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.
Monday, October 26, 2009
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.
Monday, October 19, 2009
2009-10 Game Seven: Wild 1, Canucks 2
After playing well and still getting beaten badly, nobody would have been surprised if the Wild completely collapsed, just hoping for a long trip back to St. Paul to tend to their wounds for a bit before their next game. That wasn't in the cards for Minnesota, as they played another tough game, this time against the Vancouver Canucks.
Part of the reason that the Wild didn't collapse completely is that the Canucks are in the middle of a slow start to their season, as well. It didn't help Vancouver that they had to play the game without one of the Sedin twins, and they had to face a Minnesota team scrapping for every inch they could get. When the Wild ended the first period with the lead, there was a hint of something positive happening to a team that desperately needs some good news. Unfortunately, the long road trip and too much time playing from behind took the wind out of Minnesota's sails, and the Canucks ended up overtaking an exhausted Wild team, sending them packing with a miserable 0-5 road record to start the season.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Koivu's goal may not have been intended to be a shot, but it ended up in the back of the net either way. Koivu's intensity and fire have been bright spots for the Wild this season, and he needs to keep making the steps he has.
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild wouldn't have even been in the game if it hadn't been for Backstrom. He survived almost 40 shots, and kept giving the Wild chances to get back moving forward.
- Benoit Pouliot. Pouliot may have finally found the fire that was missing in previous stints in the NHL. He continued playing in front of the net, and even helped clear some of the Canucks out of Backstrom's way.
Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard, like Pouliot, tried clearing Canucks out of the crease. Sheppard, like Pouliot, took a penalty for it. Sheppard, unlike Pouliot, chose an awful time and a foolish penalty to take. The ensuing power play gave Vancouver the game winner.
- Power play. Maybe it was exhaustion from too much time losing, but the Wild power play just couldn't get things moving.
- Energy. The Wild just didn't have any, and it caused them to forget what they were doing. By the end of the game, the Wild just didn't have enough gas to put together a legitimate threat to tie the game.
Next up: Things may get better for the Wild as they return home, and, hopefully, see the returns of Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora. The Wild are also met in St. Paul by new acquisition Chuck Kobasew, as they prepare to wear their third jerseys for the first time Wednesday night in a game against the Colorado Avalanche.
Part of the reason that the Wild didn't collapse completely is that the Canucks are in the middle of a slow start to their season, as well. It didn't help Vancouver that they had to play the game without one of the Sedin twins, and they had to face a Minnesota team scrapping for every inch they could get. When the Wild ended the first period with the lead, there was a hint of something positive happening to a team that desperately needs some good news. Unfortunately, the long road trip and too much time playing from behind took the wind out of Minnesota's sails, and the Canucks ended up overtaking an exhausted Wild team, sending them packing with a miserable 0-5 road record to start the season.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Koivu's goal may not have been intended to be a shot, but it ended up in the back of the net either way. Koivu's intensity and fire have been bright spots for the Wild this season, and he needs to keep making the steps he has.
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild wouldn't have even been in the game if it hadn't been for Backstrom. He survived almost 40 shots, and kept giving the Wild chances to get back moving forward.
- Benoit Pouliot. Pouliot may have finally found the fire that was missing in previous stints in the NHL. He continued playing in front of the net, and even helped clear some of the Canucks out of Backstrom's way.
Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard, like Pouliot, tried clearing Canucks out of the crease. Sheppard, like Pouliot, took a penalty for it. Sheppard, unlike Pouliot, chose an awful time and a foolish penalty to take. The ensuing power play gave Vancouver the game winner.
- Power play. Maybe it was exhaustion from too much time losing, but the Wild power play just couldn't get things moving.
- Energy. The Wild just didn't have any, and it caused them to forget what they were doing. By the end of the game, the Wild just didn't have enough gas to put together a legitimate threat to tie the game.
Next up: Things may get better for the Wild as they return home, and, hopefully, see the returns of Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora. The Wild are also met in St. Paul by new acquisition Chuck Kobasew, as they prepare to wear their third jerseys for the first time Wednesday night in a game against the Colorado Avalanche.
