If the Minnesota Wild finish out the remaining games on their schedule playing the way they have for the last two, it's going to be an entertaining finish. Backed into a wall for their playoff lives, the Wild are playing like they have nothing to lose, and, as a result, put together two of the more impressive wins they've had this season.
Take nothing away from the come-from-behind victories, but watching the Wild dominate the play from the opening puck drop has been few and far between. Seeing them weather an offensive flurry with some smart defense and better goaltending has been more common, but it's often been to keep the team down by only a goal, as opposed to up by a couple. Given the number of injuries that the team has been dealing with (yet another player went down before the game against St. Louis), if the Wild can somehow keep this current surge going, it's going to be quite the ride for the boys from St. Paul.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's heart and soul played like it. Koivu was everywhere on the ice, and he notched another multi-point game to lead the Wild to victory.
- Martin Havlat. Yes, sometimes Havlat fools even himself with his puck handling. Still, the two assists he added to his season total both came thanks to stellar plays by the winger.
- Josh Harding. No, he wasn't as scintillating as he was the previous game against Buffalo, but Harding didn't need to be. What he was this time around was just a solid presence in the net, keeping St. Louis out when it really counted.
Game minuses:
- Injuries. No doubt, the Wild need to find a way to get players healthy. Three defensemen are out, and they almost lost a fourth. Wingers are banged up, shortening the Wild bench. The goaltenders haven't both been healthy for a long stretch in quite some time. To maintain this pace, the Wild need players back, and they need them back badly.
- Discipline. Once again, the Wild marched to the penalty box. They only coughed up one power play goal, but good teams limit those chances by taking better care of their sticks and moving their legs more.
- Final push. The Wild found themselves up 3-0 after the first period, and they chased the St. Louis goaltender. What did they follow up with? Not taking shots, and not driving to the net. Instead, they sat back and held onto the lead. In today's NHL, the best defense is continuing to apply offensive pressure, but part of the Wild's old system keeps creeping back in once they've got a couple goal lead.
Next up: The Wild have a day off, but return to the ice against the Edmonton Oilers.
Showing posts with label St. Louis Blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Louis Blues. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
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.
- 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
Friday, January 15, 2010
2009-10 Game Forty-Eight: Wild 0, Blues 1
For many, this most recent game for the Minnesota Wild was bound to happen eventually. Not playing against St. Louis, but totally collapsing, not having any energy, and not looking like they had any business playing hockey. In fact, this sort of game was expected after the Wild used a ton of energy and hockey smarts beating Chicago in that thrilling come-from-behind affair. The two games that followed, against Pittsburgh and Vancouver, certainly carried their fair share of physicality, to go with the grueling shortened schedule. But, after four high octane games, it was seemingly inevitable that the Wild would collapse.
The funny thing is, even with the collapse, the Wild had plenty of chances to win the game, going up against a St. Louis Blues team that's still trying to find its game after their head coach was replaced. Minnesota just didn't assemble enough effort to take any real good chances, and they came up short on a night where neither team really deserved to win.
Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. The Wild's back-up goaltender did everything he could to keep the Wild in the game, but they need to give him some help on a more regular basis. Far too often during his career, Harding has gotten the start and played well, but the skaters in front of him can't put together simple passes.
- Guillaume Latendresse. The only Wild player to look like he wanted to play offensive hockey for the night was Latendresse, and he directly created the only real scoring threats that the Wild had.
- Greg Zanon. Zanon was solid in the defensive zone, blocking shots and holding good positioning. If Zanon hadn't been playing as well as he did, Harding might have been staring at 50+ shots on goal, instead of the 37 that he did face.
Game minuses:
- Power play. It's been said before, and it needs to be said again. When the game is on the line, if you're given a power play, you need to take advantage of it. Instead, the Wild could barely move the puck, even when they had the man advantage. In fact, the power play displayed some of the worst puck handling of the night.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat's turned his game on recently, but he wasn't clicking against the Blues. More than one turnover came directly off of his stick, and the Wild's best chance of the game was shot just wide, instead of buried by Havlat in the wide open net.
