Is re-arranging the deck chairs (or the roster) enough to avoid the iceberg ahead (or the April abyss)?
Well, so this is what the 2013-14 season for the Minnesota Wild has degenerated into.
Happened yesterday, after the Wild managed to lose a 3-2 home game to the Detroit Griffins -- er, Red Wings -- a team so decimated by injury, that eight regulars were out of the starting lineup as the Wild played the first game of a weekend home-and-home, versus their old Western Conference rivals.
The post-game Mike Yeo press conference was delayed (enough so that the presser, normally in the team-produced radio post-game, was not on fans' radios as they sulkenly drove home afterwards, or even on the outstate feed provided by Clear Channel Minnesota). What they missed, or what they didn't, was this:
The start of the third straight Wild end-of-season meltdown. You heard it here, folks. It's begun. Officially. Yeo even defacto declared it yesterday, by trudging out a sheaf of notes, saying that the Wild have points in 10 of 11 games at home (the Detroit loss was the first regulation loss at home, since a 3-0 drubbing by Ottawa on Jan. 14), and that they have a point in 9 of the last 11 overall.
Two seasons ago, it was the 'first-to-worst' total implosion, as the Wild went from No. 1 in the NHL to completely eliminated from playoff contention in just 52 games' time. Last season, it was the final day back-in to the playoffs, as only a late comeback vs. the Colorado Avalanche, coupled with the end of the season troubles of the Columbus Blue Jackets, allowed the Wild to be cannon fodder for the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.
This season? How about a 2-3-4 record since the trade deadline? How about 3 of the 4 games going to OT, finding the Wild having to come back from multi-goal deficits late in the 3rd period, only to 'achieve' the 'loser point'? And how about who(m) you've managed to do this against?
Things were looking pretty good after the Wild came off the Olympic break. A two-game road winning streak, with back-to-back victories at Edmonton and Vancouver, looking at 5 of their next 6 at home, time to fatten up for the end of the month, right?
Oh, hell no. Not with this bunch.
The month of March started good enough, with a less-than-stunning 3-2 win at home against Calgary. Then, March 5, the trade deadline, and the addition of Matt Moulson and Cody McCormick in the deadline deal which sent Torrey Mitchell to Buffalo. Since then?
Loss to Dallas on 'Mike Modano Night'. (And, yes, Norm Green STILL sucks.)
The next night began a crucial 4-game homestand for the Wild. Result? A shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues, the likely President's Cup winner for this season. Two nights later, Wild take a 3-0 lead after 16 minutes against the Edmonton Oilers, the worst team in the Conference, and proceed to pee it away, losing in the shootout 4-3. After beating the NY Rangers 2-1 on Thursday, the Wild then get 'BOB'ed by Sergei Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets, 2-1, in another shootout, one in which the Wild had a 2-0 lead in the shootout before the Jackets solved Darcy Kuemper three straight times to win.
A three-game road trip ensued; first, at Boston, the Bruins finally figured out how to beat the Wild, as the B's snapped their 6-game losing streak at TD Garden against Minnesota 4-2. The next night, as tens of thousands of fans back in Minnesota said, 'Where has this team been?', the Wild disposed of the lowly Islanders 6-0. Two nights later, as the hatred of Zach Parise overflowed at the Prudential Center in 'beautiful' Downtown Newark, the Wild came from two goals down in the last 10 minutes to force overtime, only to forget that someone has to take the man on the other side, as Matt Greene gave the New Jersey Devils a 4-3 win, which stole yet another point from the Wild.
Then, there was the home game vs. Detroit, a team so banged up, there is a sudden glut of short-term housing in Grand Rapids, as most of the Griffins' top players are up with the big club, as the Red Wings 'Lite' managed to beat the Wild (as they so often do in Minnesota), 3-2. Since the trade deadline, the Wild is now 1-1-3 at home.
The second half of the home-and-home is tonight, at the venerable Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Same conditions apply: Detroit is just as desperate; Minnesota is just as perplexed as they were into the first Detroit game.
And the head coach? Still refuses to see the forest; too many trees in the way.
The apoplexy that would ensue if, say, Dany Heatley were to sit out a couple games in the press box would reverberate throughout Minnesota. Heatley has managed to endear Minnesotans to his 'stand around and wait for something to happen his way' philosophy of offense, instead of using his 6'3" frame to create havoc around the net, using the Andrew Brunette model of 'Back that big ass up' to score goals with his hands (Heatley's stickwork is still good, even if his feet aren't motivated to move as fast as they used to.)
And, after yesterday (especially), would it hurt if Kyle Brodziak joined Heatley next to the popcorn maker in the press box? 'Brodz' was on the ice for ALL 3 Detroit goals yesterday. Great -3 there, Brodz. Work on your defense. Or your shot. Or your footwork. Or anything that won't cost the Wild another goal.
Now, that would mean you would have $10.33 million in salary cap serving up corn in the press box. At that rate, maybe they could even afford real butter.
Showing posts with label Edmonton Oilers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Edmonton Oilers. Show all posts
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Monday, June 10, 2013
'Six-Pack of Suck': The Light edition
Honestly. We couldn't do this even though we are still disappointed that the Minnesota Wild didn't do more against the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs. But, since everyone else is putting the season away, I thought I might as well do the same.
But, we also have to be somewhat fair. The Wild only played 48 regular-season (and 5 post-season) games. About 60% of the regular season schedule. So, with less of a pool of games to choose from, there are less games to really say 'God, they sucked that night.' And so, with all that as a backdrop, here is the 'light' edition of the Six-Pack of Suck, or three games the Wild really wished later they had won:
1. February 14, 2013. Colorado 4, Minnesota 3 (SO). In front of a raucous, Valentine's Day crowd of 18,822 at Xcel Energy Center, the Avs came back right after Mikko Koivu put the Wild ahead with just eight minutes remaining in regulation. On the next shift, Colorado's Matt Duchene tied it up as the Wild once again tried to lay back and cruise to a win. Not so, as the Avs went 2-for-2 against Niklas Backstrom to win it in the extra session. The Wild would go on to win 4 of the next 5, but really, Valentine's Day would have been that much better with a 'W' by the home squad.
2. April 21, 2013. Calgary 4, Minnesota 1. The last week of the regular season started with this God-awful showing by the Wild, who managed to bumble and stumble their way to losing at home to a Calgary team, which was 2/3rds Flames and 1/3rd Abbotsford Heat players, pushing the Wild's April loss streak at home to a sickening 5 straight games.
The Wild just couldn't get the deal done, as they threw away their chance to clinch a playoff spot (and also play either St. Louis or San Jose in the first round, as opposed to Anaheim or Chicago) with this lack of finish in this game.
Despite outshooting the Flames 35-24 for the game as a whole, the Flames outshot the Wild 12-10 in the crucial 3rd period, as the Flames scored twice against Backstrom in the last 7:20 (one an empty net goal) as the Wild slunk away into the night.
The Wild ended the night three points ahead of the ninth-place Dallas Stars, a team which gutted its' roster three weeks earler at the trade deadline, as their April record waned to a wretched 3-7-1.
3. April 26, 2013. Edmonton 6, Minnesota 1. 'Fan Appreciation Night' at the 'X' turned into 'Fan Apprehension Night', after only 27 seconds in this one, where by that time, there was a Zenon Konopka fight, an Edmonton goal, and a Wild team in really desperate straits.
And it would only go downhill from there. I was so 'appreciated' by the half-way mark of this game, I walked out and did not see either of Nail Yakupov's two goals (on consecutive shifts, by the way). I wasn't alone, as the place was half-empty by the time Koivu scored in the 3rd, to break up Nikolai Khabibulin's shutout.
The only thing I could 'appreciate' about this game is that I could go to bed on time, as I was home well before the final horn sounded to end this turkey of a contest. The Oilers were going nowhere, and if not for the Wild's game the next day at Colorado, neither were the Wild going anywhere.
Jeff Rimer, the play-by-play man for the Columbus Blue Jackets, surmised that the Jackets would have been a better opponent for the Blackhawks than were the Wild. We can argue that forever, but I don't think that anyone could have stopped the Blackhawks in the first round, save for the Hawks themselves.
Bring on the post-season, folks. Time to remodel the roster.
But, we also have to be somewhat fair. The Wild only played 48 regular-season (and 5 post-season) games. About 60% of the regular season schedule. So, with less of a pool of games to choose from, there are less games to really say 'God, they sucked that night.' And so, with all that as a backdrop, here is the 'light' edition of the Six-Pack of Suck, or three games the Wild really wished later they had won:
1. February 14, 2013. Colorado 4, Minnesota 3 (SO). In front of a raucous, Valentine's Day crowd of 18,822 at Xcel Energy Center, the Avs came back right after Mikko Koivu put the Wild ahead with just eight minutes remaining in regulation. On the next shift, Colorado's Matt Duchene tied it up as the Wild once again tried to lay back and cruise to a win. Not so, as the Avs went 2-for-2 against Niklas Backstrom to win it in the extra session. The Wild would go on to win 4 of the next 5, but really, Valentine's Day would have been that much better with a 'W' by the home squad.
2. April 21, 2013. Calgary 4, Minnesota 1. The last week of the regular season started with this God-awful showing by the Wild, who managed to bumble and stumble their way to losing at home to a Calgary team, which was 2/3rds Flames and 1/3rd Abbotsford Heat players, pushing the Wild's April loss streak at home to a sickening 5 straight games.
