Two very different movies. Two very different settings. Two very different results.
Sounds like the Minnesota Wild of late, doesn't it?
On the road, away from the distractions of family, home, expectations of their own fans, etc., the Wild have quietly built a 3-1-1 December road record. The only game in which the Wild looked bad was the blowout last weekend at Anaheim (not entirely unexpected, given the Wild's history at the Arrowhead Pond/Honda Center), where the Ducks relentlessly gave the Wild a well-deserved 6-2 pounding.
On the other hand, when the Wild are at home, in the Xcel Energy Center, they proceed to continually lay more eggs than an Eggland's Best contractor farm. They relax, play with absolutely NO urgency whatsoever, let the other team get out to a lead, then get beat by continuing to not play well, and basically anger their most loyal followers, their biggest stakeholders, their season ticket fan base, by their continued lack of offensive punch.
The Wild are a paltry 1-4-1 in their last six home games, for a grand total of three -- THREE -- points in the standings. Three points at home, while the rest of the West administers drubbing after drubbing. There is no rhyme nor reason for this. The good teams -- the teams that will actually make the playoffs in April -- play their best hockey at home, where the fans are friendly, the routine familiar, the cooking not in a restaurant (recent call-up Jared Spurgeon notwithstanding), the bed after the game their own.
Maybe the Wild and the Minnesota Vikings -- the NFL's 'prodigal sons', who may never go home (to the Metrodome) again -- should change places. The Wild should stay on the road, and the Vikings should move into the 'X' and play. The Vikings have only one road win since October, 2009, and that was two weeks ago against Washington. Maybe the Vikes should just play at home, and the Wild should go on a 50-game road trip to end their season.
Then, the Wild might just have a shot at the playoffs. Maybe. Or, maybe, just maybe, the Wild should really get the act together, come out during the holidays and beat some of the upcoming teams, teams that they SHOULD BE ABLE to defeat in regulation time.
The next five home games for the Wild:
Calgary, Monday (Dec. 20) -- this is the same Flames team that YOU JUST WON against in the Saddledome. Put some effort into this, and sweep the back-to-back.
Detroit, Dec. 26 (Sunday) -- play better than you have in your last month at home. This will be the first game for both teams after the Christmas holiday break. What better way for Wild fans to celebrate the end of the Christmas holiday, than to boo the hell out of Todd Bertuzzi, instead of their own team? Or, to watch as the 'X' is over-run with Red Wings fans, a good number of whom will spend the entire day coming down from Michigan's UP.
San Jose, Dec. 29 (Wednesday) -- this is NOT the San Jose team of the recent past. This team is beatable, but you have to shadow the Sharks' top line (Thornton-Heatley-Marleau) to keep the Sharks in check. But, at least they no longer have Evgeni Nabokov to worry about in goal.
Nashville, Dec. 31 (Friday, New Years' Eve) -- too bad this opponent doesn't generate the same excitement as the evening. In a party mood, this crowd probably will be more amped up than either of the teams will. Nashville head coach Barry Trotz will have his New Years' Eve costume on ... Oh, wait: that ISN'T a costume? That's his real face??
Phoenix, Jan. 2 (Sunday) -- Just hours after the end of a disasterous Vikings season, the Wild's season could very well also end, if the Wild don't pull a win out of this game, as the Wild will end their 5-games-in-8-days holiday hockey marathon, with the final visit this season by the up-and-coming Coyotes, who have shown that they can beat any team on any given night.
So win now, boys. Because after the Phoenix game, 8 of the next 11 Wild games are back in the 'friendly confines'...of the road.
Showing posts with label Nabokov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nabokov. Show all posts
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Go See Cal! Go See Cal! Go See Cal!
Clutterbuck makes Finnish SM-liiga team pay for concentrating on countrymen, as Wild finally get off pre-season schneid with 5-1 win
By Wild Road Tripper
In Tampere, Finland Monday night, the Ilves Tampere (Tampere Lynx) were shown that they coudn't contain him, either, as the Minnesota Wild came away with a 5-1 win, the only win the Wild will have in pre-season, before an announced 4,625.
The Finnish locals, who came out despite the ticket prices of upwards of 75 Euros each, gave both sides a standing ovation at the end of the game for a great show, despite the fact that for the first two periods, the Wild looked like once again they were going thru the motions. Fans in the Wild official cheering section were noticably disappointed, in the first two periods of this one.
But Clutterbuck went about his work, not exactly setting a single-game record for hits, but being in the right place, at the right time, sure helped the Wild to their first win of the pre-season, in their last pre-season game.
That entire line -- Clutterbuck, John Madden, and Chuck Kobasew -- proved to be the difference last night. But the fact was that the Finns were so intent on shutting down the Wild's No. 1 line, Mikko Koivu-Antti Miettinen-Andrew Brunette, that they quite literally forgot that with the expanded SM-liiga 22-man active roster, the Wild could roll four lines and four full seats of defense. And, they did.
