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Minnesota Wild Blogger •
On Thursday, I received the following e-mail: “Last Chance to Secure Playoff Seats!” As a member of the “press”, I continue to maintain my status as a “fan” also. As such, I continue to purchase season tickets for both personal use, as well as for marketing purposes for my day job. Frankly, I found it quite humerous that I and other Wild season ticket holders received such a message from our team given their current status on the outside looking in. My last chance? What about the Wild’s.
Friday’s match against the Calgary Flames may well be the Wild’s last chance to stay in the playoff hunt, especially after Minnesota native, David Backes, single handedly defeated the Detroit Red Wings for his surging St. Louis Blues, not to mention Anaheim squeaking out two points against the Canucks in an 11 goal free for all.
The Flames limp into St. Paul playing with less than a full line up due to injury, call ups from the minors and salary cap related demotions of an entry level contract NHL player, not subject to waivers. Wow, that’s a lot of words just to explain why Calgary is playing 2 men short.
The Wild luck out early by getting a whistle on an apparent Backstrom save that slowly made it’s way past him and over the goal line, but the whistle had already blown. No Goal!
And the Wild strike first, officially, on the power play on a shot from the point by Zidlicky and deflected past Miikka Kipprusoff by Andrew Brunette. And before they can finish announcing that goal, Cal Clutterbuck strikes for goal numero dos. And that’s it for the mighty Kipper, yanked by bench boss Mike Keenan in favor of backup Curtis McElhinney. And after the very next whistle, McElhinney is yanked and Kipper is back in, most likely after a stern talking to by Iron Mike. And smoke is coming from either my keyboard or my fingers with all this eary action tonight.
Power play number 2 found the Wild on Kipper’s doorstep three different times, but they could not manage to sneak it past him.
Then, while on even strength, Owen Nolan blasts one past the struggling Flames goaltender. Interestingly enough, the television feed was doing a spotlight on Nolan before the game and I happened to catch the part where he called his shot in the All-Star Game that was in San Jose when he was a member of the Sharks. A thing of beauty.
Gaborik had a chance to then fire the jets up and just didn’t get ‘em going for whatever reason, opting to pass instead. He was fed his second beautiful chance of the night and failed again to convert on a perfect opportunity.
In the second period, it was mostly uneventful until Backstrom went down with what looked like an injury, but he stayed on the ice. Then resident tough guy, Bertuzzi, tried mixing it up with Nick Schultz, but to no avail. Speaking of Big Bad Bert, this was the first time I could recall that he did not get booed every time he touched the puck. Finally! A while later, Mikko Koivu showed the talent that has earned him the nick name “the franchise”. If you didn’t see the game, it’s worth searching for the replay. He didn’t score on it, but just the same, they were a couple of nice moves that only danglers can pull off at this level and Koivu is a dangler. Skoula then got called for high sticking on Jokinen, a questionable call at best. Jokinen started it and just because he can’t keep on his skates when pushed back does not make it a penalty. The Team of 18,000 made sure the refs knew that call was total B.S. At the end of two periods, Wild 3 and Calgary 0.
At the intermission, a Bruins scout whom I know proclaimed that “not even the Wild can “F” this one up. We’ll see. Throughout the course of the year, they have managed to cough up plenty of leads in the third period.
Early in the third period, Veilleux had two wonderful opportunities, one an open net, but was denied on both by Calgary. Minnesota seemingly tried a different style of play with the lead: offense first instead of that prevent defense that has cost them many a game this season. Veilleux missed another opportunity where it was just him and Kipper. With the upcoming baseball season upon us, Veilleux has effectively “struck out” this evening. Gaborik, however, hit a home run on his third try of the night on a beautiful feel from Sheppard, he snuck one by Kipper on the short side. 4-0 Wild. Flames GM could be overheard at the end of the game uttering the simple phrase: “brutal”. Kind of sums up Calgary’s game this night, rather succinctly.
The story lines of the night have been the Wild’s quick start and their penalty killing which has been tops all season throughout the league, not to mention the usually stout goaltending of Niklas Backstrom.
So the Wild live to play another day. A decent win, but one that only moves them up to being one point behind behind ninth place Nashville who is currently in progress against the Blackhawks and losing, 2-1 after two periods. Go Hawks Go!!!!!!!
