Wild Game Day number 66 Wild Record (36-22-7 79 pts) Home Record (22-5-6)
Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (26-28-10 62 pts) Road Record (13-15-2)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 6:00PM CT
TV: NBCSN
Last Season Results: 2/12 Red Wings 3 @ Wild 6 3/26 Wild 2 @ Red Wings 3
Last result: 10/5 Wild 2 @ Red Wings 4
The Wild return home in hopes of reversing the March woes that seemed to have carried over from last season. The memories of last march are enough to make every Wild fan cringe in horror. After all the Wild had looked so strong for three quarters of the season, only to have the wheels fall off and the early playoff exit was foreshadowed when the calendar turned from February to March.
This season has not seen the Wild play with that same kind of consistency but they have been good enough to only experience one 3-game losing streak thus far. Today they will be looking to avoid their second such losing skid of the season.
Detroit took the first meeting this season in the season opener, which was also the Red Wings official opening of their new home, Little Caesars Arena. That game saw the Wild erase a two goal deficit entering the third period only to give up two Red Wing goals to lose the opener by a 4-2 count. That was unfortunately a sign of things to come in which the Wild have either been tied or had a lead in the third period only end up with a loss in the end.
It has been well documented that the Wild have either been tied or ahead in the third period on 16 occasions yet did not come away with the "W", a total of 25 lost points.
It has been equally as well documented that Wild owner Craig Leipold expects his team to compete for the Stanley Cup this season. His displeasure in the early exit a year ago did not sit well with him and the message was made clear, things need to change this time around.
Well a couple of moves by Chuck Fletcher to navigate through the expansion draft process, kept the Wild defense intact. Fletch then pulled the trigger on the deal that sent Jason Pominville and Marco Scandella, for Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno.
That deal has yet to show anything other than frustration for the Wild faithful, with both Ennis and Foligno spending their fair share of time in the press box. Foligno was brought in to give the Wild a dimension of size and strength on the wing, but his lack of speed and inconsistent play has brought very little to the Wild lineup. Ennis has been provided ample opportunity to showcase his ability, but has not been able to develop even the slightest bit of chemistry with his new team.
The Wild won a season high five straight and appeared to be on their way to coming together at the right time of the season. That of course all came to an end with the 2-game road trip that saw the Wild lose in Arizona to the last play Coyotes, and then get absolutely blitzed in Colorado for the second straight time in the Mile High City.
The fact that everyone else can see that the Wild inconsistency comes from the lack of leadership within the team, yet the coaching staff, fails to recognize this fact is especially concerning.
There are 17 games remaining in the season, and the race is still very wide open. The Wild still have a very favorable schedule in the next few weeks. But the answers to where they end up come from within the locker room for this Wild team.
Accountability, is a bigger issue than execution. Once the entire team is held to the same level of accountability, then and only then, will this team be able to achieve collective success.
Today's game is a must win for the Wild, and the players need to step it up. It is high time some of the other players on this club begin to speak up and call out the veterans on this team that have become complacent in their approach to the game.
Projected lineup: Zucker Staal Granlund Parise Koivu Coyle Kunin Eriksson Ek Niederreiter Ennis Cullen Winnik
Suter Spurgeon Brodin Dumba Seeler Prosser
Dubnyk Stalock
It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
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