanwhile, the Sharks also broke up their top line, spreading those players out and presenting a defensive challenge to the Wild. Quick, well-placed shots for San Jose were countered with sloppy passes and poor scoring chances, and the end result was determined seemingly from the first face-off.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. The only Wild player to score, and he did it on the power play. Latendresse made some good plays through the night, and created trouble in the San Jose zone.
- Casey Wellman. Wellman looked good playing against the team he grew up cheering for. He used his speed well, and looks to be calming down somewhat on the ice.
- Greg Zanon. Broken ankle or no, Zanon still comes to play, and he showed why he's leading the team in blocked shots, sacrificing his body more than a few times.

Game minuses:
- Brent Burns. Yes, Burns was one of the players who had energy, and seemed to be around the puck a lot. That's part of the problem. Burns was unfocused, and definitely tried to do too much himself. It showed, as he was on the ice for all four San Jose goals.
- Niklas Backstrom. San Jose's first shot ends up in the back of the net. They also got the benefit of a fairly weak goal to keep the game out of reach. Backstrom is the Wild's starting goaltender, but he needs to rediscover the play of the last few seasons.
- Drive. The Wild just didn't look like they had much of a desire to even be at the Xcel, let alone playing against one of the top teams in the league. Everything was out of sync, and now they've got to go on the road. Maybe it's time to shift things around a bit, and see what happens. After all, what's the harm in bumping Latendresse to the first power play line, and giving Wellman a shot?

Next up: The Wild skate to Philadelphia to take on a banged-up Flyers team.

2009-10 Game Sixty-Seven: Wild 3, Sabres 2

Friday, the Minnesota Wild skated into Buffalo. For the team to have any real hope of making it into the post season, they need to just about win every remaining game, and get a lot of help with the teams ahead of them losing. After losing to the Detroit Red Wings the night before to the tune of 5-1, things certainly didn't look good. Things got more dicey for Minnesota when it became clear that Niklas Backstrom will be out for more than just one game.

No worries, Wild fans. Josh Harding answered the call with some amazing goaltending, and the Wild tapped into some grumpiness, complete with the Wild's grizzled veteran, Owen Nolan, sparking the team with physical play and a tough fight. Minnesota also put the puck on the net, beating Buffalo at their own game. Things got interesting at the end of the game, thanks to a late Buffalo goal, but the Wild ended up helping themselves the only way they could, finishing off a very tough Sabres team.

Game pluses:

- Guillaume Latendresse. One game earlier, and Latendresse was being sent off the ice to visit the hospital, thanks to a stick to the back of the head. In this game, he was a strong presence for Minnesota on the ice, scoring a nice goal to put his team up by two.

- Andrew Ebbett. The Wild were looking to get a good start to the game, and Ebbett helped out with that effort, knocking the puck into the net for a rare Minnesota power play goal. Even better, he did it against one of the best penalty kills in the league.

- Josh Harding. Harding did not play well against Detroit, and he admitted to it afterward. Against Buffalo, he played amazingly well, knocking aside 43 shots to keep the Wild in it, and keep them from experiencing another collapse similar to the one they faced against Florida.

Game minuses:

- Killer instinct. The Wild almost gave up another late lead, and it was only the play of Josh Harding that kept them on top of the final score. There were shots that were passed on that might have helped lock things down for the Wild, but they didn't seem insistent after getting a three-goal lead.

- Discipline. The Buffalo Sabres have a lot of weapons, and the Wild kept putting them on the power play. While a few of the penalties were questionable, Minnesota needed to do better to keep themselves out the box.

- James Sheppard. Anyone who thinks that Sheppard is the Wild center of the future is fooling themselves. Sheppard once again was one of the more ineffective players on the ice, either through poor puck handling, or horrible positioning.

Next up: The Wild look to keep playing like they've got nothing to lose when they face another team in a must-win situation, with a game against the St. Louis Blues

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-Two: Wild 4, Flames 0

Now that the Olympics are a memory, the NHL was able to return to its business this week. The Minnesota Wild, with three freshly-minted bronze medal winners, had a little extra rest before they headed to Calgary, to take on a Flames team that has historically knocked the Wild around. There were definitely questions as to how the Wild would play. Would this be the same time that soundly defeated the Vancouver Canucks on Valentine's Day? Or would this be the team that struggled through so many points of this season? Only one thing was crystal clear, and was made so during the team's morning skate. This would not be a team including Eric Belanger any more.