The Wild just couldn't get the deal done, as they threw away their chance to clinch a playoff spot (and also play either St. Louis or San Jose in the first round, as opposed to Anaheim or Chicago) with this lack of finish in this game.
Despite outshooting the Flames 35-24 for the game as a whole, the Flames outshot the Wild 12-10 in the crucial 3rd period, as the Flames scored twice against Backstrom in the last 7:20 (one an empty net goal) as the Wild slunk away into the night.
The Wild ended the night three points ahead of the ninth-place Dallas Stars, a team which gutted its' roster three weeks earler at the trade deadline, as their April record waned to a wretched 3-7-1.
3. April 26, 2013. Edmonton 6, Minnesota 1. 'Fan Appreciation Night' at the 'X' turned into 'Fan Apprehension Night', after only 27 seconds in this one, where by that time, there was a Zenon Konopka fight, an Edmonton goal, and a Wild team in really desperate straits.
And it would only go downhill from there. I was so 'appreciated' by the half-way mark of this game, I walked out and did not see either of Nail Yakupov's two goals (on consecutive shifts, by the way). I wasn't alone, as the place was half-empty by the time Koivu scored in the 3rd, to break up Nikolai Khabibulin's shutout.
The only thing I could 'appreciate' about this game is that I could go to bed on time, as I was home well before the final horn sounded to end this turkey of a contest. The Oilers were going nowhere, and if not for the Wild's game the next day at Colorado, neither were the Wild going anywhere.
Jeff Rimer, the play-by-play man for the Columbus Blue Jackets, surmised that the Jackets would have been a better opponent for the Blackhawks than were the Wild. We can argue that forever, but I don't think that anyone could have stopped the Blackhawks in the first round, save for the Hawks themselves.
Bring on the post-season, folks. Time to remodel the roster.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
How 'bout a little help for the Wild?
If the Minnesota Wild could scream something at the rest of the NHL this Sunday morning, it very well could be saying:
'Thanks for nothing, guys!'
The fact of the matter, however, is that whatever team needed to lose in various games last week in the NHL, didn't. In fact, of the 12 non-Wild games I mentioned last week on this blog, only 4 of the 12 turned out the way that the Wild could eventually take advantage of, and 3 of those 4 were that the game didn't go to overtime or shootout. The only game that didn't go OT/Shootout that turned out the way the Wild would like was Calgary's 3-2 win at home Wednesday against faltering Detroit.
So, having said all that, we turn to the final seven days of the Western Conference race, where the race will finally and mercifully (for some teams, at least) end. The last four games of the season will feature three teams who are out of the race (Calgary, Edmonton, and Colorado) and one team -- Tuesday's home game vs. the LA Kings -- who has already clinched a playoff spot.
Update: 11:30 AM Sunday: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, of the Edmonton Oilers, is reportedly having shoulder surgery in Cleveland this coming week, ending RNH's season.
Do you think the Wild have a better chance this week? Let's find out...
Sunday, April 21: Wild at home, must beat Calgary
Colorado must beat St. Louis
Dallas at LA Kings cannot go OT/SO
Columbus at San Jose cannot go OT/SO
Monday, April 22: Chicago must win at Vancouver
Phoenix at Detroit cannot go OT/SO
Tuesday, April 23: Wild at home, must beat LA Kings
Phoenix must win at St. Louis
Dallas at San Jose cannot go OT/SO
Wednesday, Apr. 24: Detroit must beat LA Kings
San Jose at Phoenix cannot go OT/SO
Thursday, Apr. 25: Nashville must win at Detroit
Calgary must win at St. Louis
Columbus at Dallas cannot go OT/SO
Anaheim must beat Vancouver
Friday, April 26: Wild at home, must beat Edmonton
Saturday, April 27: Wild must win at Colorado
Chicago must win at St. Louis
Edmonton must beat Vancouver
All other Western Conference games must not go OT/SO
'Thanks for nothing, guys!'
The fact of the matter, however, is that whatever team needed to lose in various games last week in the NHL, didn't. In fact, of the 12 non-Wild games I mentioned last week on this blog, only 4 of the 12 turned out the way that the Wild could eventually take advantage of, and 3 of those 4 were that the game didn't go to overtime or shootout. The only game that didn't go OT/Shootout that turned out the way the Wild would like was Calgary's 3-2 win at home Wednesday against faltering Detroit.
So, having said all that, we turn to the final seven days of the Western Conference race, where the race will finally and mercifully (for some teams, at least) end. The last four games of the season will feature three teams who are out of the race (Calgary, Edmonton, and Colorado) and one team -- Tuesday's home game vs. the LA Kings -- who has already clinched a playoff spot.
Update: 11:30 AM Sunday: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, of the Edmonton Oilers, is reportedly having shoulder surgery in Cleveland this coming week, ending RNH's season.
Do you think the Wild have a better chance this week? Let's find out...
Sunday, April 21: Wild at home, must beat Calgary
Colorado must beat St. Louis
Dallas at LA Kings cannot go OT/SO
Columbus at San Jose cannot go OT/SO
Monday, April 22: Chicago must win at Vancouver
Phoenix at Detroit cannot go OT/SO
Tuesday, April 23: Wild at home, must beat LA Kings
Phoenix must win at St. Louis
Dallas at San Jose cannot go OT/SO
Wednesday, Apr. 24: Detroit must beat LA Kings
San Jose at Phoenix cannot go OT/SO
Thursday, Apr. 25: Nashville must win at Detroit
Calgary must win at St. Louis
Columbus at Dallas cannot go OT/SO
Anaheim must beat Vancouver
Friday, April 26: Wild at home, must beat Edmonton
Saturday, April 27: Wild must win at Colorado
Chicago must win at St. Louis
Edmonton must beat Vancouver
All other Western Conference games must not go OT/SO
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Wild goal: Eight out of five?
Are fans asking for too much from the Minnesota Wild? Or are expectations changing as team changes?
Eight points in five games. Is that too much to ask?
The end is near. Or so the guy with the hand-made sign on the street says. So, I ask you, dear blog reader: is eight points for the Wild in the next five games (basically, a 4-1 record) too much to ask from the boys in Iron Range Red (or Forest Green, vs. Chicago)?
With 11 games (including Sunday's 5 PM tilt in Columbus) remaining in the shortened, compressed NHL season, the fact that the Wild are in position to even make the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a testament to the determination of this team to make it work, despite the NHL's worst travel schedule and nine back-to-backs. The Wild head into Columbus and the first home game for ex-Wild cherry picker Marian Gaborik in his new home with the suddenly successful Blue Jackets, who have not lost in Nationwide Arena in nearly two months (Feb. 10, in fact, vs. Edmonton). The Jackets start their last meaningful home stand today; when they meet again this coming Saturday in St. Paul, the Jackets will have embarked on a six-game, 13-day forced march thru Minnesota, Colorado and the Pacific Division, meeting every team except Phoenix away from Ohio. So every point they get at home will be as critical for them as the points are for the visiting Wild.
As of today, the Wild have 7 games with 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the NHL's Western Conference, including home and away games with lowly Calgary, somewhat-fading Edmonton and the Blue Jackets, and one game (the final regular-season game) at Colorado. Fortunately, the Anaheim Ducks, the Wild's chief pain in the collective side, are not on the schedule the rest of the regular season. Single games remain at home vs. Chicago, St. Louis, and LA; the Wild are still scheduled for one more visit, to the house of horrors known as the HP Pavilion-San Jose, to face the Sharks.
Are fans expectations changing as the team changes and gets better?
I, for one, do expect more as the team gets better. Yes, I know, I should learn to 'manage expectations' better, but as this team adds talent to the roster, the expectations should, conceivably, rise to the occasion of the talent level. I grow tired of the 'maybe we'll make the playoffs, and maybe we won't' expectation, season after season. The fact is that this team is in a good state right now; the team's upper management, and ownership, has proven to the players (and fans) that they will do what they can in order to win.
Now it's up to the players -- the guys who are actually 'in the room' -- to get the job done. Show the fans that you are as committed to winning as those you answer to are. Yes, the fans have every right to still be a little bit skeptical as to whether or not you will even MAKE the playoffs, much less go far in them. But that's what fans are. After four seasons of not making the playoffs at all, a little skepticism goes a long, long way. And after the spectacular crash-and-burn which occured about this point last season, just holding on for dear life isn't going to help you at all, Minnesota Wild.
So, to go back to my original point; is eight points in the next five games too much to ask? Let's take a look ahead:
Game 1 -- today, 5 PM CDT, at Columbus -- Wild either win close or lose in OT/SO. Too close to call. But, since the point is to manage expectations; we'll manage them to a Wild win, as Nate Prosser is relieving Tom Gilbert on the blue line today. When Nate plays, the Wild win. Simple as that. Two points for the visiting Wild.
Game 2 -- Tuesday, 7 PM CDT, vs. Chicago -- nationally-televised game in which the Wild should do well in. (Hopefully better than last month's disaster in the United Center, where the Wild basically laid an egg, losing 5-3.) Chicago already assured home-ice in 1st round with that 24-game unbeaten-in-regulation streak. Wild win. (2 Points.)
