Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Game Day Preview: Wild at Dallas. Jagr's Last Game as a Star?

March 29, 2013, 3:20 PM ET [13 Comments]
Brad Ratgen
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The real story is that Backstrom is taking the night off so as to be ready to go tomorrow night back in Minnesota against the Kings. With Harding still out due to his M.S.-related symptoms, enter Matt Hackett (being backed up by Darcy Kuemper), both of whom have carried the water in net for the Wild’s AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros.

As you may recall, last season, Matt Hackett set an NHL record for the longest shutout streak to start a career at 102:48 and went 3-6-0 with a 2.37 GAA and a .922 SV% in 12 games with the Wild. Given the low number of games he was asked to play in last season, Hackett still qualifies as a rookie and, as such, he will be the 7th rookie to skate for the Wild this season, joining the likes of Broding, Coyle, Granlund, Kuemper, Larsson and Zucker.

It should be an interesting game tonight to guage how important Niklas Backstrom is to the Wild’s success this season. He has been playing lights out for the Wild, having started 16 of the Wild’s last 17 games and is 15-3-1 with a 2.14 GAA and a .923 SV% in his last 19 games and is tied for 1st in the NHL with 18 wins.

Dallas should not be underestimated for their ability to score goals. In fact, they are tied with the Wild this season in averaging 2.7 goals per game. Where Dallas’ game falters is on the defensive side of the puck. They have allowed 3 goals against per game on average this season and, while they have scored 86 goals, they have allowed 96 (compared to the Wild’s 87 goals for and 77 goals against). I firmly believe that the lower goals against is because of Backstrom’s stellar play in the nets for the Wild and not because of the Wild’s defensemen who, in my opinion, are suspect at best as a group. As such, tonight’s game could be a good ‘ol fashion firewagon type of game with lots of goals for each team.

Tonight’s game is the start of Minnesota’s 6th set of 9 back-to-back games this season. So far this season, the Wild are 5-0-0 on the first night of consecutive games and have swept 3 sets of back-to-backs, or should we call it Hacks-to-Backs (groan……). After tonight’s game, the Wild have only 15 more games on the schedule and they faceoff tomorrow night against the L.A. Kings. In their last 15 games, the Wild went 12-3-0 with losses to only Anaheim (twice) and Chicago. The Wild look to continue their 7 game winning streak tonight and make it 8.

After tonight it’s L.A., St. Louis, at San Jose, at L.A., at Columbus, Chicago and St. Louis (5 of 6 teams currently in the Western Conference’s top 8) before the schedule eases up during it’s last 8 games with only 2 games against top 8 teams in the Western Conference.

Given the fact that the Wild’s AHL goalies are already in Texas and the fact that Dallas is not currently in the top 8 in the Western Conference, it makes perfect sense to rest Backstrom tonight and even take a loss in the middle of “the streak” the Wild is currently enjoying. Backstrom will have to be very sharp in the next 6 games after today. It will be interesting to see if he plays in the next back-to-back games on April 3rd and 4th when the Wild play in San Jose and then in L.A.

Lastly, a quick note about the Wild’s last game and come-from-behind win against the Phoenix Coyotes. My wife asked if I was nervous as the game was winding down and surprisingly, I was not. This team has given me, an often critic of their poor play in season’s past, a quiet confidence that no matter where we are playing and notwithstanding the fact that we are behind by a goal that this team can win anywhere, beat anyone, play with the lead, come from behind, score first, get scored on first, lead after 1 or 2 periods or trail after 1 or 2 periods. Clearly, this is the year that the Wild have and continue to exorcise demons from their past. The word “playoffs” are again part of my vocabulary. Hopefully not too many moves are made by management at the trade deadline and this team be given the opportunity to see how far they can go. For some strange reason, this team feels like the team from 10 years ago that went to the Western Conference Finals. Also, for another strange reason, I cannot seem to shake the impression that perhaps the Wild could go that far again before meeting the Mighty…………….(wait for it)……………Blackhawks (sorry Ducks fans). Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe not. All I know is that this is the most fun I’ve had in years following the Minnesota Wild and cannot wait to see where it goes for this team and I am already looking forward to many more seasons to come as a fan of the Minnesota Wild.

Lastly, Ek has just posted that Jagr's trade value has sky-rocketed given his return to form this season. As such, if a team is willing to part with a first round draft pick and a top prospect (**cough, cough....BOSTON....cough, cough**), this may well be Jagr's last game as a member of the Dallas Stars.
Join the Discussion: » 13 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Brad Ratgen
» Post-Season and Player/Position Thoughts (Koivu Must Go?)
» We've Been Here Before Haven't We?
» Everything Going According to Script. Only Question, Which Script?
» Wild Proves They Can Play With The Best. Now It's Time to Beat the Best.
» Enough About the Refs. We Ain't Dead Yet. Remember 2003!