With regular season behind them, Wild, Blackhawks get set to face each other in Round One of 2013 NHL Playoffs
By Wild Road Tripper
That was close. Too close.
The Minnesota Wild, who almost backed all the way out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, did manage to right the ship of state in time to save their season Saturday night at Pepsi Center, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As thousands of fans watched in angst at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets thought that their 3-1 win, over the Nashville Predators, would just be enough to qualify for their second playoff run in the franchise's history, the Wild managed to just squeak in as the No. 8 seed in the NHL's Western Conference.
The Wild will begin their best-of-7 series with the Chicago Blackhawks on either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the whims of the NBC Sports Network, who controls what games are placed in what order by the League contractually. NBCSN -- which used to be known as Versus -- would like to keep the League's stars (Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, the Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings) on their network as much as possible.
And, there is the question in the Eastern Conference of who will play whom, as there is one game to be played today -- the postponed Ottawa at Boston game, which was originally scheduled for April 15th, the date of the Boston Marathon bomb attacks. This game needs to be played, in order to determine playoff positioning for 3 of the 4 Eastern Conference series.
Until that game is played, none of the dates/times for any of the series will probably be announced, so it will be anywhere up to mid-late evening before the times might be known.
As the two teams prepare to enter the playoffs -- the pressure-filled, hyper-intense world of hockey beyond the end of the regular season -- the fact of the matter is clear: The Wild are the second-biggest underdog in the NHL playoffs. Only the New York Islanders -- who will end up facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, should Ottawa lose in OT or the shootout tonight in Boston -- would probably be a larger underdog.
Regardless of when the Wild-Blackhawks series starts, the best thing for the Wild to do is simplify your game. No more Clayton Stoner cross-ice passes to be intercepted by Marian Hossa. No Justin Falk missed checks leading to Patrick Kane odd-man rushes on goal. No more Tom Gilbert passes to the empty quarter of the offensive zone, only to be intercepted and shot down the ice, killing yet another chance. Don't expect Pierre-Marc Bouchard to Spin-o-Rama his way to a Stanley Cup. Or much from Zenon Konopka, Mike Rupp, or Torrey Mitchell, but for Mitchell, for the fact he has to play on the same line (Wild's 4th) with the other two.
Chicago's strength is that their four lines are better than yours, matched up line-for-line (1st vs. 1st, 2nd vs. 2nd, 3rd vs. 3rd, and 4th vs. 4th). Their defense is better than yours (especially the bottom three), and their goaltending has improved dramatically, as opposed to Wild workhorse Niklas Backstrom, who has played in 82% of the Wild's season.
The Wild will make this an interesting series, and may just sneak a win out of the United Center. Maybe. But then, under the pressure of the home crowd, with 20,000 people at Xcel Energy Center (they will try for this number of tickets sold, for each game in this series) screaming 'SHOOT' every time the power play stalls and become a pass-fest, the Wild will eventually wilt under the relentless attack of the Blackhawks. What the Hawks are, is what the Wild wants to achieve. They just aren't there...yet. But, they're getting there. At least the Wild are, finally, on their way.
PREDICTION: Hawks in 6.
Showing posts with label Crosby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crosby. Show all posts
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Sunday, January 9, 2011
A moment, while we inject some reality into your Wild playoff run...
(Updated 1-10-2011 with updated second game total after Dallas game.)
Fans of the Minnesota Wild have enjoyed the first week of 2011 immensely. Four games in the New Year, four wins (three in regulation, all on the road), eight points, and the Wild have finally managed to pull themselves off the scrap heap of the NHL's Western Conference.
To what do we attribute this largesse? The system instilled by the coaching staff, led by second-year head Coach Todd Richards? Better talent obtained by GM Chuck Fletcher? Better play inspired by the likes of Mikko Koivu, Martin Havlat, Cal Clutterbuck and the now-injured Marek Zidlicky?
