Wild Game Day number 6
Opponent: Columbus Blue Jackets
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 12/31 Wild 1 @ Blue Jackets 3 1/19 Blue Jackets 3 @ Wild 1
Tonight the Wild begin a stretch of four games in six nights.The Blue Jackets enter the game tonight winless and under new direction with John Tortorella coaching his first game with the club after the firing of former Wild coach Todd Richards yesterday.
Tortorella has not had a lot of time to implement his game plan with the players, but he held a player meeting with them and wants them to get to playing a more confident game from start to finish. The Jackets will have an extra jump in their step and the Wild need to be ready.
Sergei Bobrovsky has been subpar to say the least thus far with a goals against average just over five and a save percentage of .835. He has been a very good goalie in the past but has suffered through a loss of his confidence. The Wild need to pepper him early and often from every angle and get bodies to the net. They cannot let the Jackets hang around in this one or it could easily slip away.
There is no reason for the Wild to be overconfident as they dropped both meetings a year ago to Columbus. Expect a fast start from both clubs tonight and early special teams play may be the deciding factor as who gets the early momentum.
Hockey more than any other sport, draws a lot from momentum swings and they come from many different events, could be a goal, a fight, a hit, a great save, a big penalty kill, but either way the Wild need to get that on their side quickly tonight.
They can't let Columbus feel that breath of life, because if they do they can be a dangerous team and the night could turn into a long one with a not so favorable result. The Xcel will be rocking for sure with a full house. The Wild will need to keep them in the game with their inspired play and use the home ice advantage to come out with the two points at the end of the night.
Let's Play Hockey!