Mere hours after trading the player who has been their best face-off man this season, the Wild dominated that stat against the Flames almost 2-to-1, and used that, along with some very well-placed shots, to derail the Flames, and climb to within four points of the final playoff spot. The Wild know that the road ahead of them is a tough one, but the team is obviously not willing to give up, and, for the first time in franchise history, the Wild have beaten the Flames four times in a row. They have a chance to make it five this weekend, but first, they'll be travelling to Edmonton.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's captain didn't even meet the team until they arrived in Calgary, but that didn't stop him from being all over the ice. Koivu was a dominant force, and he contributed offensively (two points) and defensively (bailing out his goaltender on a couple of rebound chances).
-Owen Nolan. A player that many felt may have been set up to move at the trade deadline instead chose to stay with Minnesota, and his career has given him the respect to do that. He responded with a big game, helping create the Wild's first goal, and providing the veteran grit that the Wild will need down the road.
- Niklas Backstrom. Sure, the start of the game looked a little shaky, and the Wild had to bail out their goaltender, but then Backstrom settled down and made some huge saves on the way to his second shutout of the season.

Game minuses:
- Officiating. Maybe the officials were still on an Olympic break. Absolutely no penalties called until Greg Zanon played the puck with a broken stick? The only other penalty coming on a retaliatory crosscheck? True, the game was fairly clean, but for only two penalties to be called all game long means that the officials weren't quite watching the same contest.
- Shots. The Wild won the game 4-0 with some good offense, so why complain about the shots? Because they didn't take enough of them as the game wore on. In fact, for parts of the second period, they looked like they were Team USA skating against Team Finland. The difference was that Team USA had amassed a six-goal lead, and Team Wild was clinging to a one-goal edge.
- Shane Hnidy. With so much of the Wild defense playing so incredibly well against Calgary, any one making more than a few puck-handling miscues got notice. That one against the Flames was Hnidy, who just couldn't seem to get a handle on the puck through much of the game.

Next up: The Wild look to see if they can keep their roll going against their divisional opponents Friday night, as they take on the Edmonton Oilers.

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 Sixty-One: Wild 6, Canucks 2

It felt like it took a long time to reach the Olympic break, but that's just because NHL teams were playing at such a rapid clip. And, while the next two weeks are all about international play, after the Olympics are over, the league will return to its frantic pace. Of course, the Minnesota Wild had to feel like it took them even longer to reach the break, after the stoppage-filled debacle against Atlanta to start the weekend. The Wild desperately needed something to get them going again, and all it took was a home game against their most-hated rival to spur the team to playing as a unit.

How fitting that they would play so well just before having to play against their regular teammates for a couple of weeks? And how fitting was it that the Wild would end up going into a long break with possibly the biggest swing in momentum they've experienced yet this season? Minnesota still has an outside chance of making the playoffs, but, for the next two weeks, no questions will be answered. With twenty-one games left to play, the Wild sit five points back, and there's a pile of teams ahead of them in the standings. Still, beating Vancouver, and beating them soundly, had to feel good for a team that suffered through a couple of games that they should have won earlier in the week.

Game pluses:
- Kyle Brodziak. It must be something about playing the Canucks. Brodziak has put together very impressive games against Vancouver, notching three points this time around.
- Greg Zanon. While the score was huge in Minnesota's favor, a lot of the defensive play was looked over. Zanon acted as a secondary goaltender a few times, helping keep the puck out of the net when Niklas Backstrom found himself out of position.
- Cam Barker. The newest member of the Minnesota Wild played a strong game, keeping it simple in his first appearance. He stood tall defensively, and blasted his first Wild goal into the net. The goal may have been meaningless for the score, but it spoke volumes for Barker.

Game minuses:
- Niklas Backstrom. He wasn't stellar in net, but, thankfully, didn't have to be, thanks to some help from Zanon, Barker, and a huge outpouring of goals from his teammates.
- Eric Belanger. Not that he played a bad game, per se, but Belanger is one of the players who should feel a little pressure after the Kim Johnsson trade, and he looked fairly lackluster on the ice.
- Darcy Hordichuk. As the season wears on, it's easier to find opposing players that get under a team's skin. Hordichuk has definitely succeeded in doing that. The last time Vancouver and Minnesota played, Hordichuk claimed that he was sent by his coach to fight, and then backed off of the comment. This time, he was a textbook example of a third man in a fight, and he did so by tossing Derek Boogaard to the ice from behind, with something resembling a horse collar tackle. Given that it would have been a penalty in the NFL, it wasn't surprising to see Hordichuk get hit with a 2-5-10 (instigation/fighting/misconduct) penalty.

Next up: The Wild don't return to the ice until March 3, when they face the Calgary Flames. The catch? March 3 is also the trade deadline. How different might the Wild look at that point? In the meantime, Olympic hockey should help keep you sated.

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-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.

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 Fifty: Wild 3, Stars 4

The road hasn't been kind to the Minnesota Wild this season. After starting the season with an 0-8 mark away from home, things started to turn around, but they haven't turned far enough. The differences between home and away really played out recently, as the Wild put together an impressive home stand, beating some of the top teams in the league, but then dropped all three recent games away from St. Paul, including two to teams that sit behind the Wild in the standings.