Practice was cancelled for Tuesday, as the team awaits the arrival of the Carolina Hurricanes from St. Petersburg, Russia, where they lost last night to Evgeni Nabokov and SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, 5-3, after 'Canes coach Paul Maurice benched star forward Eric Staal, after it was said that the Russians were going after his knees.
Hopefully they won't say the same things, after Thursday night's NHL Premiere regular season opener.
Next Game: vs. Carolina, Thursday, October 7, 11:00 AM Central Time (7:00 PM East European Time), Hartwall Areena, Helsinki. (TV: Versus).
By Wild Road Tripper
HELSINKI, FINLAND -- Cal Clutterbuck. You can't forget him. You can only hope to contain him.
Did you ever think Wild fans would say that?In Tampere, Finland Monday night, the Ilves Tampere (Tampere Lynx) were shown that they coudn't contain him, either, as the Minnesota Wild came away with a 5-1 win, the only win the Wild will have in pre-season, before an announced 4,625.
The Finnish locals, who came out despite the ticket prices of upwards of 75 Euros each, gave both sides a standing ovation at the end of the game for a great show, despite the fact that for the first two periods, the Wild looked like once again they were going thru the motions. Fans in the Wild official cheering section were noticably disappointed, in the first two periods of this one.
But Clutterbuck went about his work, not exactly setting a single-game record for hits, but being in the right place, at the right time, sure helped the Wild to their first win of the pre-season, in their last pre-season game.
That entire line -- Clutterbuck, John Madden, and Chuck Kobasew -- proved to be the difference last night. But the fact was that the Finns were so intent on shutting down the Wild's No. 1 line, Mikko Koivu-Antti Miettinen-Andrew Brunette, that they quite literally forgot that with the expanded SM-liiga 22-man active roster, the Wild could roll four lines and four full seats of defense. And, they did.
Practice was cancelled for Tuesday, as the team awaits the arrival of the Carolina Hurricanes from St. Petersburg, Russia, where they lost last night to Evgeni Nabokov and SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, 5-3, after 'Canes coach Paul Maurice benched star forward Eric Staal, after it was said that the Russians were going after his knees.
Hopefully they won't say the same things, after Thursday night's NHL Premiere regular season opener.
Next Game: vs. Carolina, Thursday, October 7, 11:00 AM Central Time (7:00 PM East European Time), Hartwall Areena, Helsinki. (TV: Versus).
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Shark feeding frenzy 'Chums' Wild, 4-1
San Jose gets off the schneid, snaps six-game losing streak at Minnesota expense
By Wild Road Tripper
Like so much food in the water, what the San Jose Sharks needed most was a chance to relax and feed off some poor, out-of-the-playoffs team whose defense is not very good.
Enter the Minnesota Wild, who were just such a school for the Sharks tonight, embarrassing themselves once again in front of a national cable/satellite TV audience with a 4-1 trouncing by the Pacific Division-leading (again, thanks to tonight) Sharks, in front of 18,551 somewhat disgusted patrons at Xcel Energy Center.
It didn't take too long -- 5:12, to be exact -- before the Sharks, behind Joe Pavelski's goal, began to feed off the impatient, inexact Wild. Passes were in feet, behind intended players, winding up on oppositions players' sticks, you name it -- and the game basically went downhill from there. Rob Blake had 3 assists, and Ryane Clowe assisted twice, as nine different Sharks helped themselves to the school of free points, courtesy of the porous Wild effort.
The only bright spot of the game was Guillaume Latendresse's 25th goal in a Wild sweater, coming near the end of a San Jose power play, when Latendresse was finally able to put one past Evgeni Nabokov. Other than that, 'Nabby' didn't really have that much to do, as the tight San Jose defense (frequently putting all five players between the red line and their own blue line, especially in the third period) basically shut down the Wild to win the game. The win is San Jose's 3rd in 3 games vs. the Wild this season.
Niklas Backstrom, returning for his first start in two weeks, had 13 saves for the Wild. The Wild now vacate the 'X' for the rest of the week, beginning with the Next Game: at Philadelphia, Thursday, March 25, 6:00 PM Central (7:00 PM Eastern) Time, Wachovia Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth (includes FSWisconsin); Flyers' TV: CSN-Philly (in HD); XM Radio, Ch. 207)
By Wild Road Tripper
Like so much food in the water, what the San Jose Sharks needed most was a chance to relax and feed off some poor, out-of-the-playoffs team whose defense is not very good.
Enter the Minnesota Wild, who were just such a school for the Sharks tonight, embarrassing themselves once again in front of a national cable/satellite TV audience with a 4-1 trouncing by the Pacific Division-leading (again, thanks to tonight) Sharks, in front of 18,551 somewhat disgusted patrons at Xcel Energy Center.