Game 3 -- Thursday, 7 PM CDT, vs. St. Louis -- Blues will be on 3rd game of 4-game roadie (at Detroit, Nashville, Minnesota, Columbus). This is the game that scares me. Which Blues team will show up Thursday night? The one that lost 4 of 5 prior to the last game last week at the X? Or the one from earlier on this season, which won 6 of their first 7? With Jay Bouwmeester and Jordan Leopold both now on the Blues' blue line, this could be a trap game. This is the one I think Wild lose. (Hope I'm wrong, but...)
Game 4 -- Saturday, 7 PM CDT vs. Columbus -- Marian Gaborik's revenge night. Unlike when AJ Pierzinski and Kevin Garnett left Minnesota, folks, Gaborik brought nothing back when he signed as an UFA with the Rangers in 2009. It's OK to boo lustily whenever he touches the puck (which, we hope, won't be often.) Wild win this one. (2 Points).
Game 5 -- Monday, April 15, 8:00 PM CDT, at Calgary -- the Flames have basically thrown in the towel. GM Jay Feaster sold off Jarome Iginla, Bouwmeester, and almost sold off Curtis Glencross, have been told Mikka Kiprusoff is not returning after this season, and the rebuilding has, indeed, started in Calgary. Wild should win this game, too. (2 points).
That's my thoughts. Let's play the games and see how it all shakes out. Remember to manage your expectations, also. Doug Risebrough would expect nothing less.
Eight points in five games. Is that too much to ask?
The end is near. Or so the guy with the hand-made sign on the street says. So, I ask you, dear blog reader: is eight points for the Wild in the next five games (basically, a 4-1 record) too much to ask from the boys in Iron Range Red (or Forest Green, vs. Chicago)?
With 11 games (including Sunday's 5 PM tilt in Columbus) remaining in the shortened, compressed NHL season, the fact that the Wild are in position to even make the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a testament to the determination of this team to make it work, despite the NHL's worst travel schedule and nine back-to-backs. The Wild head into Columbus and the first home game for ex-Wild cherry picker Marian Gaborik in his new home with the suddenly successful Blue Jackets, who have not lost in Nationwide Arena in nearly two months (Feb. 10, in fact, vs. Edmonton). The Jackets start their last meaningful home stand today; when they meet again this coming Saturday in St. Paul, the Jackets will have embarked on a six-game, 13-day forced march thru Minnesota, Colorado and the Pacific Division, meeting every team except Phoenix away from Ohio. So every point they get at home will be as critical for them as the points are for the visiting Wild.
As of today, the Wild have 7 games with 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the NHL's Western Conference, including home and away games with lowly Calgary, somewhat-fading Edmonton and the Blue Jackets, and one game (the final regular-season game) at Colorado. Fortunately, the Anaheim Ducks, the Wild's chief pain in the collective side, are not on the schedule the rest of the regular season. Single games remain at home vs. Chicago, St. Louis, and LA; the Wild are still scheduled for one more visit, to the house of horrors known as the HP Pavilion-San Jose, to face the Sharks.
Are fans expectations changing as the team changes and gets better?
I, for one, do expect more as the team gets better. Yes, I know, I should learn to 'manage expectations' better, but as this team adds talent to the roster, the expectations should, conceivably, rise to the occasion of the talent level. I grow tired of the 'maybe we'll make the playoffs, and maybe we won't' expectation, season after season. The fact is that this team is in a good state right now; the team's upper management, and ownership, has proven to the players (and fans) that they will do what they can in order to win.
Now it's up to the players -- the guys who are actually 'in the room' -- to get the job done. Show the fans that you are as committed to winning as those you answer to are. Yes, the fans have every right to still be a little bit skeptical as to whether or not you will even MAKE the playoffs, much less go far in them. But that's what fans are. After four seasons of not making the playoffs at all, a little skepticism goes a long, long way. And after the spectacular crash-and-burn which occured about this point last season, just holding on for dear life isn't going to help you at all, Minnesota Wild.
So, to go back to my original point; is eight points in the next five games too much to ask? Let's take a look ahead:
Game 1 -- today, 5 PM CDT, at Columbus -- Wild either win close or lose in OT/SO. Too close to call. But, since the point is to manage expectations; we'll manage them to a Wild win, as Nate Prosser is relieving Tom Gilbert on the blue line today. When Nate plays, the Wild win. Simple as that. Two points for the visiting Wild.
Game 2 -- Tuesday, 7 PM CDT, vs. Chicago -- nationally-televised game in which the Wild should do well in. (Hopefully better than last month's disaster in the United Center, where the Wild basically laid an egg, losing 5-3.) Chicago already assured home-ice in 1st round with that 24-game unbeaten-in-regulation streak. Wild win. (2 Points.)
Game 3 -- Thursday, 7 PM CDT, vs. St. Louis -- Blues will be on 3rd game of 4-game roadie (at Detroit, Nashville, Minnesota, Columbus). This is the game that scares me. Which Blues team will show up Thursday night? The one that lost 4 of 5 prior to the last game last week at the X? Or the one from earlier on this season, which won 6 of their first 7? With Jay Bouwmeester and Jordan Leopold both now on the Blues' blue line, this could be a trap game. This is the one I think Wild lose. (Hope I'm wrong, but...)
Game 4 -- Saturday, 7 PM CDT vs. Columbus -- Marian Gaborik's revenge night. Unlike when AJ Pierzinski and Kevin Garnett left Minnesota, folks, Gaborik brought nothing back when he signed as an UFA with the Rangers in 2009. It's OK to boo lustily whenever he touches the puck (which, we hope, won't be often.) Wild win this one. (2 Points).
Game 5 -- Monday, April 15, 8:00 PM CDT, at Calgary -- the Flames have basically thrown in the towel. GM Jay Feaster sold off Jarome Iginla, Bouwmeester, and almost sold off Curtis Glencross, have been told Mikka Kiprusoff is not returning after this season, and the rebuilding has, indeed, started in Calgary. Wild should win this game, too. (2 points).
That's my thoughts. Let's play the games and see how it all shakes out. Remember to manage your expectations, also. Doug Risebrough would expect nothing less.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Random thoughts after the dust has settled...
The dust has finally settled from the pre-Trade Deadline wheeling and dealing for the Minnesota Wild.
And, to the dismay of the fanbase, nothing has really changed. The Wild are still precipitously close to entering the top 5 in the 2012 NHL Draft, due to the club's continued inability to score goals in a timely manner (or, as in Detroit last Friday night, at all). The lack of offensive punch is a major worry to everyone in the organization as well, from GM Chuck Fletcher on down. The Wild, who had everything in place to execute the unbelieveable 3-goal comeback on Thursday night in Montreal, wound up having a Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan-esque moment, when Devin Setoguchi blew his shootout shot attempt, after falling down and losing control of the puck. The only thing missing was Setoguchi crying, 'Why? Why?' after the blown chance.
Yes, Setoguchi did help engineer the comeback, scoring the tying goal and assisting on another in the final few minutes of the third period, but it will be the shootout opportunity lost that will haunt the Wild the rest of the season. Add that to Tuesday's now-strangely-familiar 4-0 blowout loss on national TV to the Los Angeles Kings, and your 0-2-1 week for the boys in Iron Range Red was made.
You trade the longest-tenured Wild player -- Nick Schultz -- for Tom Gilbert, a similar-but-different Minnesota boy (Bloomington Jefferson) who came from the hapless Edmonton Oilers, and what happens? He gives up the game winner vs. LA, and reminds Wild fans how difficult it is to be the steady, stay-at-home defenseman that Schultz actually was.
You trade Marek Zidlicky to the New Jersey Devils, for a boatload of soon-to-be free agent talent (including two former Wild players, Kurtis Foster and Stephane Veilleux) and possibly two draft picks, and what happens? Zidlicky promptly goes -5, and Jersey fans are incensed. The Wild are immediately relieved of over $3M of salary at the end of this season, which means that if the salary cap does NOT go up, the Wild are nearly $20M under the cap...just enough to possibly be in the running, for two of the NHL's premiere free-agents-to-be, Nashville's Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, who just happens to be toiling away currently with...the New Jersey Devils.
You trade Greg Zanon to the Boston Bruins for Steven Kampfer, a 23-year-old ex-Wolverine who no one knows much about. He still hasn't played his first game in a Wild uniform, although that will probably end this evening in tonight's twilighter vs. the Colorado Avalanche. It looks like he will be paired with Gilbert tonight vs. the Avs, so hopefully the lost (Gilbert) won't lead the 'newbie' down the wrong path. Zanon was going to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) anyhow, so why not get something for him?
So, where do you go from here? Do you actually try to make the playoffs, try to make a last-minute charge for the No. 8 seed (the Wild are seven points behind current No. 8 seed Dallas this Sunday morning) or do you throw in the towel, play as many of the kids as possible, and make the fan base suffer thru the remainder of the fourth consecutive non-playoff season?
Now I know that three of the Wild's top six forwards are unavailable due to various injuries now. They have been for weeks at a time this season, especially after the Dec. 13/14 games where two players suffered concussions in back-to-back games. But the fact is there is no talent in the pool right now. It's been drained.
Reminds me of limbo. 'How LOW can you go?'
How bad into limbo are the Wild right now? And what can be done to pull out of the funk? Or, do you just wait for June and the NHL Entry Draft to try and get better?
I guess we all just wait and see...
