Wild rout Canucks at home, inconsistent team leaves on 4-game road trip
OK, so I called it wrong for yesterday's Minnesota Wild-Vancouver Canucks game. So totally wrong.
Yesterday's 4-0 shutout by the back-up's back-up, Anton Khudobin, evened the season record to 11-11-2 at Xcel Energy Center as the Wild depart today for Edmonton, and the start of a 4-game road trip that will lead up to the All-Star break. And, if the Wild had played more like they did yesterday in previous games, this team would actually be a contender for a playoff spot.
But they haven't, and that is the crux of the argument with this Wild team this season. I'll say it again, like I have most of this season:
The most consistent thing about the Wild this season is their inconsistency. Fans can count on always wondering: Which Wild team will show up on any given night?
If they played more like they did against the NHL's best team, the Canucks, yesterday, most fans would be more than pleased. On the other hand, if they played more like they did last week, when they were out-scored 13-2 over three games (two of which were at home, BTW) the fans could look forward to a trade deadline day which, for once, might actually be fun to see what moves GM Chuck Fletcher would be able to do, in order to shed some more of the dead weight off this over-burdened roster.
The four forwards who would make up the trade bait for the Feb. 28 trade deadline -- Kyle Brodziak, Andrew Brunette, John Madden and Antti Miettinen -- represent $8 Million in cap space, or about 15% of their total salary cap. These four and the player who, in my opinion is the NHL's biggest stiff -- Cam Barker -- make up the basis for trade season. The Wild have to get out of paying $3-4 million for third-and-fourth-level players, even though they may play on your first line. Pay for performance? You wish these guys would perform. Brunette is getting paid based on past performance, but he is slowing down as his career winds down. Madden and Brodziak were brought in as short-to-medium term solutions. Barker's contract was one of those which cost ex-Chicago GM Dale Tallon his job, just as the Blackhawks were beginning their Stanley Cup run last season. And Miettinen would be a great player, if only he didn't have to shoot the puck, or occasionally throw a check.
Yesterday in the first period, was yet another Miettinen classic, as he had a wide open net to shoot at, yet he shot the puck over the top of the net. Yes, indeed, Antti Missedthenetagain. That should say all that is needed about this guy.
I wonder how much it would cost to put a barn picture in a goal for Miettinen to use as a target...
Showing posts with label Khudobin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khudobin. Show all posts
Monday, January 17, 2011
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wild, Flames play woeful game; Wild win 2-1 in SO
Final road game of the season...and it looked (and played) like it
The Minnesota Wild, in their final road game of 2009-10, did what many said they would never do - win all three games in the same season in the Pengrowth Saddledome - as the Wild doused the Calgary Flames 2-1 in the shootout, as Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen both scored on Mikka Kiprusoff to seal the fate of the Flames, in their last home game before 19,289 bummed patrons.
In the first period, the only goal was a Chuck Kobasew deflection of a Casey Wellman shot after Burns set the play up by driving well into the Calgary zone, then passed to Wellman whose slapper was deflected by Kobasew past Kiprusoff to make it 1-0 Minnesota.
The second period was a very plodding, slow, torturous affair, the only action being the Nigel Dawes rebound goal after Niklas Backstrom made a great save on Dawes' first shot. The Wild had several power play opportunities, but no such luck for the Wild.
In the third period, the highlight was the shot by Calgary's David Moss which caught Niklas Backstrom up high. Backstrom was replaced by Wade Dubielewicz, the ex-Islander signed as a backup earlier this season who had been called up solely because Anton Khudobin, the goalie in their system they wanted to use, lost his passport at the AHL All-Star Game and has yet to replace it thru the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington; as such, he cannot cross the USA/Canada border. James Sheppard also suffered a knee injury late in the third period after being checked into the boards by Robyn Regehr.
OT was as uninspired as the rest of the game. Not much to say about that, either.
Let's all end this season at the Next Game: vs. Dallas, Saturday, April 10, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Stars' TV: FSSW; XM Radio, Ch. 237)
-- WRT
The Minnesota Wild, in their final road game of 2009-10, did what many said they would never do - win all three games in the same season in the Pengrowth Saddledome - as the Wild doused the Calgary Flames 2-1 in the shootout, as Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen both scored on Mikka Kiprusoff to seal the fate of the Flames, in their last home game before 19,289 bummed patrons.
In the first period, the only goal was a Chuck Kobasew deflection of a Casey Wellman shot after Burns set the play up by driving well into the Calgary zone, then passed to Wellman whose slapper was deflected by Kobasew past Kiprusoff to make it 1-0 Minnesota.
The second period was a very plodding, slow, torturous affair, the only action being the Nigel Dawes rebound goal after Niklas Backstrom made a great save on Dawes' first shot. The Wild had several power play opportunities, but no such luck for the Wild.
In the third period, the highlight was the shot by Calgary's David Moss which caught Niklas Backstrom up high. Backstrom was replaced by Wade Dubielewicz, the ex-Islander signed as a backup earlier this season who had been called up solely because Anton Khudobin, the goalie in their system they wanted to use, lost his passport at the AHL All-Star Game and has yet to replace it thru the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington; as such, he cannot cross the USA/Canada border. James Sheppard also suffered a knee injury late in the third period after being checked into the boards by Robyn Regehr.