It didn't take too long -- 5:12, to be exact -- before the Sharks, behind Joe Pavelski's goal, began to feed off the impatient, inexact Wild. Passes were in feet, behind intended players, winding up on oppositions players' sticks, you name it -- and the game basically went downhill from there. Rob Blake had 3 assists, and Ryane Clowe assisted twice, as nine different Sharks helped themselves to the school of free points, courtesy of the porous Wild effort.
The only bright spot of the game was Guillaume Latendresse's 25th goal in a Wild sweater, coming near the end of a San Jose power play, when Latendresse was finally able to put one past Evgeni Nabokov. Other than that, 'Nabby' didn't really have that much to do, as the tight San Jose defense (frequently putting all five players between the red line and their own blue line, especially in the third period) basically shut down the Wild to win the game. The win is San Jose's 3rd in 3 games vs. the Wild this season.
Niklas Backstrom, returning for his first start in two weeks, had 13 saves for the Wild. The Wild now vacate the 'X' for the rest of the week, beginning with the Next Game: at Philadelphia, Thursday, March 25, 6:00 PM Central (7:00 PM Eastern) Time, Wachovia Center. (Wild TV: FSNorth (includes FSWisconsin); Flyers' TV: CSN-Philly (in HD); XM Radio, Ch. 207)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
'Just a Great Hockey Game', but Wild still wind up as Shark bait
The San Jose Sharks got a real scare tonight. And no, it wasn't a mirage you watched (if you did, given the late hour) Saturday night. The Minnesota Wild were really playing that good.
But you cannot give up four power-play goals, a single-game Wild all-time record, and expect to win on the road in the NHL. And so it was tonight at HP Pavilion at San Jose, as the Wild lost to the Sharks, 5-2, in front of 175 Wild fans on the team's official 'Road Trip', and 17,387 Sharks faithful, as Josh Harding made his third consecutive start, and finished by having suffered his first loss in his last 4 games.
The Wild struck first as Owen Nolan tipped the puck off a Guillaume Latendresse shot by Evgeni Nabokov on the power play, then after Jason Demers whizzed one by a screen Harding to tie it at one-all, Cal Clutterbuck's point-blank redirect of Kyle Brodziak's pass in front of Nabokov found twine in the last minute of the first period.
Demers then took advantage of an errant clearing attempt by Kim Johnsson while the Wild were killing off a questionable penalty against Belanger, netting his second of the night thru another screen, 3:15 into the second period, tying the game at 2-2. Later in the second, Joe Pavelski took advantage of a Marek Zidlicky penalty, stepping around Brent Burns like Burns was a statute, and surprising Harding to put the Sharks in front 3-2 at the 16:57 mark.
Six seconds after Robbie Earl was whistled off for interference, Patrick Marleau tallied his first goal of the evening as his blast sizzled by Harding at 13:14 of the third period, for a 4-2 San Jose lead. Just over 3 minutes later, Marleau made sure the Wild had no comeback as he deflected a shot by Dany Heatley into the net for the 5-2 final score.
Next Game: at Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 7:00 PM, American Airlines Center. (TV: Versus, TSN2, in HD; viewing parties in Twin Cities area; details at Wild.com. XM Radio, Ch. 209)
-- WRT
But you cannot give up four power-play goals, a single-game Wild all-time record, and expect to win on the road in the NHL. And so it was tonight at HP Pavilion at San Jose, as the Wild lost to the Sharks, 5-2, in front of 175 Wild fans on the team's official 'Road Trip', and 17,387 Sharks faithful, as Josh Harding made his third consecutive start, and finished by having suffered his first loss in his last 4 games.
The Wild struck first as Owen Nolan tipped the puck off a Guillaume Latendresse shot by Evgeni Nabokov on the power play, then after Jason Demers whizzed one by a screen Harding to tie it at one-all, Cal Clutterbuck's point-blank redirect of Kyle Brodziak's pass in front of Nabokov found twine in the last minute of the first period.
Demers then took advantage of an errant clearing attempt by Kim Johnsson while the Wild were killing off a questionable penalty against Belanger, netting his second of the night thru another screen, 3:15 into the second period, tying the game at 2-2. Later in the second, Joe Pavelski took advantage of a Marek Zidlicky penalty, stepping around Brent Burns like Burns was a statute, and surprising Harding to put the Sharks in front 3-2 at the 16:57 mark.
Six seconds after Robbie Earl was whistled off for interference, Patrick Marleau tallied his first goal of the evening as his blast sizzled by Harding at 13:14 of the third period, for a 4-2 San Jose lead. Just over 3 minutes later, Marleau made sure the Wild had no comeback as he deflected a shot by Dany Heatley into the net for the 5-2 final score.
Next Game: at Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 7:00 PM, American Airlines Center. (TV: Versus, TSN2, in HD; viewing parties in Twin Cities area; details at Wild.com. XM Radio, Ch. 209)
-- WRT
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