It also doesn't help matters that the Wild haven't been able to get their skates under them until the third period, when they're already down by a goal. Over the nine periods of the recent road trip, the Wild really only had effort as a team for two of them. And for the second game in a row, Minnesota didn't even try to mount any sort of a comeback until the opposing team was up by four goals. Even though the Wild have pulled off stunning victories this season, they've got to stop playing from behind all of the time. It's thrilling to see a team mount a comeback, but it would be nice if Minnesota would grab a lead and hold it every once in awhile.

Game pluses:
- Antti Miettinen. Splitting up the Wild's "top" line may have done some wonders for a couple of players, and Miettinen had two deflections that ended up in the back of the net. Fans have to wonder why Miettinen wasn't driving to the net like that before.
- Mikko Koivu. Koivu also seemed to have woken up thank to the reshuffled lines, scoring a goal and putting on a more typical defensive display.
- Josh Harding. When the Wild have inserted Harding part way through a game, he's come up huge, not allowing a single goal and giving his teammates a chance to make things interesting in the late periods. If only he could get that kind of offensive support in games where he starts.

Game minuses:
- John Scott. The big man wasn't solid on the blue line against the Stars. His roster spot gets even shakier with the news that Brent Burns has been cleared to start skating with the team again.
- Petr Sykora. Sykora was given a huge vote of confidence when he was promoted from the bench to the first line. However, the rust was evident, and not surprising, given how little he's skated since his concussion. Sykora needs to be played more frequently to be the type of player that he can be, but who knows how many chances he'll get.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom hasn't been good in recent games, and he gave up at least four goals yet again, facing only fifteen shots. He joined the ranks of starting goaltenders who didn't complete their games, on a bad night for goaltenders in the NHL.

Next up: The Wild get a couple of days of rest before they face off against the Detroit Red Wings.

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-Seven: Wild 5, Canucks 2

What a tumultuous couple of days for both the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks. Both teams found themselves embroiled in controversies that could seriously damage the reputation of the league, or at least Colin Campbell, who's regularly shown a glaring lack of consistency with regards to discipline. For Vancouver, there was the whole Alex Burrows/Stephane Auger issue, with Burrows accusing referee Auger of showing a definite bias, and costing Vancouver a game. The league responded by fining Burrows, but the fine was ridiculously small, especially for a professional athlete, so it lends some credence to the notion that maybe, just maybe, Burrows had a legitimate gripe. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild's Cal Clutterbuck was waiting to see what the NHL would do to Pittsburgh's Sergei Gonchar after Gonchar's illegal hit. This was a hit where Gonchar left his feet, specifically went for the head, and admitted to it being a payback hit, in a league that's supposedly trying to crack down on those exact types of plays. And yet, apparently Gonchar sitting in the penalty box was punishment enough for trying to take another player completely out of the game.

But none of that mattered Wednesday night, as the Wild and the Canucks squared off against each other. Minnesota jumped out to a fast start, scoring on their first two shots of the game, but then they faltered, allowing Vancouver to get back into the game. With the game tied at 2 entering the third period, Minnesota once again took control, and completed an improbable sweep over the Canucks. To add insult to injury, Vancouver tried to get something going on their end after the Wild had jumped out to a 5-2 lead, and they did it by starting fights. The problem? Nobody on Vancouver really matches up with the Wild heavyweights, and Minnesota won those battles handily, as well.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. During a spotty second period for the Wild defense, Backstrom stood tall, holding the Wild in the game. He set a new mark for wins by a Wild goaltender by defeating the Canucks.
- Antti Miettinen. A game ago, it looked like Miettinen might need to find new linemates. Apparently, he felt the pressure, because he turned around and put two pucks in the net, including the game winner, and a late insurance marker.
- Owen Nolan. The grizzled veteran scored on a weird shot, but, more importantly, he had very good puck awareness, throwing his stick and body in the way of Vancouver shots, in one of his more impressive defensive showings.

Game minuses:
- Eric Belanger. Belanger didn't look like he had any speed in his skates against Vancouver, with the exception of one rush. To make matters worse, especially during the poor second period, Belanger didn't use much physical play, either, instead skating around without much energy.
- Robbie Earl. The kid has a lot of energy, so, in many ways, he played the exact opposite of Eric Belanger. The trouble with Earl right now is that he seems like he's trying to think too much on the ice, instead of just doing. He needs to start using his shot more, to be more than just a speedy skater on the ice.
- Fights. Yes, the Wild won all three fights pretty handily. But the reason that this ends up as a minus is this simple question, "Why was Vancouver fighting in the first place?". They didn't match up well, especially against Derek Boogaard and John Scott, and they ultimately paid the price. If Boogaard's assertion that the Canucks were "ordered" to fight by their coach is true, then it casts even more of a pall on the situation.

Next up: The Wild pulled themselves within two points of a playoff position with an improbable four-game winning streak, throttling some of the best teams in the league by a 19-11 score during that time. Can they keep their foot on the gas when they take on the St. Louis Blues, or will they suffer from a letdown that many feel has been coming since the come-from-behind victory over Chicago?

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?