- Fire. When your team has fewer than ten shots through two periods, and it isn't because the other team is playing stellar defense, you know the players aren't into the game. The Wild weren't shooting, weren't passing, and weren't hitting.
Next up: The Wild take a day to regroup and recover, and then they face the Phoenix Coyotes.
The funny thing is, even with the collapse, the Wild had plenty of chances to win the game, going up against a St. Louis Blues team that's still trying to find its game after their head coach was replaced. Minnesota just didn't assemble enough effort to take any real good chances, and they came up short on a night where neither team really deserved to win.
Game pluses:
- Josh Harding. The Wild's back-up goaltender did everything he could to keep the Wild in the game, but they need to give him some help on a more regular basis. Far too often during his career, Harding has gotten the start and played well, but the skaters in front of him can't put together simple passes.
- Guillaume Latendresse. The only Wild player to look like he wanted to play offensive hockey for the night was Latendresse, and he directly created the only real scoring threats that the Wild had.
- Greg Zanon. Zanon was solid in the defensive zone, blocking shots and holding good positioning. If Zanon hadn't been playing as well as he did, Harding might have been staring at 50+ shots on goal, instead of the 37 that he did face.
Game minuses:
- Power play. It's been said before, and it needs to be said again. When the game is on the line, if you're given a power play, you need to take advantage of it. Instead, the Wild could barely move the puck, even when they had the man advantage. In fact, the power play displayed some of the worst puck handling of the night.
- Martin Havlat. Havlat's turned his game on recently, but he wasn't clicking against the Blues. More than one turnover came directly off of his stick, and the Wild's best chance of the game was shot just wide, instead of buried by Havlat in the wide open net.
- Fire. When your team has fewer than ten shots through two periods, and it isn't because the other team is playing stellar defense, you know the players aren't into the game. The Wild weren't shooting, weren't passing, and weren't hitting.
Next up: The Wild take a day to regroup and recover, and then they face the Phoenix Coyotes.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
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?
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?
Monday, December 28, 2009
2009-10 Game Thirty-Eight: Wild 4, Blues 3
The stockings may have been hung by the chimney, and sugar plums may have danced in people's heads, but, in the NHL, Christmas means some time away from the ice. However, barely a week removed from the bizarre equipment fire, the Minnesota Wild had one more gift left to give to their fans, and was delivered by one of the newest faces in the building, as the Wild skated to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.
The game itself was fast, hard-hitting, and featured some things that wouldn't have been predicted before the puck hit the ice. With recent history as a guide, who would have guessed that the Wild would score first? Who could have predicted that the defensemen would be so active? And yet, the Wild did just that, and they kept the pressure on a St. Louis team that had recently been trouncing Northwest Division opponents.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. A change of scenery has done "The Tenderness" wonders, as he has put up 6 goals since coming to the Wild, including two goals against the Blues.
- Kim Johnsson. The much-maligned Wild defenseman (especially here, admittedly) turned in a terrific performance against St. Louis, even without his stellar play to create his own goal.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky was active all night, moving the puck well, stick handling when needed, and finding the open man. Latendresse may have scored the game winner, but Zidlicky set him up with great plays.
Game minuses:
- Nick Schultz. Schultz got victimized on Blues goals, getting turned inside out. He was out of position more than a few times, and St. Louis capitalized on it.
- Cal Clutterbuck. Sometimes, Clutterbuck's willingness to hit anything he gets in his sights works against him, as it did when the Blues scored during a 4-on-4 stretch of hockey. Clutterbuck connected with a Blues player, but it completely removed him from the play, and set up St. Louis for a quick rush.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger is a face-off specialist, but, after the puck was dropped, he became a detriment. He seems to be trying to accomplish some of the same things that Mikko Koivu is doing, but he seems to be trying to do them without Koivu's awareness or skill.