Next up, NBC’s game of the week this Sunday in Hockey Town, U.S.A. against a struggling Red Wing team. Minnesota will have to bring the sort of game they brought on Friday night in order to stay in the thick of things. Until then, Go Hawks, Go Blue Jackets, Go Stars, Go Sharks, Go Canucks. (I can’t believe I just wrote “Go Canucks”). Most importantly, however, GO WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday’s match against the Calgary Flames may well be the Wild’s last chance to stay in the playoff hunt, especially after Minnesota native, David Backes, single handedly defeated the Detroit Red Wings for his surging St. Louis Blues, not to mention Anaheim squeaking out two points against the Canucks in an 11 goal free for all.
The Flames limp into St. Paul playing with less than a full line up due to injury, call ups from the minors and salary cap related demotions of an entry level contract NHL player, not subject to waivers. Wow, that’s a lot of words just to explain why Calgary is playing 2 men short.
The Wild luck out early by getting a whistle on an apparent Backstrom save that slowly made it’s way past him and over the goal line, but the whistle had already blown. No Goal!
And the Wild strike first, officially, on the power play on a shot from the point by Zidlicky and deflected past Miikka Kipprusoff by Andrew Brunette. And before they can finish announcing that goal, Cal Clutterbuck strikes for goal numero dos. And that’s it for the mighty Kipper, yanked by bench boss Mike Keenan in favor of backup Curtis McElhinney. And after the very next whistle, McElhinney is yanked and Kipper is back in, most likely after a stern talking to by Iron Mike. And smoke is coming from either my keyboard or my fingers with all this eary action tonight.
Power play number 2 found the Wild on Kipper’s doorstep three different times, but they could not manage to sneak it past him.
Then, while on even strength, Owen Nolan blasts one past the struggling Flames goaltender. Interestingly enough, the television feed was doing a spotlight on Nolan before the game and I happened to catch the part where he called his shot in the All-Star Game that was in San Jose when he was a member of the Sharks. A thing of beauty.
Gaborik had a chance to then fire the jets up and just didn’t get ‘em going for whatever reason, opting to pass instead. He was fed his second beautiful chance of the night and failed again to convert on a perfect opportunity.
In the second period, it was mostly uneventful until Backstrom went down with what looked like an injury, but he stayed on the ice. Then resident tough guy, Bertuzzi, tried mixing it up with Nick Schultz, but to no avail. Speaking of Big Bad Bert, this was the first time I could recall that he did not get booed every time he touched the puck. Finally! A while later, Mikko Koivu showed the talent that has earned him the nick name “the franchise”. If you didn’t see the game, it’s worth searching for the replay. He didn’t score on it, but just the same, they were a couple of nice moves that only danglers can pull off at this level and Koivu is a dangler. Skoula then got called for high sticking on Jokinen, a questionable call at best. Jokinen started it and just because he can’t keep on his skates when pushed back does not make it a penalty. The Team of 18,000 made sure the refs knew that call was total B.S. At the end of two periods, Wild 3 and Calgary 0.
At the intermission, a Bruins scout whom I know proclaimed that “not even the Wild can “F” this one up. We’ll see. Throughout the course of the year, they have managed to cough up plenty of leads in the third period.
Early in the third period, Veilleux had two wonderful opportunities, one an open net, but was denied on both by Calgary. Minnesota seemingly tried a different style of play with the lead: offense first instead of that prevent defense that has cost them many a game this season. Veilleux missed another opportunity where it was just him and Kipper. With the upcoming baseball season upon us, Veilleux has effectively “struck out” this evening. Gaborik, however, hit a home run on his third try of the night on a beautiful feel from Sheppard, he snuck one by Kipper on the short side. 4-0 Wild. Flames GM could be overheard at the end of the game uttering the simple phrase: “brutal”. Kind of sums up Calgary’s game this night, rather succinctly.
The story lines of the night have been the Wild’s quick start and their penalty killing which has been tops all season throughout the league, not to mention the usually stout goaltending of Niklas Backstrom.
So the Wild live to play another day. A decent win, but one that only moves them up to being one point behind behind ninth place Nashville who is currently in progress against the Blackhawks and losing, 2-1 after two periods. Go Hawks Go!!!!!!!
Next up, NBC’s game of the week this Sunday in Hockey Town, U.S.A. against a struggling Red Wing team. Minnesota will have to bring the sort of game they brought on Friday night in order to stay in the thick of things. Until then, Go Hawks, Go Blue Jackets, Go Stars, Go Sharks, Go Canucks. (I can’t believe I just wrote “Go Canucks”). Most importantly, however, GO WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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