And, to the dismay of the fanbase, nothing has really changed. The Wild are still precipitously close to entering the top 5 in the 2012 NHL Draft, due to the club's continued inability to score goals in a timely manner (or, as in Detroit last Friday night, at all). The lack of offensive punch is a major worry to everyone in the organization as well, from GM Chuck Fletcher on down. The Wild, who had everything in place to execute the unbelieveable 3-goal comeback on Thursday night in Montreal, wound up having a Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan-esque moment, when Devin Setoguchi blew his shootout shot attempt, after falling down and losing control of the puck. The only thing missing was Setoguchi crying, 'Why? Why?' after the blown chance.
Yes, Setoguchi did help engineer the comeback, scoring the tying goal and assisting on another in the final few minutes of the third period, but it will be the shootout opportunity lost that will haunt the Wild the rest of the season. Add that to Tuesday's now-strangely-familiar 4-0 blowout loss on national TV to the Los Angeles Kings, and your 0-2-1 week for the boys in Iron Range Red was made.
You trade the longest-tenured Wild player -- Nick Schultz -- for Tom Gilbert, a similar-but-different Minnesota boy (Bloomington Jefferson) who came from the hapless Edmonton Oilers, and what happens? He gives up the game winner vs. LA, and reminds Wild fans how difficult it is to be the steady, stay-at-home defenseman that Schultz actually was.
You trade Marek Zidlicky to the New Jersey Devils, for a boatload of soon-to-be free agent talent (including two former Wild players, Kurtis Foster and Stephane Veilleux) and possibly two draft picks, and what happens? Zidlicky promptly goes -5, and Jersey fans are incensed. The Wild are immediately relieved of over $3M of salary at the end of this season, which means that if the salary cap does NOT go up, the Wild are nearly $20M under the cap...just enough to possibly be in the running, for two of the NHL's premiere free-agents-to-be, Nashville's Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, who just happens to be toiling away currently with...the New Jersey Devils.
You trade Greg Zanon to the Boston Bruins for Steven Kampfer, a 23-year-old ex-Wolverine who no one knows much about. He still hasn't played his first game in a Wild uniform, although that will probably end this evening in tonight's twilighter vs. the Colorado Avalanche. It looks like he will be paired with Gilbert tonight vs. the Avs, so hopefully the lost (Gilbert) won't lead the 'newbie' down the wrong path. Zanon was going to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) anyhow, so why not get something for him?
So, where do you go from here? Do you actually try to make the playoffs, try to make a last-minute charge for the No. 8 seed (the Wild are seven points behind current No. 8 seed Dallas this Sunday morning) or do you throw in the towel, play as many of the kids as possible, and make the fan base suffer thru the remainder of the fourth consecutive non-playoff season?
Now I know that three of the Wild's top six forwards are unavailable due to various injuries now. They have been for weeks at a time this season, especially after the Dec. 13/14 games where two players suffered concussions in back-to-back games. But the fact is there is no talent in the pool right now. It's been drained.
Reminds me of limbo. 'How LOW can you go?'
How bad into limbo are the Wild right now? And what can be done to pull out of the funk? Or, do you just wait for June and the NHL Entry Draft to try and get better?
I guess we all just wait and see...
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Wild after eight games: on track, on time
Well, folks, the Minnesota Wild's first western Canadian road trip is now history. And, it didn't turn out all that bad. Could have been better, but in reality, any time you can pull 3 of a possible 4 points in the standings out of the Alberta/BC meatgrinder, you've done relatively well.
Now, granted, the Edmonton game was 1.2 seconds away from disaster, and the Vancouver Canucks should give Marco Scandella a bonus, for that nicely-timed screen he threw in front of his own goalie at the end of overtime yesterday -- but that is why they actually play the games.
The season is 10 per cent over. Yes, folks, the Wild have played 1/8th of their schedule already. (Has anybody noticed?) And, for those who worry about such things, the playoff race is already on. For every point earned now is virtually worth a point and a half come March, and the playoff drive.
The Wild are no better, and no worse, than most teams in the Western Conference, with 18 goals for, and 20 goals against. Four games have already gone to overtime, and the 1-0-3 record after 60 minutes have already been played means that the Wild are actually staying with it thru the end of regulation time, something which could not be said frequently the last two seasons.
The Wild open their new week in 7th place in the West -- actually, tied for 6th place, but thanks to yesterday's Canucks win, Vancouver has one more win (4-3-1) that the Wild (3-2-3) -- with four of the next five games at home (Anaheim, Detroit, Vancouver, St. Louis) and the lone road game at Detroit (which works to the Wild's advantage, as three of the four Wild-Red Wings games will have been played by Nov. 2).
The Wild are starting to be banged up, as injuries to Guillaume Latendresse (groin) and Greg Zanon (groin) held them out of Saturday's game at Rogers Arena. Throw in Mikko Koivu's skate-slicing episode in Edmonton Thursday night, and Mike Lundin's imminent return off his season-opening back spasms (Lundin has yet to play a regular-season game in Iron Range Red), portends that the roster will continue to be in flux for the forseeable future.
This team is slowly -- SLOWLY -- coming around to the philosophies of head coach Mike Yeo, despite falling into their old habits all too frequently (such as the third period of the Vancouver game, where they did not have a shot on goal for over 15 minutes). The fact of the matter is that when they play as the coaches want them to, they win. When they don't, they lose. The road ahead is a long, winding journey, as we've all seen already, and it will definitely not be an easy journey to take.
But, for now, this train is on track and on time for the playoffs. We'll see if they can stay on schedule.
Now, granted, the Edmonton game was 1.2 seconds away from disaster, and the Vancouver Canucks should give Marco Scandella a bonus, for that nicely-timed screen he threw in front of his own goalie at the end of overtime yesterday -- but that is why they actually play the games.
The season is 10 per cent over. Yes, folks, the Wild have played 1/8th of their schedule already. (Has anybody noticed?) And, for those who worry about such things, the playoff race is already on. For every point earned now is virtually worth a point and a half come March, and the playoff drive.
The Wild are no better, and no worse, than most teams in the Western Conference, with 18 goals for, and 20 goals against. Four games have already gone to overtime, and the 1-0-3 record after 60 minutes have already been played means that the Wild are actually staying with it thru the end of regulation time, something which could not be said frequently the last two seasons.
The Wild open their new week in 7th place in the West -- actually, tied for 6th place, but thanks to yesterday's Canucks win, Vancouver has one more win (4-3-1) that the Wild (3-2-3) -- with four of the next five games at home (Anaheim, Detroit, Vancouver, St. Louis) and the lone road game at Detroit (which works to the Wild's advantage, as three of the four Wild-Red Wings games will have been played by Nov. 2).
The Wild are starting to be banged up, as injuries to Guillaume Latendresse (groin) and Greg Zanon (groin) held them out of Saturday's game at Rogers Arena. Throw in Mikko Koivu's skate-slicing episode in Edmonton Thursday night, and Mike Lundin's imminent return off his season-opening back spasms (Lundin has yet to play a regular-season game in Iron Range Red), portends that the roster will continue to be in flux for the forseeable future.
This team is slowly -- SLOWLY -- coming around to the philosophies of head coach Mike Yeo, despite falling into their old habits all too frequently (such as the third period of the Vancouver game, where they did not have a shot on goal for over 15 minutes). The fact of the matter is that when they play as the coaches want them to, they win. When they don't, they lose. The road ahead is a long, winding journey, as we've all seen already, and it will definitely not be an easy journey to take.
But, for now, this train is on track and on time for the playoffs. We'll see if they can stay on schedule.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Minnesota Wild: Poultry Farm
Laying more eggs than a poultry operation, Wild back out of playoff contention
It's true, blogosphere. You really won't have the Minnesota Wild to kick around this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They'll all be out on golf courses across North America, enjoying the sun, thinking 'what might have been', had they just gone out in March and played like they actually wanted to be participating in the NHL's post-season. Because, with 10 games left in the season of 2010-2011, this team has spit the bit more than a $10 claimer at the horse track.
Since we last got together, the Wild have been outscored 12-8 in losing three straight (two in regulation) to Vancouver, San Jose and the previously-thought-hapless Columbus Blue Jackets. After yesterday's embarrassing 5-4 OT loss at home, however, the Wild are no better than some of the NHL's worst, as their 2-6-2 record in their last 10 games would imply. In fact, that embarrassing record is the second-worst in the League, only ahead of the already-imploded Colorado Avalanche, who wrote the season off weeks ago. Even the Edmonton Oilers, the team who everyone saw as two easy points thru most of the season, are better than the Wild as the season wanes.
Yes, the Wild need scoring. Desperately. Their lack of offensive punch is something the team's management and staff will have to address throughout the off-season. As cash-strapped against the cap as the Wild are, however, some familiar names on the current Wild roster will have to pack up and move on come the summertime.
A lot of people are targeting the Wild's top two defensemen, Brent Burns and Nick Schultz, as candidates for relocation in the summer of 2011. But, as valuable an asset that these two are together, might it be better for the success of the club, long-term, to break them up and get some offense in to take the pressure off them this summer?
The obvious answer is to not sign any of your unrestricted free agents this summer, namely forwards Antti Miettinen, Chuck Kobasew, and Andrew Brunette, goaltender Josh Harding, and the ultimate first-round-bust, James Sheppard. These five players must be shown the door (you could bring Brunette back if the price is right, tho) in no uncertain terms. Cam Barker must find a new home.