Next up: The Wild take a quick trip to California, starting tonight against the Los Angeles Kings.
The game itself was fast, hard-hitting, and featured some things that wouldn't have been predicted before the puck hit the ice. With recent history as a guide, who would have guessed that the Wild would score first? Who could have predicted that the defensemen would be so active? And yet, the Wild did just that, and they kept the pressure on a St. Louis team that had recently been trouncing Northwest Division opponents.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. A change of scenery has done "The Tenderness" wonders, as he has put up 6 goals since coming to the Wild, including two goals against the Blues.
- Kim Johnsson. The much-maligned Wild defenseman (especially here, admittedly) turned in a terrific performance against St. Louis, even without his stellar play to create his own goal.
- Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky was active all night, moving the puck well, stick handling when needed, and finding the open man. Latendresse may have scored the game winner, but Zidlicky set him up with great plays.
Game minuses:
- Nick Schultz. Schultz got victimized on Blues goals, getting turned inside out. He was out of position more than a few times, and St. Louis capitalized on it.
- Cal Clutterbuck. Sometimes, Clutterbuck's willingness to hit anything he gets in his sights works against him, as it did when the Blues scored during a 4-on-4 stretch of hockey. Clutterbuck connected with a Blues player, but it completely removed him from the play, and set up St. Louis for a quick rush.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger is a face-off specialist, but, after the puck was dropped, he became a detriment. He seems to be trying to accomplish some of the same things that Mikko Koivu is doing, but he seems to be trying to do them without Koivu's awareness or skill.
Next up: The Wild take a quick trip to California, starting tonight against the Los Angeles Kings.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
2009-10 Game Thirty-Seven: Wild 3, Oilers 1
What a way to enter the two-day holiday break. After suffering through a fire and some rough losses, the Minnesota Wild needed something to get them back on track. It couldn't have worked out better for Minnesota to draw a game against the Edmonton Oilers, in the arena that they've dominated Edmonton in ever since Niklas Backstrom first wore a Wild jersey.
Things didn't go as planned, but, over the last week, how much really has. Backstrom, wearing some new gear thanks to the Ottawa fire, finally looked like the player he was before the accident, and the Wild gave him enough support on the front end to take the game. Edmonton kept the contest close, but they couldn't get any more shots into the net, and the Wild took advantage of the narrow openings that they could. Meanwhile, a recent call-up, Clayton Stoner, set the tone early with a convincing fight, and may be on the way to edging out some of the Wild's other defensemen.
Game pluses:
- Owen Nolan. The Wild's resident Irishman was not going to be denied a goal. Chance after chance came to Nolan's stick, and he kept getting thwarted. That is, until he showed a little extra patience and roofed a backhander.
- Guillaume Latendresse. For a guy who was just recovering from the flu, Latendresse played a very strong game. He was creating chances, and was eventually rewarded with an empty-net goal.
- Clayton Stoner. This spot almost went to Mikko Koivu, but it was Stoner who really turned in a fantastic game, and, as mentioned above, set the tone early with a fight. If Stoner keeps playing the way he has, a roster spot might just be his for the taking.
Game minuses:
- Kim Johnsson. A few too many times, Johnsson passed the puck either straight to an Oilers player, or to an open spot where nobody was nearby. For an offensive defenseman, he isn't showcasing the playmaking ability that he was heralded for.
- Eric Belanger. Maybe he's coming down with the flu again, but Belanger looks like he's skating through molasses. He doesn't have the same speed he did in previous seasons, and his puck handling has suffered because of it.
- Power play. True, the Wild got a power play goal. But it was also on the only power play where the team decided to shoot at the net from everywhere on the ice. Most of the time, too many passes lead to a lack of shots, and the Wild need to stop looking for the perfect play. Sometimes, ugly hockey is enough.