The fact of the matter is that all of it contributes to the sudden surge in Wild success. But so does one more important item...one overlooked except in hindsight after games have been played:
The old facet that 'It's not who you play, it's when you play them', comes into play after the games have been played.
Would the Wild have been better off playing the New Jersey Devils right after their NHL Premiere experience in Finland? Or in January, after the Devils' ship of state took on so much water it looked more like the Andria Doria than a hockey team ready to win games?
Are the Wild better off that three of the four games against the Phoenix Coyotes have already been played?
Were the Boston Bruins looking ahead to their game Saturday night in Montreal, when they played the Wild Thursday night at TD Garden?
We know the Wild caught a major break against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when Sidney Crosby got his clock cleaned not once, but twice, in the week leading up to last night's 4-0 Wild win, the second worst game in the STK era for the Pens versus the Wild. Crosby did not play last night as he was diagnosed with concussion symptoms after the second bell-ringing, which took place in their Wednesday night 8-1 drubbing of Tampa Bay.
When the Wild catch a team at or near full strength, especially in St. Paul, they have frequently had their lunch handed to them, as in New Year's Eve's 4-1 drubbing against a Nashville Predators team at full strength; a Detroit Red Wings team which came in on Boxing Day, and in Grinch-like fashion, wrested a 4-1 win from the Wild in a game so bad, the fifth-largest crowd in Wild history booed the team off the ice after the second period; an Ottawa Senators team who came in to St. Paul and used two power-play goals to earn a 3-1 comeback win, their fifth straight against the Wild; the Coyotes' first visit into the 'X', as lifeless a loss (4-2) as you could get; and the two straight home blowouts in November, the easy (for them) 5-2 NY Rangers win, and the 6-1 Philadelphia Flyers drubbing, two of the worst home games in Wild history.
Now, this afternoon, the Dallas Stars, another team which the Wild have precious little success with (9-7-2 all time in St. Paul, and an absolutely hid-e-ous 3-11-4 in 'Big D') play in a 5:00 PM start, Dallas having rested on Saturday, while the Wild were in Pittsburgh. The Stars have three players (Karlis Skrastins and Minnesotans Matt Niskanen (Virginia), Toby Petersen (Minneapolis) ) on the injured list, as do the Wild (Guillaume Latendresse, Niklas Backstrom, Zidlicky) so what does that portend?
The 1-6-3 record of the Wild this season, in the second game of back-to-backs, should speak volumes. The fact that Dallas rested yesterday, while the Wild flew back from Western PA, should speak volumes. The fact that Backstrom, the Wild's No. 1 goaltender, is possibly facing more hip surgery, maybe putting him out for the rest of the season, should speak volumes. The fact that the West is so tight (the Wild will be within two points of the Stars in the West if they win in regulation time today) should speak volumes, also.
What it speaks volumes OF, however, is subject to debate, specualtion, and of course, blogging!
Fans of the Minnesota Wild have enjoyed the first week of 2011 immensely. Four games in the New Year, four wins (three in regulation, all on the road), eight points, and the Wild have finally managed to pull themselves off the scrap heap of the NHL's Western Conference.
To what do we attribute this largesse? The system instilled by the coaching staff, led by second-year head Coach Todd Richards? Better talent obtained by GM Chuck Fletcher? Better play inspired by the likes of Mikko Koivu, Martin Havlat, Cal Clutterbuck and the now-injured Marek Zidlicky?
The fact of the matter is that all of it contributes to the sudden surge in Wild success. But so does one more important item...one overlooked except in hindsight after games have been played:
The old facet that 'It's not who you play, it's when you play them', comes into play after the games have been played.
Would the Wild have been better off playing the New Jersey Devils right after their NHL Premiere experience in Finland? Or in January, after the Devils' ship of state took on so much water it looked more like the Andria Doria than a hockey team ready to win games?
Are the Wild better off that three of the four games against the Phoenix Coyotes have already been played?
Were the Boston Bruins looking ahead to their game Saturday night in Montreal, when they played the Wild Thursday night at TD Garden?
