Part of what makes playoff hockey so exciting is the stories that end up coming out of the games. For proof, just watch a game and see one of the cycle of "history will happen" commercials being aired. They've served as a nice reminder of the unexpected taking place, or the expected being put on a grander stage. This year's playoffs will definitely have their own fair share of history, along with some unexpected results as the remaining eight teams move ahead to the second round.
Eastern Conference
Who would have expected that, after the first round, none of the division winners would still be playing? And yet, in the Eastern Conference, that's exactly what happened, with only Pittsburgh avoiding an upset, dispatching the #5 seeded Ottawa Senators. The shake-up in the East means that the early favorite to win it all is now out of the way, and it could make things more interesting.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
The Penguins did exactly what everyone expected they would do. True, Ottawa took a couple games away from them on their home ice, but the Penguins showed why they're the defending champs, and their star power shined brightly in the first round. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were huge on the ice for the Penguins, and Marc-Andre Fleury held his team in when he needed to. Ultimately, it was Pittsburgh's offense that drove them on to the second round, where they remain the highest seed remaining in the East.
Their reward? They get to face the Montreal Canadiens. That may not be much of a reward overall, though, as the Canadiens became the first #8 seed to win a series after being down 3-1 after four games. Montreal may not have done much in their 100th season, but they're looking to get the next hundred years off to a good start. They may have gotten the benefit of a couple calls, including a no-goal call in Game 7, but they simply shut down the top team in the NHL, starting with game five. Looking for a reason why Montreal moved on, look no further than Jaroslav Halak. Unremarkable in the beginning of the series, he was pulled in favor of Carey Price, returned in Game 5, and just closed the door on Washington the rest of the way. Halak was absolutely brilliant in net, including a 53-save performance in Game 6 before turning aside 40+ shots in Game 7. The Canadiens will be looking to their defense to stop the high-powered Penguins offense, but Pittsburgh comes in a little more rested. Cinderella's shoe might fit right now, but it will need a new home after Pittsburgh wins in 6 games.
#6 Boston Bruins vs #7 Philadelphia Flyers
Boston may have had some scary moments while facing the Buffalo Sabres, but, in the end, they did to Buffalo exactly what they did all season, and that's make the bigger plays when it counts. None may have been bigger than the plays made by Miroslav Satan, a former Sabre and a winner of the Stanley Cup last season with Pittsburgh. Satan was left floating as a free agent until January, when the Bruins snapped him up to fill in for some injured players. He's only turned around to be a consistent scoring threat. Boston is also about to get a boost when Marc Savard returns to play, having recovered from the concussion that kept him off the ice for the first round. Meanwhile, Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara should be getting ready for a physical series, because the Bruins drew a classic battle for the second round.
That classic battle will be against the Philadelphia Flyers. The last team to make it into the playoffs, and only because of a last minute win, the Flyers became the first team to advance to the second round when they stunned Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers are a rough-and-tumble team, but they have offensive prowess. They also showed a sturdy penalty kill, which is good for Philadelphia, as they have a tendency to march to the penalty box. Brian Boucher needs to continue playing the great hockey he has, and the Flyers need Scott Hartnell to find his game. At the end of this rough series, though, the Bruins will be advancing, winning in 7 games.
Western Conference
Over in the West, it could be argued that there wasn't a single upset. True, the number four team didn't advance, but it's hard to call the Detroit Red Wings an underdog, especially with their success over the years and the way they played in the tail part of the season. Still, the West made its own history, and that should continue with an exciting second round.