2009-10 Game Six: Wild 2, Oilers 5
On the first night of back-to-back games, the Minnesota Wild skated hard, fought for the puck, and, even though they were missing some of their top players, they ultimately outplayed the Edmonton Oilers in most areas of the ice. Unfortunately for the Wild, even a great effort can fall apart, as the Wild's mistakes almost invariably created scoring chances for the Oilers, and Edmonton made their chances count.
The Wild fought hard through the game, and looked like they might have been able to take their first road win of the season during portions of the game. By the time the third period started, however, Minnesota had obviously spent too much of their time on the road trailing their opponents, and they came out relatively flat-footed. It didn't help matters that the Wild power play continues to showcase stunning displays of ineptitude, interpersed with a few sparkling plays. The effort put forth by Minnesota should have landed the team a win, but, without finishers like Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora, the Wild just couldn't get the puck into the net.
Game pluses:
- Benoit Pouliot. When Havlat and Sykora went down, the Wild challenged a few players to step up. One who has done so is Pouliot, who is starting to show a physical side, as he gets to the front of the net.
- Andrew Brunette. The veteran continued his points streak, scoring at least once per game for the Wild since the first puck drop. That quiet leadership is needed for a team in danger of falling apart.
- Kyle Brodziak. The former Oiler put together an impressive game against his old team, fighting for the puck all game long and shaking it free from more than a few Oiler sticks.
Game minuses:
- Josh Harding. Harding has designs on being a starting goaltender in the league. His last two starts showed a goaltender who might have a place in the league, but that league might be the AHL. His delay of game penalty early in the game was completely inexcusable, as was the way he dropped the puck, practically handing Edmonton their third goal.
- Second chances. The Wild took a ton of shots. They just couldn't get there for the rebound most of the time. They need to get better in front of the opposing net if they want to make something of the perimeter shots they're being given.
- James Sheppard. While one of the players asked to step up did so, another stood in the same place, if not taking a step backward. Sheppard is showing why development in the AHL can be so important, as he still hasn't developed into the player he was expected to be.
Next up: The Wild traveled from Edmonton to Vancouver, hoping to finish the road trip on an up note against the Canucks.
The Wild fought hard through the game, and looked like they might have been able to take their first road win of the season during portions of the game. By the time the third period started, however, Minnesota had obviously spent too much of their time on the road trailing their opponents, and they came out relatively flat-footed. It didn't help matters that the Wild power play continues to showcase stunning displays of ineptitude, interpersed with a few sparkling plays. The effort put forth by Minnesota should have landed the team a win, but, without finishers like Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora, the Wild just couldn't get the puck into the net.
Game pluses:
- Benoit Pouliot. When Havlat and Sykora went down, the Wild challenged a few players to step up. One who has done so is Pouliot, who is starting to show a physical side, as he gets to the front of the net.
- Andrew Brunette. The veteran continued his points streak, scoring at least once per game for the Wild since the first puck drop. That quiet leadership is needed for a team in danger of falling apart.
- Kyle Brodziak. The former Oiler put together an impressive game against his old team, fighting for the puck all game long and shaking it free from more than a few Oiler sticks.
Game minuses:
- Josh Harding. Harding has designs on being a starting goaltender in the league. His last two starts showed a goaltender who might have a place in the league, but that league might be the AHL. His delay of game penalty early in the game was completely inexcusable, as was the way he dropped the puck, practically handing Edmonton their third goal.
- Second chances. The Wild took a ton of shots. They just couldn't get there for the rebound most of the time. They need to get better in front of the opposing net if they want to make something of the perimeter shots they're being given.
- James Sheppard. While one of the players asked to step up did so, another stood in the same place, if not taking a step backward. Sheppard is showing why development in the AHL can be so important, as he still hasn't developed into the player he was expected to be.
Next up: The Wild traveled from Edmonton to Vancouver, hoping to finish the road trip on an up note against the Canucks.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
2009-10 Game Five: Wild 2, Ducks 3
The Minnesota Wild is in deep trouble. And, to make matters worse, the trouble is largely the team's own doing. It's going to take a lot to get the ship righted, and, with so much of their talent sitting due to injury, the long first month could easily turn into a long season.