We know the Wild caught a major break against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when Sidney Crosby got his clock cleaned not once, but twice, in the week leading up to last night's 4-0 Wild win, the second worst game in the STK era for the Pens versus the Wild. Crosby did not play last night as he was diagnosed with concussion symptoms after the second bell-ringing, which took place in their Wednesday night 8-1 drubbing of Tampa Bay.
When the Wild catch a team at or near full strength, especially in St. Paul, they have frequently had their lunch handed to them, as in New Year's Eve's 4-1 drubbing against a Nashville Predators team at full strength; a Detroit Red Wings team which came in on Boxing Day, and in Grinch-like fashion, wrested a 4-1 win from the Wild in a game so bad, the fifth-largest crowd in Wild history booed the team off the ice after the second period; an Ottawa Senators team who came in to St. Paul and used two power-play goals to earn a 3-1 comeback win, their fifth straight against the Wild; the Coyotes' first visit into the 'X', as lifeless a loss (4-2) as you could get; and the two straight home blowouts in November, the easy (for them) 5-2 NY Rangers win, and the 6-1 Philadelphia Flyers drubbing, two of the worst home games in Wild history.
Now, this afternoon, the Dallas Stars, another team which the Wild have precious little success with (9-7-2 all time in St. Paul, and an absolutely hid-e-ous 3-11-4 in 'Big D') play in a 5:00 PM start, Dallas having rested on Saturday, while the Wild were in Pittsburgh. The Stars have three players (Karlis Skrastins and Minnesotans Matt Niskanen (Virginia), Toby Petersen (Minneapolis) ) on the injured list, as do the Wild (Guillaume Latendresse, Niklas Backstrom, Zidlicky) so what does that portend?
The 1-6-3 record of the Wild this season, in the second game of back-to-backs, should speak volumes. The fact that Dallas rested yesterday, while the Wild flew back from Western PA, should speak volumes. The fact that Backstrom, the Wild's No. 1 goaltender, is possibly facing more hip surgery, maybe putting him out for the rest of the season, should speak volumes. The fact that the West is so tight (the Wild will be within two points of the Stars in the West if they win in regulation time today) should speak volumes, also.
What it speaks volumes OF, however, is subject to debate, specualtion, and of course, blogging!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Gui's Big Bite takes down Pens, 4-3
One goal, 3 assist night makes Wild fans forget about Pouliot
By Wild Road Tripper
There was no bigger stage in hockey Monday night. A national cable/satellite audience (except for DirecTV subscribers) in both the USA and Canada, exclusive time slot, big game at home, and the opponent: the defending Stanley Cup Champions, led by the twin stars of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And, with all that, who knew it would be Guillaume Latendresse stealing the show?
The Minnesota Wild won their third straight game as they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in front of 19,044 at Xcel Energy Center, with Latendresse leading the charge, with the game winning goal with 13:47 remaining, and assists on the other 3 Minnesota goals in the back-and-forth, intense game. Eric Belanger also got a goal and an assist, as the Wild defeated the Pens for the second time this season. Martin Havlat extended his point streak to eight games with his 8th goal of the season, and Cal Clutterbuck tallied his ninth on a second period tip-in. The Wild now have a 7-3-3 record against the Eastern Conference this season. The Wild have not lost to Pittsburgh since the first month of the 2007-08 season.
The Wild, playing in front of a lot of Pittsburgh fans (or more accurately, a lot of fans of, 'Sid the Kid') stayed with the Pens throughout the game, as the up-and-down pace meant long stretches between whistles, meaning players were being used up quickly. And, it showed as the game went along, as the pace, although fairly brisk, slowed considerably in the third period, as the Wild waited for opportunities to develop where the offense could take advantage of a somewhat shaky Marc-Andre Fleury in the Pens' goal. Sid did get two goals and an assist in the game, and ex-Wild winger Pascal Dupuis chipped in a goal and assisted on both of Crosby's tallies, to get back at the team that gave him a paycheck for six seasons. Martin Skoula, former Wild defenseman and legend of Xcel's press box popcorn machine, was also reunited with his old mate; he was a healthy scratch for Pittsburgh in this game.