#1 San Jose Sharks vs #5 Detroit Red Wings
In the beginning of their series against the Colorado Avalanche, it looked like the San Jose Sharks were on their way to another postseason collapse. After three games, they were staring down a 2-1 deficit, and had actually scored an own goal to dig themselves into that hole. All they did after that was rattle off three impressive wins, led by Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, and Ryan Clowe. Evgeni Nabokov also stood tall, putting together an amazing GAA despite a huge Colorado Game 2. The Sharks look to be serious contenders this year, but they desperately need their "Big Three" of Heatley, Thornton, and Marleau to step up their level of play.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings were taken to a seventh game by the upstart Phoenix Coyotes, but all Detroit did was allow their stars to take over. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg stepped up at the exact right times, and the Detroit defense was able to keep Phoenix from playing too much of their own style. In the final game of the series, the Red Wings punched their ticket to the second round with an exclamation point, decimating the Coyotes to the tune of 6-1. That should continue for the Red Wings, as Detroit will knock off San Jose in 7.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs #3 Vancouver Canucks
The Chicago Blackhawks survived a bit of a scare from the Nashville Predators, falling behind 2-1 after three games. Then Nashville gave away Game 5, and it was history. The Blackhawks survived a 5-minute major penalty in that game, and it was the player who spent time in the box, and who has come in second the last two years, who scored the game winner that ultimately put the series out of Nashville's reach. Will this be the year that Marian Hossa finally gets to lift the Cup himself? With help from Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Antti Niemi, he's certainly hoping so.
Standing in Chicago's way is the team that they faced last year at this same time, and a team that they ushered out the door in six games. The Vancouver Canucks aren't much different from the team that lost to Chicago last season, but they are an improved team. The Sedin twins are playing big-time hockey now, shaking off criticisms that they couldn't bring their talent into the playoffs with them. Meanwhile, Mikael Samuelsson helped add offense to a Vancouver team that already had plenty. The big concerns for the Canucks will have to be on the penalty kill, as they were awful at slowing down the Los Angeles Kings power play, and whether or not Roberto Luongo can shake the demons of past performances. If Luongo can be the stud goaltender that the Canucks are hoping he can be, they can look to playing in the conference finals. Ultimately, though, this year's result won't be any different from last year, as the Blackhawks advance in 6 games.
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Penguins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Penguins. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
2009-10 Playoff Previews: Eastern Quarterfinals
For hockey fans, the most wonderful time of the year is just a day away. The NHL's "second season" is about to kick off, and the 16 remaining teams have a pile of hockey ahead of them on their way to Lord Stanley's hardware. Today will feature a quick spin through predictions for the first round in the East. Tomorrow, the West will get it's chance to shine.
#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
Top seeds can lose in the first round. Just ask last year's San Jose Sharks team. However, when the top seed features one of the best players the league has right now, and a stellar supporting cast, the odds of them getting bumped out right away are pretty slim. Especially when you factor in an opponent who can be less-than-consistent night after night.
The Capitals are a high-flying team. They have far from the best goaltending and defense in the playoffs, but they'll survive the same way they did all season; the scoring that they put on the ice is just sick at times. Even once you move beyond Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, the Caps are a deep offensive team, and their moves at the trade deadline helped shore up some of the role positions that could have lead to question marks.
Meanwhile, Montreal is a team that almost didn't find itself in the post-season, and they have a lot of ground to make up. Jaroslav Halak will be relied on to make incredible saves, and Michael Cammalleri is the biggest offensive threat for the Canadiens. However, they'll be playing back on their heels all series long, as the Caps will come gunning, looking to enter the second round with momentum. Washington should send Montreal home in 5.
#2 New Jersey Devils vs #7 Philadelphia Flyers
The New Jersey Devils have the best goaltender ever to play the game in Martin Brodeur, and they've got skilled players in every corner of the ice. Whether it's Zach Parise on the offense, Jamie Langenbrunner on defense, or a wicked slap shot from Brian Rolston, the Devils have assembled a tough team to play against. Add Stanley Cup winning coach Jacques Lemaire back into the mix, and New Jersey could be a viable contender for the Eastern Conference crown.
The Flyers, on the other hand, are a team that's been scrambling for the last month or so, hoping to solidify a playoff spot, which they did (barely), by beating the New York Rangers in their final game of the season. The Flyers are a team that's willing to get dirty and play the physical side of the sport, while still seeing contributions from Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. The biggest problem for Philadelphia? They don't have a legitimate goaltender. The Devils will slap the Flyers around, taking the series in 5 games.
#3 Buffalo Sabres vs #6 Boston Bruins
Buffalo should be concerned. While they've got a fantastic goaltender in Ryan Miller, the rest of the team has stayed pretty much under the radar. Not many people outside of Buffalo may know who plays for the team, aside from Miller, but they've still gone about their business, taking their division with relative ease.