The Wild showed a distinct lack of hockey knowledge right away against Anaheim, giving up the puck during a line change, which allowed Corey Perry to net his first easy goal of the game. His second wasn't much more difficult, as again, as they have all season thus far, the Wild defense hung their goaltender out without help. Backstrom made some impressive saves to try to keep the Wild in the game, but there's only so much one player can do. That's why this is a team game, and the Wild haven't yet put together the pieces to really look like a team. With injuries to Cal Clutterbuck, Petr Sykora, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and now Martin Havlat, the Wild are down in skill, and desperately need to figure out some way to scrap and chip their way through games.
Plain and simple, with all of the injuries, if the Wild hopes to start reversing course, they need to stop trying to play pretty hockey. Instead of looking for the perfect pass to create a beautiful one-timer, the Wild just need to shoot the puck. When they've been able to apply offensive pressure, good things have happened. Unfortunately, too easily, they fall back on their heels, and fall into the type of play that was on showcase in previous seasons. Thanks to the way the front office ran during those previous seasons, there isn't a lot of help in Houston to be called up, either. The Wild are in trouble, and they need to find a way to fix it.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Letting Koivu loose on the forecheck can be a beautiful thing to watch. His physical play caused the puck to squirt free and into high-percentage zones more than a few times. Unfortunately, the Wild couldn't capitalize.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger's heads-up play at the end of the second period to steal the puck and complete the breakaway is an example of what could happen if the entire team starts playing with more determination.
- Andy Hilbert. The Wild call-up played with more determination and grit than his size should have allowed. If only the rest of the team could pick up on his fire.
Game minuses:
- Defense. Not only did the Wild defense leave Backstrom hanging for all three goals, but they also made dumbfounding plays to try to clear their own zone. Far too many giveaways kept the Wild pinned deep without momentum.
- Power plays. The power play should be a chance to gain momentum, and a chance to move the puck around with relative ease, looking for the clear shot. For the Wild over the last two games, the power play has been a knife in the heart. If things don't reverse course quickly, the Wild may want to see if the NHL would allow them to decline penalties against their opponents.
- Kim Johnsson. It may not seem fair to single out any of the defensemen after another bad defensive showing, but Kim Johnsson is carrying a big contract, and doesn't seem like he has any idea if he's ever seen a hockey game before, let alone play in one.
Next up: A few lucky breaks at home have kept the Wild from being winless, but they haven't put together a complete game on the road. Now they have to head into their own division for back-to-back games, as they travel to face the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.
The Wild showed a distinct lack of hockey knowledge right away against Anaheim, giving up the puck during a line change, which allowed Corey Perry to net his first easy goal of the game. His second wasn't much more difficult, as again, as they have all season thus far, the Wild defense hung their goaltender out without help. Backstrom made some impressive saves to try to keep the Wild in the game, but there's only so much one player can do. That's why this is a team game, and the Wild haven't yet put together the pieces to really look like a team. With injuries to Cal Clutterbuck, Petr Sykora, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and now Martin Havlat, the Wild are down in skill, and desperately need to figure out some way to scrap and chip their way through games.
Plain and simple, with all of the injuries, if the Wild hopes to start reversing course, they need to stop trying to play pretty hockey. Instead of looking for the perfect pass to create a beautiful one-timer, the Wild just need to shoot the puck. When they've been able to apply offensive pressure, good things have happened. Unfortunately, too easily, they fall back on their heels, and fall into the type of play that was on showcase in previous seasons. Thanks to the way the front office ran during those previous seasons, there isn't a lot of help in Houston to be called up, either. The Wild are in trouble, and they need to find a way to fix it.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. Letting Koivu loose on the forecheck can be a beautiful thing to watch. His physical play caused the puck to squirt free and into high-percentage zones more than a few times. Unfortunately, the Wild couldn't capitalize.
- Eric Belanger. Belanger's heads-up play at the end of the second period to steal the puck and complete the breakaway is an example of what could happen if the entire team starts playing with more determination.
- Andy Hilbert. The Wild call-up played with more determination and grit than his size should have allowed. If only the rest of the team could pick up on his fire.
Game minuses:
- Defense. Not only did the Wild defense leave Backstrom hanging for all three goals, but they also made dumbfounding plays to try to clear their own zone. Far too many giveaways kept the Wild pinned deep without momentum.