The roster must be overhauled. NOW. This off-season. The current make-up of the Wild roster is unworkable, as this team has lost its' way so bad, they'll never see the forest for the trees. Their 1-7-2 record so far this season against the bottom eight teams in the Eastern Conference, is proof positive that the Wild are just like every other Minnesota sports team; that is, they play up -- or, down -- to the level of their opposition (except, of course, when they face Detroit or Dallas, where they almost always lose).
So, while the rest of the NHL goes onto the post-season, the Wild get ready for the next thing on the team's agenda: tee times.
Because, for this bunch of turkeys, the season is indeed over.
It's true, blogosphere. You really won't have the Minnesota Wild to kick around this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They'll all be out on golf courses across North America, enjoying the sun, thinking 'what might have been', had they just gone out in March and played like they actually wanted to be participating in the NHL's post-season. Because, with 10 games left in the season of 2010-2011, this team has spit the bit more than a $10 claimer at the horse track.
Since we last got together, the Wild have been outscored 12-8 in losing three straight (two in regulation) to Vancouver, San Jose and the previously-thought-hapless Columbus Blue Jackets. After yesterday's embarrassing 5-4 OT loss at home, however, the Wild are no better than some of the NHL's worst, as their 2-6-2 record in their last 10 games would imply. In fact, that embarrassing record is the second-worst in the League, only ahead of the already-imploded Colorado Avalanche, who wrote the season off weeks ago. Even the Edmonton Oilers, the team who everyone saw as two easy points thru most of the season, are better than the Wild as the season wanes.
Yes, the Wild need scoring. Desperately. Their lack of offensive punch is something the team's management and staff will have to address throughout the off-season. As cash-strapped against the cap as the Wild are, however, some familiar names on the current Wild roster will have to pack up and move on come the summertime.
A lot of people are targeting the Wild's top two defensemen, Brent Burns and Nick Schultz, as candidates for relocation in the summer of 2011. But, as valuable an asset that these two are together, might it be better for the success of the club, long-term, to break them up and get some offense in to take the pressure off them this summer?
The obvious answer is to not sign any of your unrestricted free agents this summer, namely forwards Antti Miettinen, Chuck Kobasew, and Andrew Brunette, goaltender Josh Harding, and the ultimate first-round-bust, James Sheppard. These five players must be shown the door (you could bring Brunette back if the price is right, tho) in no uncertain terms. Cam Barker must find a new home.
The roster must be overhauled. NOW. This off-season. The current make-up of the Wild roster is unworkable, as this team has lost its' way so bad, they'll never see the forest for the trees. Their 1-7-2 record so far this season against the bottom eight teams in the Eastern Conference, is proof positive that the Wild are just like every other Minnesota sports team; that is, they play up -- or, down -- to the level of their opposition (except, of course, when they face Detroit or Dallas, where they almost always lose).
So, while the rest of the NHL goes onto the post-season, the Wild get ready for the next thing on the team's agenda: tee times.
Because, for this bunch of turkeys, the season is indeed over.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Jed returns to Beverly Hills! (sorta)
Ortmeyer temporary solution at center, as Wild begin two-game SoCal swing; Barker claiming injury, so he doesn't become considered as trade bait?
Yeah, so I'm reaching. Sue me.
OK, so since we last sat down with each other, the following has occurred:
The Wild, achieved a 2-2-1 record in the last five games, five games where they really NEEDED to achieve points in the standings. They even managed to stay even with the Detroit Red Wings in front of a regional (wasn't national, folks; that comes later) NBC TV audience.
Vancouver showed the Wild why they were leading the NHL's Western Conference with a 4-1 thrashing at the Xcel Energy Center, in only the second loss by three goals since the New Year.
Chicago's United Center provided the setting for a bobblehead giveaway (Tony Esposito) but little else, as the Wild basically failed to show up for a 3-1 Blackhawks' loss in the Hawks' first home game in three weeks,
Mikko Koivu managed to break his left index finger while blocking a Todd Marchant shot in last Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. The Wild won, 5-1, despite playing one forward short for the final 52 minutes of the game.
Sunday, Todd Bertuzzi, reviled winger and scourge of Wild fans of all ages, played in his 1,000th NHL game, and absolutely NO acknowledgement of that fact to the crowd at the 'X' during the game whatsoever. 'Big Bert', the evil-doer of note, fired the game winner in the shootout, but the fact that the game actually WENT to a shootout gave hope to Wild fans, despite the 2-1 Detroit win.
Tuesday was 'defenseman's offense night', as six separate defensemen accounted for two goals and four assists in the Wild's 4-1 thumping of the Edmonton Oilers, the 15th straight time the Wild has defeated the Grease in St. Paul. Included in the blue line salvos was a rare goal by ex-Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster, with his first goal since Dec. 1, and the first goal for the 'Minnow', diminutive rookie Jared Spurgeon, playing against the team the Edmonton native idolized growing up as a child.
So now what? Do they stay with bringing up kids, such as Cody Almond, current call-up from the Houston Aeros? So now what do they do, after the Koivu injury?
One does not think that journeyman center Jed Ortmeyer is the answer, but the ex-Shark, Pred and Ranger will get more ice time with a big NHL club, but for how long? Who knows? Ortmeyer was signed earlier this month to a two-way contract, so he gets one pay rate at the NHL level, and another, lower pay rate at the AHL level. The Wild need centers, as they will criss-cross Southern California in the next three days, with only two of their normal four centers (John Madden, Mark Cullen) available, as they take on as vicious a road trip as the NHL can dream up, with back-to-back games at STAPLES Center vs. the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, and the Ducks at Honda Center on Friday night.
Now, will the Wild have Cam Barker to kick around after Monday's trade deadline? That's yet another question facing the Wild, as the return to the ice of Marek Zidlicky has created a temporary 'glut' of defensemen, as Barker has now become the odd man out, with the solid play of Spurgeon and Clayton Stoner, another Houston call-up who doesn't miss the seafood and sun of South Texas. Barker now claims an injury, and yes, indeed he was NOT on the ice for most of last night's Edmonton game; but with all the defensive shuffling and high level of play that the Wild defense has become noted for lately, the fact that Barker has played himself into the 'odd man out' role, speaks volumes for what Barker has done...also for what he HAS NOT done.
Now, we all realize that GM Chuck Fletcher is absolutely loathe to trade away draft picks and/or prospects for basically 'rent-a-players', but will his hand be forced to do at least a little of that as the Trade Deadline, of Monday Feb. 28, 3 PM Eastern Time approaches?
Trade speculation: that's why the hockey media exists, isn't it, folks?
Yeah, so I'm reaching. Sue me.
OK, so since we last sat down with each other, the following has occurred:
The Wild, achieved a 2-2-1 record in the last five games, five games where they really NEEDED to achieve points in the standings. They even managed to stay even with the Detroit Red Wings in front of a regional (wasn't national, folks; that comes later) NBC TV audience.
Vancouver showed the Wild why they were leading the NHL's Western Conference with a 4-1 thrashing at the Xcel Energy Center, in only the second loss by three goals since the New Year.
Chicago's United Center provided the setting for a bobblehead giveaway (Tony Esposito) but little else, as the Wild basically failed to show up for a 3-1 Blackhawks' loss in the Hawks' first home game in three weeks,
Mikko Koivu managed to break his left index finger while blocking a Todd Marchant shot in last Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. The Wild won, 5-1, despite playing one forward short for the final 52 minutes of the game.
Sunday, Todd Bertuzzi, reviled winger and scourge of Wild fans of all ages, played in his 1,000th NHL game, and absolutely NO acknowledgement of that fact to the crowd at the 'X' during the game whatsoever. 'Big Bert', the evil-doer of note, fired the game winner in the shootout, but the fact that the game actually WENT to a shootout gave hope to Wild fans, despite the 2-1 Detroit win.
Tuesday was 'defenseman's offense night', as six separate defensemen accounted for two goals and four assists in the Wild's 4-1 thumping of the Edmonton Oilers, the 15th straight time the Wild has defeated the Grease in St. Paul. Included in the blue line salvos was a rare goal by ex-Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster, with his first goal since Dec. 1, and the first goal for the 'Minnow', diminutive rookie Jared Spurgeon, playing against the team the Edmonton native idolized growing up as a child.
So now what? Do they stay with bringing up kids, such as Cody Almond, current call-up from the Houston Aeros? So now what do they do, after the Koivu injury?
One does not think that journeyman center Jed Ortmeyer is the answer, but the ex-Shark, Pred and Ranger will get more ice time with a big NHL club, but for how long? Who knows? Ortmeyer was signed earlier this month to a two-way contract, so he gets one pay rate at the NHL level, and another, lower pay rate at the AHL level. The Wild need centers, as they will criss-cross Southern California in the next three days, with only two of their normal four centers (John Madden, Mark Cullen) available, as they take on as vicious a road trip as the NHL can dream up, with back-to-back games at STAPLES Center vs. the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, and the Ducks at Honda Center on Friday night.