Their first-round opponent, the Boston Bruins, on the other hand, have some players you can't miss, but their goaltending isn't where they're most noted. Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara provide a physical side to the game, and Marc Savard, David Kreci, and Patrice Bergeron should provide an offensive kick. The question remains, however, if the Bruins have enough left in the tank to advance to the second round. They overcame the distractions of Phil Kessel's situation to start the season, and will overcome the Buffalo Sabres in 6 games.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #5 Ottawa Senators
The Stanley Cup champions, with Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin, and the rest of their cast, are looking ahead to their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their first obstacle is the Ottawa Senators. The Penguins have a ton of offensive firepower, and it's no secret that the league itself wants to push them to the elite status, even despite potential burn-out from people getting tired of hearing about Crosby.
Meanwhile, the Ottawa Senators had their own problems to deal with this season, but the loss of Dany Heatley may actually prove to be a gain. The Senators have a solid four lines of hockey, and they may have found their goaltender for the future. Unfortunately for Ottawa fans, it won't be quite enough, and the Senators will get bounced by the Penguins in 6 games.
#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
Top seeds can lose in the first round. Just ask last year's San Jose Sharks team. However, when the top seed features one of the best players the league has right now, and a stellar supporting cast, the odds of them getting bumped out right away are pretty slim. Especially when you factor in an opponent who can be less-than-consistent night after night.
The Capitals are a high-flying team. They have far from the best goaltending and defense in the playoffs, but they'll survive the same way they did all season; the scoring that they put on the ice is just sick at times. Even once you move beyond Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, the Caps are a deep offensive team, and their moves at the trade deadline helped shore up some of the role positions that could have lead to question marks.
Meanwhile, Montreal is a team that almost didn't find itself in the post-season, and they have a lot of ground to make up. Jaroslav Halak will be relied on to make incredible saves, and Michael Cammalleri is the biggest offensive threat for the Canadiens. However, they'll be playing back on their heels all series long, as the Caps will come gunning, looking to enter the second round with momentum. Washington should send Montreal home in 5.
#2 New Jersey Devils vs #7 Philadelphia Flyers
The New Jersey Devils have the best goaltender ever to play the game in Martin Brodeur, and they've got skilled players in every corner of the ice. Whether it's Zach Parise on the offense, Jamie Langenbrunner on defense, or a wicked slap shot from Brian Rolston, the Devils have assembled a tough team to play against. Add Stanley Cup winning coach Jacques Lemaire back into the mix, and New Jersey could be a viable contender for the Eastern Conference crown.
The Flyers, on the other hand, are a team that's been scrambling for the last month or so, hoping to solidify a playoff spot, which they did (barely), by beating the New York Rangers in their final game of the season. The Flyers are a team that's willing to get dirty and play the physical side of the sport, while still seeing contributions from Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. The biggest problem for Philadelphia? They don't have a legitimate goaltender. The Devils will slap the Flyers around, taking the series in 5 games.
#3 Buffalo Sabres vs #6 Boston Bruins
Buffalo should be concerned. While they've got a fantastic goaltender in Ryan Miller, the rest of the team has stayed pretty much under the radar. Not many people outside of Buffalo may know who plays for the team, aside from Miller, but they've still gone about their business, taking their division with relative ease.
Their first-round opponent, the Boston Bruins, on the other hand, have some players you can't miss, but their goaltending isn't where they're most noted. Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara provide a physical side to the game, and Marc Savard, David Kreci, and Patrice Bergeron should provide an offensive kick. The question remains, however, if the Bruins have enough left in the tank to advance to the second round. They overcame the distractions of Phil Kessel's situation to start the season, and will overcome the Buffalo Sabres in 6 games.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #5 Ottawa Senators
The Stanley Cup champions, with Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin, and the rest of their cast, are looking ahead to their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their first obstacle is the Ottawa Senators. The Penguins have a ton of offensive firepower, and it's no secret that the league itself wants to push them to the elite status, even despite potential burn-out from people getting tired of hearing about Crosby.
