Wild Game Day number 80 Wild Record (38-30-11 87 pts) Road Record (17-16-7)
Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (31-39-8 70 pts) Home Record (17-19-4)
Site: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 11/17 Jets 3 @ Wild 4 (OT) 12/27 Jets 4 @ Wild 3 (OT) 12/29 Wild 3 @ Jets 2 2/10 Wild 1 @ Jets 2 (OT) 4/6 Jets 2 @ Wild 0
Last Result: 10/25 Wild 4 @ Jets 5 11/10 Jets 3 @ Wild 5 11/27 Jets 3 @ Wild 1 1/15 Jets 1 @ Wild 0
The Wild have dropped two in a row after winning six straight and opening up a five point lead over Colorado. They are fortunate that the Avalanche comeback on Friday fell a goal short and the five point lead is still in place. The Wild have lost a league leading 27 one goal decisions including their last two games. Minnesota needs to get the offense going again and it needs to start tonight in Winnipeg.
The Jets have taken 3 of the 4 meetings this season and are 6-2-1 against the Wild the last two seasons. Every game between the Jets and Wild is close. The teams having played 16 times since Atlanta moved to Winnipeg in 2011 with twelve of the games being decided by one goal and the other four decided by two. There is no reason to believe tonight's game will be any different.
Winnipeg, much like Ottawa, is playing for more than pride. Jobs are on the line and players are playing for their meal tickets. The Wild need to take a similar approach because jobs are on the line in Minnesota even if they make the playoffs. The Wild are a virtually healthy team, which should promote a healthy competition for ice time. That competition should show on the ice with compete levels and performance.
The confidence of the Wild is very fragile, when things are going well all is good, but when adversity rears it's ugly head it takes them a while to regain that confidence. The leadership of this club is in question whenever things start to slide. Who are the voices in the locker room that are working to bring it together? Since the coaching change it does appear that there is a better sense of unity, but still not where it needs to be to take this team to the next level.
The final road game of the season in Winnipeg and the first opportunity for the Wild to clinch a playoff berth. A combination of a Wild win and an Avalanche loss and the Wild punch their ticket. Either way the Wild need to find a way to get the compete level raised and get some more consistency to their game. They need to establish their identity and pull together as a collective unit. The Wild have three games left and they need to approach them as a simulated playoff series, down one game on the road loozing for a split before heading home for two. It's the teams that are best prepared heading into the playoffs that ultimately perform the best. It's April, time to turn it up Wild.
Let's Play Hockey!