OT was as uninspired as the rest of the game. Not much to say about that, either.
Let's all end this season at the Next Game: vs. Dallas, Saturday, April 10, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Stars' TV: FSSW; XM Radio, Ch. 237)
-- WRT
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Khudobin goes Wild, downs Flyers 2-1
Rookie in second NHL game saves day with 38-save stellar performance
By Wild Road Tripper
Some old-time Minnesota Wild hockey came out of the dressing room at Xcel Energy Center Saturday night. Rookie Anton Khudobin, making his second NHL appearance and first start at hockey's top level, is sure appreciative that it did.
The Wild ran its home winning streak to four straight, and eight of its' last nine, as they rode Khudobin's 38-save performance to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Flyers' second straight loss on their Western road swing.
Khudobin's game was the difference, according to Wild Head Coach Todd Richards in the post-game press conference. From my own point of view, as well as the team's, he really DID hold the Wild in the game, especially in the first period, as lacklustre a stanza as the Wild have produced since the disasterous first week of November, where they lost two games in three nights, at home, to Vancouver and Dallas. The Wild came out tentative and the Flyers were just willing to let the Wild do that, although Cal Clutterbuck's surprise goal 15:37 in opened the scoring, it didn't take the Flyers long, as Daniel Carcillo, a All-Star 'Blackheart' if there ever was, cashed in a rebound as Marek Zidlicky failed (once again) to take out his man in front of Khudobin, to tie it up with just over 4 minutes remaining.
The second period was much better for the Wild as the tempo -- and the hitting -- started getting fierce, punctuated with Derek Boogaard's de-helmeting of ex-Canuck Lukas Krajicek near the mid-way point. Shortly afterwards, Owen Nolan's rebound goal made it 2-1 Minnesota, and that's where it stayed.
The third period was a throwback to the Jacques Lemaire era: get the puck, play the puck, dump the puck, repeat. Again, and again, and again, and again. The Flyers were becoming more frustrated with every shift. But, there was nothing they could really muster. Even in the waning seconds, after goalie Michael Leighton was pulled for the extra attacker, did the Wild stray from what they were formerly famous for -- defense. And, this time, they were successful.
As the crowd of 18,640 (minus a few Flyers' fans, mostly decked out in their blaze orange) cheered their approval, the traditional 'goalie huddle' after a victory probably never was so well-earned. The boys actually did it; they beat the Flyers, for the first time in five meetings since 2003, and they have their rookie call-up to thank for it.
Next Game: vs. Phoenix, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 7:00 PM Central (6:00 PM Mountain) Time, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth in HD; No Coyotes' TV; XM Radio, Ch. 209)
By Wild Road Tripper
Some old-time Minnesota Wild hockey came out of the dressing room at Xcel Energy Center Saturday night. Rookie Anton Khudobin, making his second NHL appearance and first start at hockey's top level, is sure appreciative that it did.
The Wild ran its home winning streak to four straight, and eight of its' last nine, as they rode Khudobin's 38-save performance to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Flyers' second straight loss on their Western road swing.
Khudobin's game was the difference, according to Wild Head Coach Todd Richards in the post-game press conference. From my own point of view, as well as the team's, he really DID hold the Wild in the game, especially in the first period, as lacklustre a stanza as the Wild have produced since the disasterous first week of November, where they lost two games in three nights, at home, to Vancouver and Dallas. The Wild came out tentative and the Flyers were just willing to let the Wild do that, although Cal Clutterbuck's surprise goal 15:37 in opened the scoring, it didn't take the Flyers long, as Daniel Carcillo, a All-Star 'Blackheart' if there ever was, cashed in a rebound as Marek Zidlicky failed (once again) to take out his man in front of Khudobin, to tie it up with just over 4 minutes remaining.
The second period was much better for the Wild as the tempo -- and the hitting -- started getting fierce, punctuated with Derek Boogaard's de-helmeting of ex-Canuck Lukas Krajicek near the mid-way point. Shortly afterwards, Owen Nolan's rebound goal made it 2-1 Minnesota, and that's where it stayed.
The third period was a throwback to the Jacques Lemaire era: get the puck, play the puck, dump the puck, repeat. Again, and again, and again, and again. The Flyers were becoming more frustrated with every shift. But, there was nothing they could really muster. Even in the waning seconds, after goalie Michael Leighton was pulled for the extra attacker, did the Wild stray from what they were formerly famous for -- defense. And, this time, they were successful.
As the crowd of 18,640 (minus a few Flyers' fans, mostly decked out in their blaze orange) cheered their approval, the traditional 'goalie huddle' after a victory probably never was so well-earned. The boys actually did it; they beat the Flyers, for the first time in five meetings since 2003, and they have their rookie call-up to thank for it.
Next Game: vs. Phoenix, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 7:00 PM Central (6:00 PM Mountain) Time, Xcel Energy Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth in HD; No Coyotes' TV; XM Radio, Ch. 209)
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)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)