Meanwhile, the Ottawa Senators had their own problems to deal with this season, but the loss of Dany Heatley may actually prove to be a gain. The Senators have a solid four lines of hockey, and they may have found their goaltender for the future. Unfortunately for Ottawa fans, it won't be quite enough, and the Senators will get bounced by the Penguins in 6 games.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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?
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?
Monday, January 11, 2010
2009-10 Game Forty-Five: Wild 6, Blackhawks 5 (SO)
There's stealing a point out of a game, and then there's what the Minnesota Wild did to the Chicago Blackhawks over the weekend. After practically giving the game away, and making sure that Niklas Backstrom had no hope to hold them into it, the Wild switched goalies, and started playing hockey. The third period was dominated by Minnesota, who mounted the biggest comeback victory in the history of the franchise.
With the way that this Wild team has played this season, there was reason for the 19,000+ fans to stay in their seats. From the home opener, where Minnesota beat the Anaheim Ducks after falling behind 3-0 all through the season, the Wild have mounted comeback after comeback. They've trailed in over half of their victories. But nothing comes close to the way they fought back against the Blackhawks. Minnesota had no business coming back onto the ice for the final twenty minutes after the way that they played the first forty, and it almost became a question of how much the team cared. Suddenly, the defense that had been suspect all night stifled Chicago, and the offense that couldn't put the puck in the net fired off three goals in four shots, pulling Minnesota back within one. After the score reached 5-4, it was a question of whether enough time lasted for Minnesota to ride the momentum into a tie, and at least sneak one point out of the game. That question was answered with under two minutes remaining, thanks to a smart forecheck and an opportunistic goal, and all that remained was an eventless overtime, and an eight-round shootout, capped by Owen Nolan's top shelf goal.
Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. Harding may have saved the game for the Wild. He definitely helped them steal their two points. After Niklas Backstrom was hung out to dry all night long, Harding came in and didn't allow a single puck past him until the shootout. With Chicago's firepower, that's no easy task.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Nobody saw Latendresse coming off of the bench to score the tying goal. It even looked like he fooled his teammates with how quickly he got to the loose puck, but there's no questioning his finish in the game. With two goals, Latendresse has now scored nine times since coming to Minnesota. Looks like the fresh start was exactly what he needed.
- Mikko Koivu. His line may not be clicking, but he certainly is. Koivu deserved to be rewarded, and rewarded he was, with a goal in both regulation and during the shootout. Koivu is one of those players who always plays with his heart, and his fire helped the Wild sneak back into the game.
Game minuses:
- Marek Zidlicky. If he hadn't notched the power play goal that put the Wild within one, Zidlicky may have been forced to look for a new home. His pass to Marian Hossa gave the Blackhawks an amazing shorthanded breakaway, and it's hard to stop a player of Hossa's skill when it's just him and the goaltender.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette did not have a very good game, coughing up the puck, taking a bad penalty, and overall playing out of position.
- Defense. At least for the first two periods, the Wild defense was non-existent. On the first three Chicago goals, there was no chance for Backstrom to stop the puck, because the Wild simply watched it get passed around the ice. On the fourth, Cal Clutterbuck crashed the wrong net, and prevented Backstrom from getting a look. And, well, the fifth goal was the aforementioned breakaway for Marian Hossa. The team came together again for the third period, but they definitely didn't deserve the win for the way they played the first two periods.
Next up: The Wild hope to ride the momentum even further than their stunning victory over Chicago, as they face off against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Wild did beat the Penguins earlier this season, so they will be hoping for history to repeat itself.
With the way that this Wild team has played this season, there was reason for the 19,000+ fans to stay in their seats. From the home opener, where Minnesota beat the Anaheim Ducks after falling behind 3-0 all through the season, the Wild have mounted comeback after comeback. They've trailed in over half of their victories. But nothing comes close to the way they fought back against the Blackhawks. Minnesota had no business coming back onto the ice for the final twenty minutes after the way that they played the first forty, and it almost became a question of how much the team cared. Suddenly, the defense that had been suspect all night stifled Chicago, and the offense that couldn't put the puck in the net fired off three goals in four shots, pulling Minnesota back within one. After the score reached 5-4, it was a question of whether enough time lasted for Minnesota to ride the momentum into a tie, and at least sneak one point out of the game. That question was answered with under two minutes remaining, thanks to a smart forecheck and an opportunistic goal, and all that remained was an eventless overtime, and an eight-round shootout, capped by Owen Nolan's top shelf goal.
Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. Harding may have saved the game for the Wild. He definitely helped them steal their two points. After Niklas Backstrom was hung out to dry all night long, Harding came in and didn't allow a single puck past him until the shootout. With Chicago's firepower, that's no easy task.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Nobody saw Latendresse coming off of the bench to score the tying goal. It even looked like he fooled his teammates with how quickly he got to the loose puck, but there's no questioning his finish in the game. With two goals, Latendresse has now scored nine times since coming to Minnesota. Looks like the fresh start was exactly what he needed.
- Mikko Koivu. His line may not be clicking, but he certainly is. Koivu deserved to be rewarded, and rewarded he was, with a goal in both regulation and during the shootout. Koivu is one of those players who always plays with his heart, and his fire helped the Wild sneak back into the game.
Game minuses:
- Marek Zidlicky. If he hadn't notched the power play goal that put the Wild within one, Zidlicky may have been forced to look for a new home. His pass to Marian Hossa gave the Blackhawks an amazing shorthanded breakaway, and it's hard to stop a player of Hossa's skill when it's just him and the goaltender.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette did not have a very good game, coughing up the puck, taking a bad penalty, and overall playing out of position.
- Defense. At least for the first two periods, the Wild defense was non-existent. On the first three Chicago goals, there was no chance for Backstrom to stop the puck, because the Wild simply watched it get passed around the ice. On the fourth, Cal Clutterbuck crashed the wrong net, and prevented Backstrom from getting a look. And, well, the fifth goal was the aforementioned breakaway for Marian Hossa. The team came together again for the third period, but they definitely didn't deserve the win for the way they played the first two periods.
Next up: The Wild hope to ride the momentum even further than their stunning victory over Chicago, as they face off against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Wild did beat the Penguins earlier this season, so they will be hoping for history to repeat itself.
Monday, November 2, 2009
2009-10 Game Fourteen: Wild 2, Penguins 1
Less than twenty-four hours after the Minnesota Wild earned their first regulation home win for the season, they faced a daunting task. That task? Head to the home of the Stanley Cup champions, and try to avoid extending their winless streak on the road. Who would have predicted that they would do just that, handing the Penguins one of very few losses?
Even more interesting, the Wild were actually outplayed in a lot of areas of the game. In a lot of ways, it was very similar to the way that the Wild played against the Edmonton Oilers a few weeks back, where the team that was better throughout the game ran into a hot goaltender and some stellar defense.
Game pluses:
- Eric Belanger. He paid a price late in the game, taking a stick across his nose. But his goal with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first stood up as the game winner, and it helped ease the pain.
- Niklas Backstrom. One again, Backstrom stood tall in net, keeping the Wild in the game. The difference this time is that he got a lot of help when he coughed up the few rebounds he did. Most of the time, however, it was one shot and an immediate whistle.
- Marek Zidlicky. Arguably, the best play made by the Wild all game was when Zidlicky goaded Sidney Crosby into a fight to end the second period.
Game minuses:
- Defensive zone possession. The Wild couldn't get the puck on their sticks in their own zone. Even worse, they couldn't seem to get the puck out without giving up a scoring chance.
- Opportunism. Aside from Kyle Brodziak's goal from the side of the net, and Belanger's quick release, the Wild just didn't seem like they could put themselves in the right place much of the game.
- Officiating. Both teams committed penalties that didn't get called, but Pittsburgh seemed to get a bit more benefit. While not every penalty can, or should, be called, sometimes games can get out of hand if the players are allowed to skate too freely.
Next up: The Wild have some time off, which might be the last thing they want with their current momentum. They'll face the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Even more interesting, the Wild were actually outplayed in a lot of areas of the game. In a lot of ways, it was very similar to the way that the Wild played against the Edmonton Oilers a few weeks back, where the team that was better throughout the game ran into a hot goaltender and some stellar defense.