Now, will the Wild have Cam Barker to kick around after Monday's trade deadline? That's yet another question facing the Wild, as the return to the ice of Marek Zidlicky has created a temporary 'glut' of defensemen, as Barker has now become the odd man out, with the solid play of Spurgeon and Clayton Stoner, another Houston call-up who doesn't miss the seafood and sun of South Texas. Barker now claims an injury, and yes, indeed he was NOT on the ice for most of last night's Edmonton game; but with all the defensive shuffling and high level of play that the Wild defense has become noted for lately, the fact that Barker has played himself into the 'odd man out' role, speaks volumes for what Barker has done...also for what he HAS NOT done.
Now, we all realize that GM Chuck Fletcher is absolutely loathe to trade away draft picks and/or prospects for basically 'rent-a-players', but will his hand be forced to do at least a little of that as the Trade Deadline, of Monday Feb. 28, 3 PM Eastern Time approaches?
Trade speculation: that's why the hockey media exists, isn't it, folks?
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Reality sets in for .500 Wild
4-game win streak one week, 3-game loss streak the next typifies 2010-11 season
The week that was, was a very bad one for the Minnesota Wild. As a .500 hockey club, with a better record away from home than in front of your own fans, the season has come down to hoping the team gets out of town OK, on their Monday charter flight to Edmonton.
The Wild are only one game away from pulling an 0-fer at home in January, the first time that feat will have been accomplished, in the same month at home, in team history (the Wild are winless in their last 4 home games, going into this afternoon's potential blowout vs. Vancouver, the NHL's best team, a 5 PM start at the 'X'.)
A few chilling statistics should tell you the direction this afternoon's game should -- SHOULD -- be headed:
The Canucks have only lost one game (Thursday, 1-0 to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden) in regulation since Dec. 5th. (They are 15-1-3 since then.)
The Wild have not won a game at home since Dec. 29th (5-3, vs. San Jose). In fact, the Wild have won two games at home -- TOTAL -- since Dec. 1.
The Canucks have 3 players (Tanner Glass, Aaron Rome, Aaron Volpatti) who are listed as minus in the plus/minus statistic. Only Glass plays regularly; the other two shuttle between Vancouver and their AHL affiliate in Winnipeg. The Wild have four players on their roster who are NOT in the minus column of plus/minus. And, if you want to draw this stat out a bit, the Canucks have nine players -- that's half of their roster -- who are a +10 or better, including 4 of their six defensemen and both of the despised (because they are so good together) Sedin twins.
The Wild, on the other hand, have six players who are a -7 or worse, including 2/3rds of their top line, two of their top 3 checking forwards, their All-Star Game representative (Brent Burns) and, in my opinion (and that of many, many others) the single biggest stiff in the NHL, Cam Barker (tied for worst at -13).
The Wild are the second worst home team in the Western Conference (10-11-2), and are in danger of breaking team records for the most losses at home (16, 2005-06), fewest points at home (41, 2001-02), longest losing streak at home (the Wild will tie that streak with a loss today), and longest winless streak at home (8, Feb.-Mar., 2001).
Fortunately, the Wild leave the not-so-friendly confines of St. Paul (where booing and jeering at the end of periods has become commonplace) for the sanctity of the road, where they will be until the All-Star break (with games at Edmonton -- the only team with a worse home record than the Wild; the last game of the season vs. Calgary; and games at San Jose and Chicago), all winnable games, as long as they aren't played in St. Paul, before the home losing begins again, on Feb. 1 against the LA Kings, who themselves just went thru a 2-6 homestand at STAPLES Center.
So go away, Wild. You're bothering your fan base. Get some wins, then come back and see us. Show your fans that their support is appreciated. Win at home.
The week that was, was a very bad one for the Minnesota Wild. As a .500 hockey club, with a better record away from home than in front of your own fans, the season has come down to hoping the team gets out of town OK, on their Monday charter flight to Edmonton.
The Wild are only one game away from pulling an 0-fer at home in January, the first time that feat will have been accomplished, in the same month at home, in team history (the Wild are winless in their last 4 home games, going into this afternoon's potential blowout vs. Vancouver, the NHL's best team, a 5 PM start at the 'X'.)
A few chilling statistics should tell you the direction this afternoon's game should -- SHOULD -- be headed:
The Canucks have only lost one game (Thursday, 1-0 to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden) in regulation since Dec. 5th. (They are 15-1-3 since then.)
The Wild have not won a game at home since Dec. 29th (5-3, vs. San Jose). In fact, the Wild have won two games at home -- TOTAL -- since Dec. 1.
The Canucks have 3 players (Tanner Glass, Aaron Rome, Aaron Volpatti) who are listed as minus in the plus/minus statistic. Only Glass plays regularly; the other two shuttle between Vancouver and their AHL affiliate in Winnipeg. The Wild have four players on their roster who are NOT in the minus column of plus/minus. And, if you want to draw this stat out a bit, the Canucks have nine players -- that's half of their roster -- who are a +10 or better, including 4 of their six defensemen and both of the despised (because they are so good together) Sedin twins.
The Wild, on the other hand, have six players who are a -7 or worse, including 2/3rds of their top line, two of their top 3 checking forwards, their All-Star Game representative (Brent Burns) and, in my opinion (and that of many, many others) the single biggest stiff in the NHL, Cam Barker (tied for worst at -13).
The Wild are the second worst home team in the Western Conference (10-11-2), and are in danger of breaking team records for the most losses at home (16, 2005-06), fewest points at home (41, 2001-02), longest losing streak at home (the Wild will tie that streak with a loss today), and longest winless streak at home (8, Feb.-Mar., 2001).
Fortunately, the Wild leave the not-so-friendly confines of St. Paul (where booing and jeering at the end of periods has become commonplace) for the sanctity of the road, where they will be until the All-Star break (with games at Edmonton -- the only team with a worse home record than the Wild; the last game of the season vs. Calgary; and games at San Jose and Chicago), all winnable games, as long as they aren't played in St. Paul, before the home losing begins again, on Feb. 1 against the LA Kings, who themselves just went thru a 2-6 homestand at STAPLES Center.
So go away, Wild. You're bothering your fan base. Get some wins, then come back and see us. Show your fans that their support is appreciated. Win at home.
Friday, October 15, 2010
It's a start...but now what do they do for an encore?
As Wild perform PP lube job, Oilers fall for 14th straight in St. Paul
By Wild Road Tripper
Would the sellout crowd of 18,449 Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center believe, that the Minnesota Wild team they saw win 4-2 against the Edmonton Oilers, was a harbinger of things to come? Or would they say that this game was just a fluke, an aberration, another step in the development of the young, baby Grease, and the Wild were just there for the ride?
Whatever the point of view you take towards the Wild's North American home opener, it was a chance for the three Finns on the Wild roster -- Mikko Koivu (2 goals, 1 assist), Antti Miettinen (1 goal, 1 assist) and Niklas Backstrom (26 saves) -- to make up for their team's lack of scoring punch in Helsinki last week. Throw in the efforts of Matt Cullen (1 goal, 1 assist) and Andrew Brunette's two assists, and you have finally enough scoring punch to get some goals. Granted, all 4 were with the man advantage, but considering the last two games were about as interesting as watching reindeer graze, well, you get the idea.
Now, the question: What will they do for an encore? They will play a Columbus Blue Jackets team who will be on the second half of a back-to-back (the Jackets face off Friday night, against the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena) while facing their own offensive demons (but at least the Jackets won one of their two games vs. San Jose in Stockholm, Sweden, last weekend, despite scoring only five goals in the two Swedish games).
Indeed, the coffin destined for the career of Wild Head Coach Todd Richards has halted upholstery, at least for now. Two of the next three games are against teams the Wild should be able to beat, if they put the same amount of effort into the next game, as into this last one.
But, as Wild fans saw as they chowed down while watching from Finland, with this club, that's always a big, BIG 'IF'.
Best moment: Greg Zanon's crushing cross-check on Gilbert Brule. Instant highlight.
Worst moment: In-arena Emcee Jim Cunningham introducing a new, even dumber in-arena intermission activity. At what point do fans throw their hands up (or, just throw up)? To watch another 'great Zamboni race' on the scoreboard, driven by fan noise? Sounds like 'Section 303' Nashville stuff to me. What's next? 'Face-Off Live' from FSNorth?
Where were you, Mikko Koivu? Now that the Finnish press isn't hounding the Captain constantly, he can concentrate on scoring goals, winning games...you know, the stuff the folks back home WANTED to see from Mikko.
Need a new barn picture: Antti Miettinen missed twice from point-blank range. So what else is new?
Next Game: vs. Columbus, Saturday, Oct. 16, 7:00 PM Central Time, Xcel Energy Center. (TV: KSTC-45, FSOhio (both feeds in HD)
By Wild Road Tripper
Would the sellout crowd of 18,449 Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center believe, that the Minnesota Wild team they saw win 4-2 against the Edmonton Oilers, was a harbinger of things to come? Or would they say that this game was just a fluke, an aberration, another step in the development of the young, baby Grease, and the Wild were just there for the ride?
Whatever the point of view you take towards the Wild's North American home opener, it was a chance for the three Finns on the Wild roster -- Mikko Koivu (2 goals, 1 assist), Antti Miettinen (1 goal, 1 assist) and Niklas Backstrom (26 saves) -- to make up for their team's lack of scoring punch in Helsinki last week. Throw in the efforts of Matt Cullen (1 goal, 1 assist) and Andrew Brunette's two assists, and you have finally enough scoring punch to get some goals. Granted, all 4 were with the man advantage, but considering the last two games were about as interesting as watching reindeer graze, well, you get the idea.
