you are a Minnesota Wild fan, don’t be misled by the one-side 4-1 win over the lowest-scoring team / worst road team in the NHL. Beating the Buffalo Sabres doesn’t cure all that ills the Wild. They are still 6-12-1 in their past 19 games. It only buys head coach Mike Yeo an extra day to find the solution. If the Wild lose to their next opponent, the Washington Capitals, Yeo may be cruising Monster.com looking for a new job on Monday. The Wild are still tied with Dallas for ninth place in the Wild West (47 points). They trail 8th place Phoenix by two points. They lead 11th place Winnipeg by just 4 points. The Wild, as currently constructed, are just a under achieving collection of talent. They leave points on the table like nobody’s business. They still have a three-headed goalie monster, which is unpredictable at best rely upon to win games. The locomotive that drives their offense, Zach Parise, is out indefinitely with a fractured foot.
Mike Russo of the Star Tribune reports that he spoke with Wild GM Chuck Fletcher on Thursady night. Russo says that Fletcher is still trying “make something happen” in terms of a trade, presumably to inject offense into the Wild lineup. See Thomas Vanek. That’s why Fletcher made the difficult decision to waive 33-year old utility man Zenon Konopka on Thursday. The thought process is that Konopka will clear waivers and head to AHL Iowa or be claimed by on of 29 other NHL teams (If I’m Buffalo, I claim Konopka). He’s a heart and soul warrior who will provide Matt Ellis, Adam Mair-like leadership to a young core).
Fletcher is clearing a roster spot for a trade and for the eventual return of Zach Parise.
Let the Thomas Vanek to Minnesota Wild watch begin right now.
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Speaking of former Buffalo Sabres sniper changing addresses….
There’s been quite a buzz out of Montreal concerning Danny Briere and the Buffalo Sabres. Makes sense considering Danny can’t find the key to release himself from Michel Therrien’s dog house. Briere has been a healthy scratch on many occasions this season. He has scored 5 goals and has added 5 assists in 29 games played. He’s still a very useful player, especially in the playoffs where he has accumulated 109 points (50 goals) in 108 career playoff games. So then, why isn’t Montreal GM Marc Bergevin trying to trade Briere to a slumping contender or bubble team like the LA, Boston, Nashville, Washington, New Jersey or Phoenix? Briere could add instant offense now to a contender. He can also be relied upon to add scoring depth to a playoff contender.
Sabres fans would welcome Danny home with open arms. Perhaps Buffalo is a better fit for Briere so that he can stay close to his boys who live in New Jersey.
Briere has one more year at $4 million left on his Montreal deal. If I’m Pat LaFontaine, I gladly take the remainder of Briere’s contract. The Sabres will have $30+ million in cap space to work with this July. I’d use an amnesty buyout on Ville Leino ($4.5M per x 3) and send him skating into anonymity. Briere would be a cost savings and would be a better teammate. The fans would love to have #48 back in Blue & Gold. Especially if Leino is leaving and Danny takes his roster spot. It’s a win/win.
Briere has been a healthy scratch Montreal's last two games.
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So much for losing seven straight and getting their head coach Mike Yeo fired.
The Sabres had a prime opportunity to slap the reeling Wild in the teeth. Ryan Miller entered Thursday night's game feeling great about his own game, having played A+ hockey for Buffalo all season long. Forget about his wins and losses, Miller has made big save after big save to keep his team competitive in games this season. Fresh off being named to Team USA's Olympic team, Miller brought a ton of confidence and swagger into the match with Minnesota.
The Minnesota Wild lost their sixth straight game on Tuesday, prompting wide spread speculation that Yeo will be fired. Yeo reportedly told his players to play their game and to not worry about him. Yeo said that he will not coach in order to keep his job. He believes in his team. He asked them to believe in themselves.
The Wild, a team that hasn't been able to score ever since Zach Parise left the lineup five games ago with a fractured foot, stormed out to a 3-0 lead over Ryan Miller and the Sabres.
Throw that script in the trash can!
The Wild led 3-0 after 2 period, and out shot the Sabres 23-12. The Wild players were serenaded with whistles and cheers of appreciation as they left the ice after 40. No more boos, for now anyway.
Scandella, Pominville, and Zucker scores three second period goals. Pominville scored his 18th goal of the season against his bud Miller on "Pominville Bobblehead Night".
Thanks, Wild TV
Nik Backstrom was an emergency starter for Minnesota due to Josh Harding contracting the flu.
Backstrom surrendered 17 goals in four games during Harding’s respite as he adjusted to new medication to regulate his multiple sclerosis. Backstrom was winless in his last 8 starts, surrendering 28 goals in that abysmal losing streak. All due respect to Backstrom, he's a terrible goalie right now. Shame on the Sabres for not throwing 50 shots at him. He would have folded like a cardboard box. Its embarrassing that this team continues to cave in during second period pressure from their opponents. Ryan Miller should not be losing to a lesser tender like Backstrom.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda.
The Sabres are the ultimate slump busters, aren't they?
The Sabres were shutout 3-0 in Winnipeg on New Year's Eve.
Matt Ellis broke up Backstrom's shut out at the 58:48 mark of the third period. No goals in 118+ minutes on the road is atrocious offensive execution for Nolan's Sabres.
The last time the Sabres were shutout in back to back games was October 2003.
Brodziak added an ENG to seal the deal.
Yeo lives to coach another game.
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When the Buffalo Sabres drafted man-child Nikita Zadorov in the first round of the 2013 NHL entry draft, it was for moments like these. All the chips in the middle of the table, puck on his stick, all eyes watching him.
In the wee hours of on Thursday morning, Zadorov loaded his bazooka and fired not one, but two 5–on-3 PPGs past USA goalie John Gillies. The first one was the equalizer. The second one would eventually knock out the defending gold medal champions for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.
"They were great passes from Slepyshev," Zadorov noted. "They have a good goalie, so we knew we just had to shoot the puck. I scored two goals--maybe they were lucky, maybe not. I don't know."
Lucky? I think not!
Video courtesy, IIHF
Zadorov, the London Knights D stud, scored two 5-on-3 PPGs in the second period with his trademark assault rifle one-timers from the point. Russia would tie and take the lead over the USA on Zadorov’s marksmanship. They sealed the deal leate in the third period with an empty net goal. Russia will now face Sweden in the semi-finals on Saturday. The Swedes handed Russia 3-2 loss last week in the preliminary round..
"We want to play Sweden," enthused Zadorov after. "It was a close game last time (3-2 loss), and we're going to watch some video and play better (on Saturday)."
Zadorov’s Buffalo bro, Mikhail Grigorenko got the party starter early when he pounded home a rebound to draw first blood for Russia.
"This game made us a better team today than we were yesterday," said Mikhail Grigorenko. "I think we deserved to win. Hopefully we can keep the same energy, same compete level for the semi-finals."
The difference in the game?
Team USA committed to many undisciplined penalties.
The Russian PPG made them pay for their transgressions
The power plays were the game changer," agreed Grigorenko. "We scored two goals. We took the lead, and we kept it. Those two five-on-threes in a row were the key."
Source: IIHF
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