Game pluses:
- Eric Belanger. He paid a price late in the game, taking a stick across his nose. But his goal with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first stood up as the game winner, and it helped ease the pain.
- Niklas Backstrom. One again, Backstrom stood tall in net, keeping the Wild in the game. The difference this time is that he got a lot of help when he coughed up the few rebounds he did. Most of the time, however, it was one shot and an immediate whistle.
- Marek Zidlicky. Arguably, the best play made by the Wild all game was when Zidlicky goaded Sidney Crosby into a fight to end the second period.
Game minuses:
- Defensive zone possession. The Wild couldn't get the puck on their sticks in their own zone. Even worse, they couldn't seem to get the puck out without giving up a scoring chance.
- Opportunism. Aside from Kyle Brodziak's goal from the side of the net, and Belanger's quick release, the Wild just didn't seem like they could put themselves in the right place much of the game.
- Officiating. Both teams committed penalties that didn't get called, but Pittsburgh seemed to get a bit more benefit. While not every penalty can, or should, be called, sometimes games can get out of hand if the players are allowed to skate too freely.
Next up: The Wild have some time off, which might be the last thing they want with their current momentum. They'll face the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
2009-10 Game Thirteen: Wild 3, Rangers 2
The Minnesota Wild continued their homecoming week, hoping to reverse the trend of the previous two games, by playing host to the New York Rangers. The homecoming in question this game? The return of Marian Gaborik, who left Minnesota this summer. Of course, given that Gaborik was meant to be playing against the Wild for the first time, it was of little shock that the star winger had to miss the game thanks to a lower body injury. It certainly didn't help that the Rangers have been in a bit of a spiral all their own, but, far too often, the cure for a losing streak is playing the Minnesota Wild.
Instead, the Wild decided to end a losing streak of their own, and they secured their first regulation victory of the season. Niklas Backstrom was strong in net, and Petr Sykora responded to his benching against Nashville by putting together a strong game against the Rangers. Even Derek Boogaard got involved in the offense, as the Wild skated to the 3-2 victory.
Game pluses:
- Petr Sykora. Sykora had been benched for not playing to his ability the previous game, and he stepped up big against the Rangers, tallying a goal and an assist.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild captain kept generating offense, and ended the night with two assists.
- Niklas Backstrom. It's been said plenty this season already, but Backstrom held the Wild in the game with some great saves. It was nice to see Backstrom get some help from his defense, as well.
Game minuses:
- Nick Schultz. Schultz had an uncharacteristically weak defensive game for Minnesota, even becoming the screen for New York's second goal.
- Power play. The Wild could have extended their lead, and given themselves a cushion, but they just couldn't get things clicking on the power play. Thankfully, they are starting to skate well 5-on-5.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat actually played a fairly strong game, but the guy's just snakebit right now. He needs to put a puck in the net, and maybe he'll be able to relax a bit on the stick.
Next up: The Wild looked to take the momentum gained against the Rangers, and put it to use against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Instead, the Wild decided to end a losing streak of their own, and they secured their first regulation victory of the season. Niklas Backstrom was strong in net, and Petr Sykora responded to his benching against Nashville by putting together a strong game against the Rangers. Even Derek Boogaard got involved in the offense, as the Wild skated to the 3-2 victory.
Game pluses:
- Petr Sykora. Sykora had been benched for not playing to his ability the previous game, and he stepped up big against the Rangers, tallying a goal and an assist.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild captain kept generating offense, and ended the night with two assists.
- Niklas Backstrom. It's been said plenty this season already, but Backstrom held the Wild in the game with some great saves. It was nice to see Backstrom get some help from his defense, as well.
Game minuses:
- Nick Schultz. Schultz had an uncharacteristically weak defensive game for Minnesota, even becoming the screen for New York's second goal.
- Power play. The Wild could have extended their lead, and given themselves a cushion, but they just couldn't get things clicking on the power play. Thankfully, they are starting to skate well 5-on-5.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat actually played a fairly strong game, but the guy's just snakebit right now. He needs to put a puck in the net, and maybe he'll be able to relax a bit on the stick.
Next up: The Wild looked to take the momentum gained against the Rangers, and put it to use against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
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