- Power plays. The power play should be a chance to gain momentum, and a chance to move the puck around with relative ease, looking for the clear shot. For the Wild over the last two games, the power play has been a knife in the heart. If things don't reverse course quickly, the Wild may want to see if the NHL would allow them to decline penalties against their opponents.
- Kim Johnsson. It may not seem fair to single out any of the defensemen after another bad defensive showing, but Kim Johnsson is carrying a big contract, and doesn't seem like he has any idea if he's ever seen a hockey game before, let alone play in one.
Next up: A few lucky breaks at home have kept the Wild from being winless, but they haven't put together a complete game on the road. Now they have to head into their own division for back-to-back games, as they travel to face the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.
Monday, October 12, 2009
2009-10 Game Four: Wild 2, Sharks 4
The one thing that the Minnesota Wild definitely didn't need any more of was adversity, but that seems to be what they'll be continuing to get plenty of. After battling hard against the San Jose Sharks for a period and a half, the Wild suffered some crippling injuries to Petr Sykora and Cal Clutterbuck. What had been a strong start became a train wreck, as the Wild fell for the third time in four games.
If it hadn't been for the injuries, things might have ended very differently. The Wild found themselves up 2-0 on the Sharks, and they had put together a strong first period for the first time all season. They pressed on the forecheck, and applied pressure, peppering shots on goal. Unfortunately, the injuries caused coach Todd Richards to start rotating only three lines, and the tired players just couldn't keep up the assault. Quick mental lapses allowed the Sharks to tie the game, and more extended periods of exhaustion gave the game away. Proof that the Wild were physically and mentally exhausted happened right away in the third period, when the game was put out of reach.
Game pluses:
- Forecheck. The Wild were attacking and pressuring at the beginning of the game. It was only when they ran out of gas that they had to pull back. Unfortunately, at that point, it was too late.
- First period. For the first time this season, the Wild looked ready to play when the puck dropped. Being able to take a 1-0 lead into intermission had to give the players confidence that the system will work.
- Andrew Brunette. The veteran forward continues to be a bit of a surprise, leading the team with goals. A big reason why? He's able to play his game, battling behind the net and around the sides, with other players like Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat skating out near the circles.
Game minuses:
- Injuries. It may go without saying, but the injuries to Clutterbuck and Sykora may have made a long road trip even longer. The Wild need both to get healthy as quickly as possible, and, without Clutterbuck, they may have difficulty finding a spark.
- Power play. Ignore the power play goal. The Wild should have scored more on the power play, but their inability to convert helped cripple them.
- Awareness. There is simply no excuse for the quick San Jose goal at the start of the third period. One the puck drops, you have to be prepared.
Next up: The Wild look to get their trip back in the right direction as they head to Anaheim, to take on the only team they've beaten thus far.
If it hadn't been for the injuries, things might have ended very differently. The Wild found themselves up 2-0 on the Sharks, and they had put together a strong first period for the first time all season. They pressed on the forecheck, and applied pressure, peppering shots on goal. Unfortunately, the injuries caused coach Todd Richards to start rotating only three lines, and the tired players just couldn't keep up the assault. Quick mental lapses allowed the Sharks to tie the game, and more extended periods of exhaustion gave the game away. Proof that the Wild were physically and mentally exhausted happened right away in the third period, when the game was put out of reach.
Game pluses:
- Forecheck. The Wild were attacking and pressuring at the beginning of the game. It was only when they ran out of gas that they had to pull back. Unfortunately, at that point, it was too late.
- First period. For the first time this season, the Wild looked ready to play when the puck dropped. Being able to take a 1-0 lead into intermission had to give the players confidence that the system will work.
- Andrew Brunette. The veteran forward continues to be a bit of a surprise, leading the team with goals. A big reason why? He's able to play his game, battling behind the net and around the sides, with other players like Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat skating out near the circles.
Game minuses:
- Injuries. It may go without saying, but the injuries to Clutterbuck and Sykora may have made a long road trip even longer. The Wild need both to get healthy as quickly as possible, and, without Clutterbuck, they may have difficulty finding a spark.