Now, the question: What will they do for an encore? They will play a Columbus Blue Jackets team who will be on the second half of a back-to-back (the Jackets face off Friday night, against the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena) while facing their own offensive demons (but at least the Jackets won one of their two games vs. San Jose in Stockholm, Sweden, last weekend, despite scoring only five goals in the two Swedish games).
Indeed, the coffin destined for the career of Wild Head Coach Todd Richards has halted upholstery, at least for now. Two of the next three games are against teams the Wild should be able to beat, if they put the same amount of effort into the next game, as into this last one.
But, as Wild fans saw as they chowed down while watching from Finland, with this club, that's always a big, BIG 'IF'.
Best moment: Greg Zanon's crushing cross-check on Gilbert Brule. Instant highlight.
Worst moment: In-arena Emcee Jim Cunningham introducing a new, even dumber in-arena intermission activity. At what point do fans throw their hands up (or, just throw up)? To watch another 'great Zamboni race' on the scoreboard, driven by fan noise? Sounds like 'Section 303' Nashville stuff to me. What's next? 'Face-Off Live' from FSNorth?
Where were you, Mikko Koivu? Now that the Finnish press isn't hounding the Captain constantly, he can concentrate on scoring goals, winning games...you know, the stuff the folks back home WANTED to see from Mikko.
Need a new barn picture: Antti Miettinen missed twice from point-blank range. So what else is new?
Next Game: vs. Columbus, Saturday, Oct. 16, 7:00 PM Central Time, Xcel Energy Center. (TV: KSTC-45, FSOhio (both feeds in HD)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Don't forget us! Oilers 4, Wild 1
Edmonton's Rexall Place has become the equivalent of its' southern Alberta cousin, the Pengrowth Saddledome, for the Minnesota Wild. A house of horrors, where strange things just seem to happen, no matter what position either team is in the standings.
Monday night was no exception, as the Edmonton Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead and went on to thoroughly beat the Wild 4-1, as the Wild loss streak grew to four games (three in regulation, one in OT) as the NHL's 2009-10 schedule winds down. The Wild end their season with an 0-fer Edmonton (just as the Oilers have an 0-fer in St. Paul.)
What was important for Wild fans, however, was the fact that they played the entire game without two of their top six defensemen (Nick Schultz, Marek Zidlicky) and one of their better forwards (Owen Nolan), and then lost Guillaume Latendresse and Martin Havlat during the game to injuries as well.
This was a classic game between two teams with absolutely nothing to play for. Really chippy play, no crisp passing, very little discipline by either team, as they were both indeed playing out the string. And it showed. Now, only one more road game remains this season, and it's the...
Next Game: at Calgary, Thursday, April 8th, 8:00 PM Central (7:00 PM Mountain) Time, Pengrowth Saddledome. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Flames' TV: Rogers SportsNet-West; XM Radio, NHL Home Ice, Ch. 204)
Monday night was no exception, as the Edmonton Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead and went on to thoroughly beat the Wild 4-1, as the Wild loss streak grew to four games (three in regulation, one in OT) as the NHL's 2009-10 schedule winds down. The Wild end their season with an 0-fer Edmonton (just as the Oilers have an 0-fer in St. Paul.)
What was important for Wild fans, however, was the fact that they played the entire game without two of their top six defensemen (Nick Schultz, Marek Zidlicky) and one of their better forwards (Owen Nolan), and then lost Guillaume Latendresse and Martin Havlat during the game to injuries as well.
This was a classic game between two teams with absolutely nothing to play for. Really chippy play, no crisp passing, very little discipline by either team, as they were both indeed playing out the string. And it showed. Now, only one more road game remains this season, and it's the...
Next Game: at Calgary, Thursday, April 8th, 8:00 PM Central (7:00 PM Mountain) Time, Pengrowth Saddledome. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Flames' TV: Rogers SportsNet-West; XM Radio, NHL Home Ice, Ch. 204)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Havlat greases the skids as Wild lube Oilers 4-2
Goal, assist by Martin Havlat lead Wild to third straight win
By Wild Road Tripper
You knew the way he was playing, Martin Havlat would have a stellar night. And, he brought his linemates right along with him. How could you tell? Look at waiver-wire wonder Andrew Ebbett.
The Minnesota Wild ran their consecutive win streak against the Edmonton Oilers at Xcel Energy Center to a gaudy 13 straight, with a workmanlike 4-2 win over the worst team in the NHL's Western Conference Tuesday night, before an announced crowd of 18,474.
The Wild had ten players scoring points tonight -- nine forwards and defenseman Greg Zanon -- as the Wild won their third straight game, to stay within six points of idle Detroit for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Both Havlat and Ebbett scored a goal and added an assist to each other's goal, to lead their team in scoring. Josh Harding turned in a 34-save performance for his third straight win, moving him to within one game of .500 at 8-9.
Antti Miettinen and Chuck Kobasew also scored for the Wild, who now look at two games back-to-back on the road which are totally winnable games. We hope.
New Wild center Casey Wellman, just signed earlier Tuesday as a free agent from UMass, participated in warm-ups but was scratched, as was call-up from Houston Justin Falk. Wellman's parents were involved during the game, however, as the arena's 'kiss cam' focused in on Mom and Dad, with their newly-signed son sitting between them.
The Wild now are in 10th place in the West, six points behind eighth-place Detroit and nine points behind their opponent for the Next Game: at Nashville, Thursday, March 18, 7:00 PM Central Time, Bridgestone Arena. (No Wild TV; Preds' TV: FSTennessee (in HD); XM Radio, Ch. 238)
By Wild Road Tripper
You knew the way he was playing, Martin Havlat would have a stellar night. And, he brought his linemates right along with him. How could you tell? Look at waiver-wire wonder Andrew Ebbett.
The Minnesota Wild ran their consecutive win streak against the Edmonton Oilers at Xcel Energy Center to a gaudy 13 straight, with a workmanlike 4-2 win over the worst team in the NHL's Western Conference Tuesday night, before an announced crowd of 18,474.
The Wild had ten players scoring points tonight -- nine forwards and defenseman Greg Zanon -- as the Wild won their third straight game, to stay within six points of idle Detroit for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Both Havlat and Ebbett scored a goal and added an assist to each other's goal, to lead their team in scoring. Josh Harding turned in a 34-save performance for his third straight win, moving him to within one game of .500 at 8-9.
Antti Miettinen and Chuck Kobasew also scored for the Wild, who now look at two games back-to-back on the road which are totally winnable games. We hope.
New Wild center Casey Wellman, just signed earlier Tuesday as a free agent from UMass, participated in warm-ups but was scratched, as was call-up from Houston Justin Falk. Wellman's parents were involved during the game, however, as the arena's 'kiss cam' focused in on Mom and Dad, with their newly-signed son sitting between them.
The Wild now are in 10th place in the West, six points behind eighth-place Detroit and nine points behind their opponent for the Next Game: at Nashville, Thursday, March 18, 7:00 PM Central Time, Bridgestone Arena. (No Wild TV; Preds' TV: FSTennessee (in HD); XM Radio, Ch. 238)
Friday, March 5, 2010
Slick Ending: Comrie's SO goal greases Wild, 2-1
It was fan appreciation night in Edmonton Friday, but the Edmonton Oilers took the biggest giveaway away from the Minnesota Wild at Rexall Place in the shootout, as a Mike Comrie backhander meant the Wild lost by a score of 2-1 in front of 16,839.
Mikko Koivu and Marek Zidlicky scored for Minnesota in the shootout, as ex-Gopher Ryan Potulny and Gilbert Brule also scored for Edmonton.
Jeff Deslauriers single-handedly willed the Oilers to the shootout, as he robbed several Wild players in the last minute of OT to take the game to the shootout session.
The game started with the only goal of the first period coming from a Comrie wrap-around nearly half-way thru the period. The Wild only had one shot in the first 10 minutes of the game.
The second period was Guillaume Latendresse doing unto Edmonton what Edmonton did unto him earlier, a wrap-around which glanced off Oilers' goalie Jeff Deslauriers' skate and into the net, tying the game at one-all.
The third period was nearly a free-for-all as the referees (Kelly Sutherland and Olympic referee Dennis LaRue) stopped calling anything at all, save for an Owen Nolan goalie interference penalty at 14:01 after he was pushed over in front of the Edmonton goal. Niklas Backstrom saved the day when a Gilbert Brule back-door play was robbed with just over 2 minutes left in regulation.
Overtime began with the Wild charging into the Edmonton zone, as Koivu and Latendresse having clear chances and coming away empty-handed in the first minute. The Wild actually lost ground in the West, as both Detroit and Calgary won Friday night, as the Wild are still in 13th in the West going into Sunday afternoon, and the Next Game: vs. Calgary, 2:00 PM Sunday, Central Time (TV: KSTP-5 (in HD).
-- WRT
Mikko Koivu and Marek Zidlicky scored for Minnesota in the shootout, as ex-Gopher Ryan Potulny and Gilbert Brule also scored for Edmonton.
Jeff Deslauriers single-handedly willed the Oilers to the shootout, as he robbed several Wild players in the last minute of OT to take the game to the shootout session.