Niklas Backstrom, who was pulled after two periods prior to the unbelieveable comeback on Saturday night against Chicago, made 35 saves, several of the spectacular variety, to win his 20th game of the current season, and his 113th NHL win overall, all with the Wild, which ties Backstrom with Manny Fernandez for most wins by a Wild goaltender in a career. Belanger and Nick Schultz both achieved the 100th point as Wild players with their contributions, as well.
The Wild draw even in points with 10th-place Dallas in the NHL Western Conference, but the Wild have played one more game than the Stars; both teams are four points behind eighth-place Los Angeles, who lost to the Sharks last night. The Pens gain no ground on Atlantic Division leader New Jersey, six points ahead of the Pens. The big question for Wild fans going into the next game will be: can the Wild keep it up?
That NEXT GAME: vs. Vancouver, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 6:00 PM Central (4:00 PM Pacific), Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth (in HD); Canucks TV: Rogers SportsNet Pacific; also available in HD on NHL Network-USA only; XM NHL Home Ice, Ch. 204)
By Wild Road Tripper
There was no bigger stage in hockey Monday night. A national cable/satellite audience (except for DirecTV subscribers) in both the USA and Canada, exclusive time slot, big game at home, and the opponent: the defending Stanley Cup Champions, led by the twin stars of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And, with all that, who knew it would be Guillaume Latendresse stealing the show?
The Minnesota Wild won their third straight game as they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in front of 19,044 at Xcel Energy Center, with Latendresse leading the charge, with the game winning goal with 13:47 remaining, and assists on the other 3 Minnesota goals in the back-and-forth, intense game. Eric Belanger also got a goal and an assist, as the Wild defeated the Pens for the second time this season. Martin Havlat extended his point streak to eight games with his 8th goal of the season, and Cal Clutterbuck tallied his ninth on a second period tip-in. The Wild now have a 7-3-3 record against the Eastern Conference this season. The Wild have not lost to Pittsburgh since the first month of the 2007-08 season.
The Wild, playing in front of a lot of Pittsburgh fans (or more accurately, a lot of fans of, 'Sid the Kid') stayed with the Pens throughout the game, as the up-and-down pace meant long stretches between whistles, meaning players were being used up quickly. And, it showed as the game went along, as the pace, although fairly brisk, slowed considerably in the third period, as the Wild waited for opportunities to develop where the offense could take advantage of a somewhat shaky Marc-Andre Fleury in the Pens' goal. Sid did get two goals and an assist in the game, and ex-Wild winger Pascal Dupuis chipped in a goal and assisted on both of Crosby's tallies, to get back at the team that gave him a paycheck for six seasons. Martin Skoula, former Wild defenseman and legend of Xcel's press box popcorn machine, was also reunited with his old mate; he was a healthy scratch for Pittsburgh in this game.
Niklas Backstrom, who was pulled after two periods prior to the unbelieveable comeback on Saturday night against Chicago, made 35 saves, several of the spectacular variety, to win his 20th game of the current season, and his 113th NHL win overall, all with the Wild, which ties Backstrom with Manny Fernandez for most wins by a Wild goaltender in a career. Belanger and Nick Schultz both achieved the 100th point as Wild players with their contributions, as well.
The Wild draw even in points with 10th-place Dallas in the NHL Western Conference, but the Wild have played one more game than the Stars; both teams are four points behind eighth-place Los Angeles, who lost to the Sharks last night. The Pens gain no ground on Atlantic Division leader New Jersey, six points ahead of the Pens. The big question for Wild fans going into the next game will be: can the Wild keep it up?
That NEXT GAME: vs. Vancouver, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 6:00 PM Central (4:00 PM Pacific), Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth (in HD); Canucks TV: Rogers SportsNet Pacific; also available in HD on NHL Network-USA only; XM NHL Home Ice, Ch. 204)
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