- Power play. Ignore the power play goal. The Wild should have scored more on the power play, but their inability to convert helped cripple them.
- Awareness. There is simply no excuse for the quick San Jose goal at the start of the third period. One the puck drops, you have to be prepared.
Next up: The Wild look to get their trip back in the right direction as they head to Anaheim, to take on the only team they've beaten thus far.
Friday, October 9, 2009
2009-10 Game Three: Wild 3, Kings 6
It's going to be a long month. After a thrilling come-from-behind victory in their home opener, the Minnesota Wild departed on a long road trip. Their first stop? Staples Center, where they took on the Los Angeles Kings. At least, that was the story for the day yesterday. Once the puck was dropped, it became clear that a different story was happening, as the Wild's biggest opponent seemed to be themselves.
Los Angeles didn't need long to jump out to a lead, scoring a little over a minute into the game, and they got another two before the end of the first period. Throughout the period, the Wild looked like they were skating through molasses, and, even worse, it appeared as though they'd checked their hockey knowledge, and it was headed on to the next stop. Things improved slightly in the second period, but by that point, it was too late, as the closest the Wild got was being down 4-3 before collapsing again at the end of the game.
Game pluses:
- Second period. If only the Wild hadn't taken twenty minutes to wake up. The second period showcased a Wild team that was intense, quick, and creative with the puck.
- Power play. The Wild scored with the man advantage, and almost was able to turn the tide. The power play moved the puck well, until it became clear that any effort was futile.
- Faceoffs. One area that Wild really struggled in last year was in winning the face-off. They did a good job of taking the puck initially against the Kings, but gave it up far too readily.
Game minuses:
- Josh Harding. While Harding didn't have a lot of help from his defense, he needed to put together a solid start, especially this early in the season. He failed to do so, and never looked like he had any business putting the pads on.
- Kim Johnsson. True, Johnsson scored a goal, bringing the Wild to within one. However, he also was responsible for at least one, if not two, of the goals scored by the Kings. Watching him almost fall after bumping into his own goaltender was painful.
- Benoit Pouliot. Taking the minus originally reserved for the first period, Pouliot showed a distinct lack of drive yet again last night. The kid has talent, but he has yet to put it together on the ice. How much longer will he wear a Wild sweater, especially given his lack of desire to play any sort of defense, and how it led to Kings tallies.
Next up: The Wild travel up the coast to San Jose, where they'll take on Todd Richard's old team, the Sharks, who are led by Joe Thornton and newly acquired Dany Heatley.
Los Angeles didn't need long to jump out to a lead, scoring a little over a minute into the game, and they got another two before the end of the first period. Throughout the period, the Wild looked like they were skating through molasses, and, even worse, it appeared as though they'd checked their hockey knowledge, and it was headed on to the next stop. Things improved slightly in the second period, but by that point, it was too late, as the closest the Wild got was being down 4-3 before collapsing again at the end of the game.
Game pluses:
- Second period. If only the Wild hadn't taken twenty minutes to wake up. The second period showcased a Wild team that was intense, quick, and creative with the puck.
- Power play. The Wild scored with the man advantage, and almost was able to turn the tide. The power play moved the puck well, until it became clear that any effort was futile.
- Faceoffs. One area that Wild really struggled in last year was in winning the face-off. They did a good job of taking the puck initially against the Kings, but gave it up far too readily.
Game minuses:
- Josh Harding. While Harding didn't have a lot of help from his defense, he needed to put together a solid start, especially this early in the season. He failed to do so, and never looked like he had any business putting the pads on.
- Kim Johnsson. True, Johnsson scored a goal, bringing the Wild to within one. However, he also was responsible for at least one, if not two, of the goals scored by the Kings. Watching him almost fall after bumping into his own goaltender was painful.
- Benoit Pouliot. Taking the minus originally reserved for the first period, Pouliot showed a distinct lack of drive yet again last night. The kid has talent, but he has yet to put it together on the ice. How much longer will he wear a Wild sweater, especially given his lack of desire to play any sort of defense, and how it led to Kings tallies.
Next up: The Wild travel up the coast to San Jose, where they'll take on Todd Richard's old team, the Sharks, who are led by Joe Thornton and newly acquired Dany Heatley.
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