The game started with the only goal of the first period coming from a Comrie wrap-around nearly half-way thru the period. The Wild only had one shot in the first 10 minutes of the game.
The second period was Guillaume Latendresse doing unto Edmonton what Edmonton did unto him earlier, a wrap-around which glanced off Oilers' goalie Jeff Deslauriers' skate and into the net, tying the game at one-all.
The third period was nearly a free-for-all as the referees (Kelly Sutherland and Olympic referee Dennis LaRue) stopped calling anything at all, save for an Owen Nolan goalie interference penalty at 14:01 after he was pushed over in front of the Edmonton goal. Niklas Backstrom saved the day when a Gilbert Brule back-door play was robbed with just over 2 minutes left in regulation.
Overtime began with the Wild charging into the Edmonton zone, as Koivu and Latendresse having clear chances and coming away empty-handed in the first minute. The Wild actually lost ground in the West, as both Detroit and Calgary won Friday night, as the Wild are still in 13th in the West going into Sunday afternoon, and the Next Game: vs. Calgary, 2:00 PM Sunday, Central Time (TV: KSTP-5 (in HD).
-- WRT
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Khudobin, Latendresse 'Save' the Day, Wild squeak past Oilers 4-2
Harding re-aggravates hip injury as Wild win 12th straight vs. Edmonton in St. Paul
By Wild Road Tripper
From a ho-hum, boring game to a lightning rod for several NHL careers, the third period of Thursday night's Minnesota Wild -- Edmonton Oilers game had more intrigue than a John Grisham novel. And a full house at Xcel Energy Center to bear witness to it all.
With starting goalie Josh Harding re-injuring his already wonky left hip 10:30 into the third period after sprawling for a game-saving save of a shot by Edmonton's J. F. Jacques, it was left to backup (and recent call-up from the Houston Aeros) Anton Khudobin to help save the day, and possibly the season, for the Wild, whose win tonight puts them back into 11th place (when combined with St. Louis' loss at home to San Jose). Guillaume Latendresse's dipsy-doodle puck carry, and subsequent game-winner, was scored just 1:45 after Khudobin relieved Harding after Harding was unable to continue in goal for Minnesota. Harding was seen limping off the ice, putting no weight whatsoever on his left leg as he was helped to the dressing room. Cal Clutterbuck was also seen limping to the dressing room at about the same time; no word was immediately forthcoming after the game from Wild staff members.
From that point, the battle cry for the 18,168 in attendance was, 'Support your Local Goaltender,' as the Wild were implored to end the game in regulation with a win. The victory was sealed when Martin Havlat scored his second goal of the game (first time he has two goals in a single game in a Wild sweater) to seal the victory. The Wild are now 3-0 against the Grease this season, with three more meetings to come (all after the Olympic break), two of them in Edmonton. The Wild now have won twelve straight against the Oil in St. Paul.
So for now, the question is: Who plays goal Saturday night against Philadelphia? Whomever does better be ready, as the Flyers will have had three days off and come off a Western Canadian swing which did not turn out as well as most Flyers fans had hoped. So far.
Next Game: vs. Philadelphia, Saturday, Feb. 6, 7:00 PM Central (8:00 PM Eastern) Time, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: KSTC-45; Flyers' TV: Comcast SportsNet-Philadelphia; both feeds in HD; XM Radio, Ch. 241)
By Wild Road Tripper
From a ho-hum, boring game to a lightning rod for several NHL careers, the third period of Thursday night's Minnesota Wild -- Edmonton Oilers game had more intrigue than a John Grisham novel. And a full house at Xcel Energy Center to bear witness to it all.
With starting goalie Josh Harding re-injuring his already wonky left hip 10:30 into the third period after sprawling for a game-saving save of a shot by Edmonton's J. F. Jacques, it was left to backup (and recent call-up from the Houston Aeros) Anton Khudobin to help save the day, and possibly the season, for the Wild, whose win tonight puts them back into 11th place (when combined with St. Louis' loss at home to San Jose). Guillaume Latendresse's dipsy-doodle puck carry, and subsequent game-winner, was scored just 1:45 after Khudobin relieved Harding after Harding was unable to continue in goal for Minnesota. Harding was seen limping off the ice, putting no weight whatsoever on his left leg as he was helped to the dressing room. Cal Clutterbuck was also seen limping to the dressing room at about the same time; no word was immediately forthcoming after the game from Wild staff members.
From that point, the battle cry for the 18,168 in attendance was, 'Support your Local Goaltender,' as the Wild were implored to end the game in regulation with a win. The victory was sealed when Martin Havlat scored his second goal of the game (first time he has two goals in a single game in a Wild sweater) to seal the victory. The Wild are now 3-0 against the Grease this season, with three more meetings to come (all after the Olympic break), two of them in Edmonton. The Wild now have won twelve straight against the Oil in St. Paul.
So for now, the question is: Who plays goal Saturday night against Philadelphia? Whomever does better be ready, as the Flyers will have had three days off and come off a Western Canadian swing which did not turn out as well as most Flyers fans had hoped. So far.
Next Game: vs. Philadelphia, Saturday, Feb. 6, 7:00 PM Central (8:00 PM Eastern) Time, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: KSTC-45; Flyers' TV: Comcast SportsNet-Philadelphia; both feeds in HD; XM Radio, Ch. 241)
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
IGoW Rules: Nolan scores, fights his way as Wild grease Oilers
By Wild Road Tripper
When you want to go to war with someone, best to have a God on your side. Especially if that deity is an Irish God.
Minnesota Wild fans saw that first-hand tonight at Xcel Energy Center, as the 'Irish God of War', Owen Nolan, still showed he has what it takes to be successful in the NHL at age 38, as he scored the eventual game-winning goal, and fought Edmonton Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray as the Wild played the role of Grinch Wednesday night, beating the Oilers 3-1 in front of an announced 18,250 (a good number of whom stayed away due to an impending blizzard in St. Paul, and the approaching Christmas holiday).
Nolan's pinpoint backhand shot late in the second period beat Oilers goalie Jeff Deslauriers high on the stick side, through a space no larger than a half-sheet of paper as the Wild took a 2-1 lead. The Oilers decided that they would take the fight -- literally -- to the Wild in the third period, as the two teams combined for 26 minutes in penalties, marked by the Nolan vs. Souray fight, Souray's first fight against a Wild player since last season, when Souray hit then-Wild winger Craig Weller with his supposedly 'soft' wrist cast in a fight.
The other fight of the night pitted Edmonton's Ryan Stone against Minnesota's Clayton Stoner, a bout that Stoner clearly won by pummeling Stone into submission with a quick series of roundhouse rights which sent Stone crashing to the ice as Stoner stood over him, wanting more. Stoner, recently called up from the AHL Houston Aeros, made several smart plays within the last few minutes of the game as the Wild defense made life miserable for the Oil, bottling them up in their own zone, no where to go.
And, speaking of going, Niklas Backstrom now goes to 14-1-0 against the Oilers all-time, the Grease being the favorite foil for the Wild's No. 1 goalie. The Wild now improve to 39 points (18-16-3) and remain two points behind Detroit in the NHL's Western Conference. The Wild now are off (mandatory) for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but they will return Saturday night for their Next Game: vs. St. Louis, Saturday night, Dec. 26 (Boxing Day), 7:00 PM Central Time, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Blues TV: FSMidwest, both feeds in HD; XM Radio, Ch. 239)
When you want to go to war with someone, best to have a God on your side. Especially if that deity is an Irish God.
Minnesota Wild fans saw that first-hand tonight at Xcel Energy Center, as the 'Irish God of War', Owen Nolan, still showed he has what it takes to be successful in the NHL at age 38, as he scored the eventual game-winning goal, and fought Edmonton Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray as the Wild played the role of Grinch Wednesday night, beating the Oilers 3-1 in front of an announced 18,250 (a good number of whom stayed away due to an impending blizzard in St. Paul, and the approaching Christmas holiday).
Nolan's pinpoint backhand shot late in the second period beat Oilers goalie Jeff Deslauriers high on the stick side, through a space no larger than a half-sheet of paper as the Wild took a 2-1 lead. The Oilers decided that they would take the fight -- literally -- to the Wild in the third period, as the two teams combined for 26 minutes in penalties, marked by the Nolan vs. Souray fight, Souray's first fight against a Wild player since last season, when Souray hit then-Wild winger Craig Weller with his supposedly 'soft' wrist cast in a fight.
The other fight of the night pitted Edmonton's Ryan Stone against Minnesota's Clayton Stoner, a bout that Stoner clearly won by pummeling Stone into submission with a quick series of roundhouse rights which sent Stone crashing to the ice as Stoner stood over him, wanting more. Stoner, recently called up from the AHL Houston Aeros, made several smart plays within the last few minutes of the game as the Wild defense made life miserable for the Oil, bottling them up in their own zone, no where to go.
And, speaking of going, Niklas Backstrom now goes to 14-1-0 against the Oilers all-time, the Grease being the favorite foil for the Wild's No. 1 goalie. The Wild now improve to 39 points (18-16-3) and remain two points behind Detroit in the NHL's Western Conference. The Wild now are off (mandatory) for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but they will return Saturday night for their Next Game: vs. St. Louis, Saturday night, Dec. 26 (Boxing Day), 7:00 PM Central Time, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Blues TV: FSMidwest, both feeds in HD; XM Radio, Ch. 239)
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