Wild Game Day number 2 Wild Record (0-1-0 0 pts) Home Record (0-0-0)
Opponent: Vegas Golden Knights (0-1-0 0 pts) Road Record (0-0-0)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 11/30 Golden Knights 2 @ Wild 4 2/2 Golden Knights 2 @ Wild 5 3/16 Wild 4 @ Golden Knights 2
Thursday night did not go as the Wild had hoped dropping a 4-1 contest in Denver to the Avalanche. Vegas comes to town also off a disappointing opening night 5-2 loss at home to the Flyers. Last season Vegas took the league by storm winning early and often, blazing their way all the way to the Stanley Cup Final where they finally succumbed to the Washington Capitals in five games. Oddly enough, the Wild had the Golden Knights number in all three matches last season, including the two played in St. Paul.
Tonight is different though as the Wild look to establish themselves as a real contender, while the Golden Knights try to prove that last season was no fluke.
We knew that the Wild were in for a challenge on Thursday in Colorado, as the Avalanche have speed to burn, while the Wild struggle to match up. If not for the solid play of Devan Dubnyk in the Wild net the game should have been far enough out of reach for the Wild to even think about pulling him late in favor of the extra attacker in their attempt to tie the game.
Two Avalanche empty netters later and it was a 4-1 Avalanche victory that made the score resemble the lopsided contest on the ice.
Of course it is only one game, but it was against a division opponent that the Wild most likely will battle with all season long in their quest to make it seven straight playoff appearances.
Most of the predictions we have all read, have the Wild missing the playoffs with most of them having Minnesota slated to finish dead last in the Central.
There are too many quality pieces on this Wild team for them to finish last in the division, combined with the fact that new GM, Paul Fenton will not wait to make a move or two as he puts his stamp on the team.
Vegas will present the Wild with another difficult challenge as they are a speedy team that likes to play an up tempo game activating their defense in their counter attack style of play.
Golden Knights GM, George McPhee, made a splash in free agency signing Paul Stastny, then traded Tomas Tatar and picks to Montreal for Max Pacioretty to boost the Vegas offense.
The story line whenever the Wild and Golden Knights meet at least for the next few seasons will center around Alex Tuch and Erik Haula and should the Wild have made the deal in order to protect Matt Dumba and Eric Staal. It is all water under the bridge and yesterday's news. If you are still part of that discussion, get over it already.
The new season is here and the Wild are 0-1-0. They know what is expected of them, and what they expect of themselves. Home ice has been very good to the Wild, where last season they had a league best 27-6-8 record on Xcel Energy Ice.
The, this is "Our Ice" campaign returns for a second season. OUR ICE allows Wild fans to bring bottles of water from the local lakes, ponds, and rinks from all across the State of Hockey, to be filtered and added to the ice at the Xcel Energy Center, giving the Wild a home ice advantage.
One game down in the month of October, game two needs to be better than Thursday for the the Wild,and Vegas too for that matter. Expect the Wild to come out with a bit of a chip on their shoulder tonight.
Marc Andre Fleury was chased in the second period Thursday after allowing the fifth Flyers goal. He too will have something to prove tonight, but if the Wild could get a goal or two early they just may be able to get into the Vegas netminder's head.
It's Always Hockey Day in the State of Hockey!
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