Over the last few games, it has become clear that the key to tonight and the rest of the season is for the Wild to start strong and score first. In their last 4 games, the Wild have allowed the first goal and, as no surprise, they have lost 3 of those 4 games. Now, that’s not to say that is all they have to do to win, but it does set the tone for the rest of the game if they start mentally prepared and are working hard from the first drop of the puck instead of having to play from behind. When the Wild score first, they do better. In fact, prior to the last 4 games, the Wild had scored first in 10 of 11 games. During that stretch, they were 8-2-0. Overall, the Wild are 13-4-0 when scoring first.

Hopefully the newest member of the Minnesota Wild can hit the ice for them tonight. As you know, yesterday the Wild payed a king’s ransom for Jason Pominville. No doubt, Pominville is the kind of player the Wild like: a team leader, a great work ethic, plays both ends of the ice, etc. So far this season in Buffalo, he has 10 goals and 15 assists in 37 games and ranks 6th in the NHL with 33 takeaways and 11th in the NHL in time on ice among all forwards in the league. Overall, he has 185 goals, 271 assists in his NHL career of which 42 are powerplay goals, 20 are game winning goals and he has a +47 rating in 578 regular season games during 9 seasons with the Sabres since 2003. Additionally, he has 12 goals and 16 assists in 45 career playoff games. Great numbers, great player, great character guy. But, a heck of a lot to give up to get a guy who might play a little over 1 year with the Wild (his contract expires at the end of next season).

Going back to Buffalo were goaltending prospect Matt Hackett, forward prospect Johan Larsson, the Wild’s first round draft pick this year and their second round draft pick next year. Also included in the deal from Buffalo to Minnesota was their fourth round draft pick next year.

As surmised when this move happened, Fletcher probably has plans to extend his contract and may use him to lure the likes of Stafford and/or Vanek. Russo believes Vanek is the long range goal for the Wild and it was reported yesterday that the Wild inquired about another Sabre player. Odds are it was Vanek.

Last night, the Wild lost to San Jose. The Sharks struck first netting the first 2 goals of the game. The Wild fought back valiantly, scoring 2 goals in 25 seconds in the 2nd period to tie the game only to see the game slip away and then get their faces rubbed in it by the more physical Sharks. At the end of the game, while Dany Heatley was getting thrown around like a rag doll and chopped down like a Redwood, Wild players could be seen standing on the fringes on the ice, watching, instead of engaging. It leads me to question where is the grit on this team? Where is the passion? The laying down one’s concern for themselves to help the other? These are traits that are necessary for teams to have to not only make the playoffs, but to win in the playoffs. Folks, this Wild team is not guaranteed a spot in the post-season. Not by a long shot. They could still miss out on the post-season if they don’t turn this ship around and turn it around tonight. But, that will be no easy task.

The Kings are yet another NHL team that fares well at home. Their record this season so far at home is 12-4-1. They are 11-3-0 in their last 14 games at home. They have outscored their opponents 52-33 at home this season. And, they are 14-1-2 when scoring first. The Wild must not only come out strong, but they must show the work ethic that their first line has shown all season on all 4 lines. The Kings, this year, are most vulnerable in the first period. They have been outscored 24-29 in the first period this season. However, they have outscored their opponents in both the second period (39-31) and third period (40-28). The Kings have outscored their opponents this season 103-89. The Wild have only outscored their opponents this season 96-93. Overall, the Kings score more and get scored on less than the Wild this season. Credit their more goals to their top 3 goal scorers Carter, Brown and Kopitar (in that order) as having scored 6 more goals than the Wild’s top goal scorers Parise, Setoguchi and Heatley (in that order).

Yet, the Kings and the Wild are not that different from one another when you look at their overall record this season. The Wild have 1 more win and 1 less tie and lead the Kings by 1 point in the Western Conference. Both teams started slow in the first 10 games of the season with the Kings going 3-5-2 for 8 points while the Wild went 4-5-1 for 9 points. In their next 10 games, the Kings went on an 8-2-0 run for 16 points while the Wild marginally improved by going 6-3-1 for 13 points. Then the Wild got hot in their next 10 games going 8-2-0 for 16 points while the Kings went 6-4-0 for 12 points. Over their last 5 games, the Kings are 3-2-1 and the Wild are 3-3-0.

Tonight will be no easy task for the Wild. Nonetheless, the quest for the playoffs and/or Northwest Division crown continues tonight. Tonight would be a good time for this Wild team to get their heads screwed on straight and play like a team destined for the playoffs. Otherwise, they could find themselves booking early tee times in late April.

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