Next up: The Wild, and the NHL as a whole, have the next two days off for the Christmas holiday, but they return to action against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
Things didn't go as planned, but, over the last week, how much really has. Backstrom, wearing some new gear thanks to the Ottawa fire, finally looked like the player he was before the accident, and the Wild gave him enough support on the front end to take the game. Edmonton kept the contest close, but they couldn't get any more shots into the net, and the Wild took advantage of the narrow openings that they could. Meanwhile, a recent call-up, Clayton Stoner, set the tone early with a convincing fight, and may be on the way to edging out some of the Wild's other defensemen.
Game pluses:
- Owen Nolan. The Wild's resident Irishman was not going to be denied a goal. Chance after chance came to Nolan's stick, and he kept getting thwarted. That is, until he showed a little extra patience and roofed a backhander.
- Guillaume Latendresse. For a guy who was just recovering from the flu, Latendresse played a very strong game. He was creating chances, and was eventually rewarded with an empty-net goal.
- Clayton Stoner. This spot almost went to Mikko Koivu, but it was Stoner who really turned in a fantastic game, and, as mentioned above, set the tone early with a fight. If Stoner keeps playing the way he has, a roster spot might just be his for the taking.
Game minuses:
- Kim Johnsson. A few too many times, Johnsson passed the puck either straight to an Oilers player, or to an open spot where nobody was nearby. For an offensive defenseman, he isn't showcasing the playmaking ability that he was heralded for.
- Eric Belanger. Maybe he's coming down with the flu again, but Belanger looks like he's skating through molasses. He doesn't have the same speed he did in previous seasons, and his puck handling has suffered because of it.
- Power play. True, the Wild got a power play goal. But it was also on the only power play where the team decided to shoot at the net from everywhere on the ice. Most of the time, too many passes lead to a lack of shots, and the Wild need to stop looking for the perfect play. Sometimes, ugly hockey is enough.
Next up: The Wild, and the NHL as a whole, have the next two days off for the Christmas holiday, but they return to action against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
Monday, October 26, 2009
2009-10 Game Nine: Wild 1, Blues 3
If the Wild want to find a way to win on the road, they need to get a quick start to the game. The St. Louis Blues showed just how to do that, taking a 1-0 lead before the first minute had ticked off of the clock. Once again playing from behind, the Wild fought and scrapped for every inch of ice, but they just couldn't pull even, let alone ahead.
Once again, Niklas Backstrom did what he could to hold the team in the game, but defensive lapses and a lack of being able to put things together offensively lead to the defeat. While the Wild are trying to employ a forechecking system, the Blues showed what an effective forecheck can be, and what one with good size and speed for all players can show. The way Minnesota got banged around the ice, it's a surprise that the score wasn't more lopsided.
Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild netminder did everything he could to keep the team in the game. He's putting up solid numbers, but he hasn't had the goal support needed to secure more wins.
- Chuck Kobasew. The newest member of the team scored his first goal in a Wild sweater, and continues to play with fire.
- Perseverance. The Wild have played from behind almost every game this season. Perhaps as a surprise, they haven't turtled yet, but instead keep playing hard, trying to get themselves back into the game. However, playing from behind gets to be tough every night.
Game minuses:
- Martin Havlat. Havlat is still obviously struggling, and can't develop a touch. Hopefully an upcoming game against his former team will help him rediscover his game.
- Kim Johnsson. He's been much bemoaned here, but the last thing the Wild needed was another injured player.
- Power play. Chris Mason is a big goaltender, but the Wild just didn't generate enough against him with the man advantage. With the Wild's 5-on-5 woes, the power play needs to spark the offense.
Next up: The Wild played another back-to-back, heading home from St. Louis to take on the Carolina Hurricanes.
Once again, Niklas Backstrom did what he could to hold the team in the game, but defensive lapses and a lack of being able to put things together offensively lead to the defeat. While the Wild are trying to employ a forechecking system, the Blues showed what an effective forecheck can be, and what one with good size and speed for all players can show. The way Minnesota got banged around the ice, it's a surprise that the score wasn't more lopsided.
Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild netminder did everything he could to keep the team in the game. He's putting up solid numbers, but he hasn't had the goal support needed to secure more wins.
- Chuck Kobasew. The newest member of the team scored his first goal in a Wild sweater, and continues to play with fire.
- Perseverance. The Wild have played from behind almost every game this season. Perhaps as a surprise, they haven't turtled yet, but instead keep playing hard, trying to get themselves back into the game. However, playing from behind gets to be tough every night.
Game minuses:
- Martin Havlat. Havlat is still obviously struggling, and can't develop a touch. Hopefully an upcoming game against his former team will help him rediscover his game.
- Kim Johnsson. He's been much bemoaned here, but the last thing the Wild needed was another injured player.
- Power play. Chris Mason is a big goaltender, but the Wild just didn't generate enough against him with the man advantage. With the Wild's 5-on-5 woes, the power play needs to spark the offense.
Next up: The Wild played another back-to-back, heading home from St. Louis to take on the Carolina Hurricanes.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
2009-10 Game Eight: Wild 3, Avalance 2 (SO)
The Minnesota Wild returned home Wednesday for a short stay, given that they leave right away again for a game on Friday in St. Louis. Their opponents? The Colorado Avalanche, who were riding an incredible streak on the road, setting themselves up as one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. Meanwhile, the Wild were looking to patch themselves up after being handed loss after loss away from the Xcel Energy Center.
Apparently, all it took for the Wild to complete another comeback victory was new jerseys, a "C" on the chest of Mikko Koivu, and the home crowd. Not that the game was easy, by any means. The Wild took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, but they had to know that they should have been leading by a larger margin. Consequently, the second period was one of the worst periods of hockey the Wild have played in awhile, and the third featured the team struggling, up until the point that Captain Koivu stepped up, and hammered home the tying goal. After some shattered glass and a scoreless overtime, it was once again Koivu that notched the lone shootout goal, giving the Wild a perfect 2-0 record at the Xcel this season.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. No surprises here. Koivu got the "C" on his sweater, and played even better than he has through earlier games. His hockey smarts were on display, and his shootout goal past Craig Anderson was a thing of beauty.
- Niklas Backstrom. During the second period, Backstrom needed to be stellar, and he was. The two goals that beat him were either fluky or impossible to stop, but he held his team in the game until Koivu could complete the comeback.
- Chuck Kobasew. The Wild's newest player showed some speed, some skill, and a determination to scrap for every inch of ice. Kobasew drew penalty after penalty because of his effort.
Game minuses:
- Even strength. The Wild are having tons of problems getting their offense going when they're skating even-strength with other teams. They need to find a way to fix this problem if they have a hope of turning the season around.
- Defensive zone. The Wild once again had problems clearing their own zone, and it was particularly awful during the second period. Both goals against Backstrom came from horrible clearing attempts.
- Martin Havlat. In his first game back from injury, Havlat showed some of the skills that made him such a desirable off-season acquisition. However, he's missing shots that he should be making, possibly due to putting too much pressure on himself. Havlat needs to score soon, and the pressure should ease up.
Next up: The Wild get on a plane again, and head off to St. Louis, to take on the Blues Friday night, before returning home for a Saturday game.
Apparently, all it took for the Wild to complete another comeback victory was new jerseys, a "C" on the chest of Mikko Koivu, and the home crowd. Not that the game was easy, by any means. The Wild took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, but they had to know that they should have been leading by a larger margin. Consequently, the second period was one of the worst periods of hockey the Wild have played in awhile, and the third featured the team struggling, up until the point that Captain Koivu stepped up, and hammered home the tying goal. After some shattered glass and a scoreless overtime, it was once again Koivu that notched the lone shootout goal, giving the Wild a perfect 2-0 record at the Xcel this season.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. No surprises here. Koivu got the "C" on his sweater, and played even better than he has through earlier games. His hockey smarts were on display, and his shootout goal past Craig Anderson was a thing of beauty.
- Niklas Backstrom. During the second period, Backstrom needed to be stellar, and he was. The two goals that beat him were either fluky or impossible to stop, but he held his team in the game until Koivu could complete the comeback.
- Chuck Kobasew. The Wild's newest player showed some speed, some skill, and a determination to scrap for every inch of ice. Kobasew drew penalty after penalty because of his effort.
Game minuses:
- Even strength. The Wild are having tons of problems getting their offense going when they're skating even-strength with other teams. They need to find a way to fix this problem if they have a hope of turning the season around.
- Defensive zone. The Wild once again had problems clearing their own zone, and it was particularly awful during the second period. Both goals against Backstrom came from horrible clearing attempts.
- Martin Havlat. In his first game back from injury, Havlat showed some of the skills that made him such a desirable off-season acquisition. However, he's missing shots that he should be making, possibly due to putting too much pressure on himself. Havlat needs to score soon, and the pressure should ease up.
Next up: The Wild get on a plane again, and head off to St. Louis, to take on the Blues Friday night, before returning home for a Saturday game.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Comings and goings
Yesterday, the Minnesota Wild were keeping the airports busy. While a group of players was getting ready to head down to St. Louis for the first pre-season game of the year, another player was heading into the Twin Cities, looking to make their presence known by the Team of 18,000.
Some quick notes about the game in St. Louis. The Blues defeated the Wild 3-1, but they did it with a mostly NHL-caliber line-up. The Wild, on the other hand, sent a group of players who will most likely be in Houston to train for the Aeros by the end of the week, with a few exceptions. The Wild also had to spend a good deal of time in the first period short-handed, either due to penalties, or due to James Sheppard's broken skate. Still, it was good for the boys to get their legs under them again, and some of the players got their first-ever taste of exhibition hockey, which can only serve to whet their desire for more in the future.
But what about that player landing? The Wild may have found that extra offensive forward that they were looking for. Petr Sykora, most recently of the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins, landed in the Twin Cities yesterday, with an expected physical today, and possibly practice time already. Sykora is on a "try-out" for the Wild, but, unless something strange has happened, he should make the team easily. A two-year contract would be great, but a one-year contract is more likely. Bringing Sykora into the fold gives the Wild a perennial 20-goal scorer, and also gives them some options with their top 6 forwards. The question at that point would be whether Sykora would play on a line with Martin Havlat and Mikko Koivu, or if he would anchor the offensive portion of a second legitimate scoring threat.
As another benefit, a player like Sykora gives guys like Cal Clutterbuck another veteran to look towards. Given that Clutterbuck has the resources to turn into a 20-goal man himself, pairing the two on the same line could be incredibly beneficial in the long run.
Some quick notes about the game in St. Louis. The Blues defeated the Wild 3-1, but they did it with a mostly NHL-caliber line-up. The Wild, on the other hand, sent a group of players who will most likely be in Houston to train for the Aeros by the end of the week, with a few exceptions. The Wild also had to spend a good deal of time in the first period short-handed, either due to penalties, or due to James Sheppard's broken skate. Still, it was good for the boys to get their legs under them again, and some of the players got their first-ever taste of exhibition hockey, which can only serve to whet their desire for more in the future.
But what about that player landing? The Wild may have found that extra offensive forward that they were looking for. Petr Sykora, most recently of the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins, landed in the Twin Cities yesterday, with an expected physical today, and possibly practice time already. Sykora is on a "try-out" for the Wild, but, unless something strange has happened, he should make the team easily. A two-year contract would be great, but a one-year contract is more likely. Bringing Sykora into the fold gives the Wild a perennial 20-goal scorer, and also gives them some options with their top 6 forwards. The question at that point would be whether Sykora would play on a line with Martin Havlat and Mikko Koivu, or if he would anchor the offensive portion of a second legitimate scoring threat.
As another benefit, a player like Sykora gives guys like Cal Clutterbuck another veteran to look towards. Given that Clutterbuck has the resources to turn into a 20-goal man himself, pairing the two on the same line could be incredibly beneficial in the long run.
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