WildHBcommunity:MNWild Game Two of Home & Home Series with Avalanche at Pepsi Center
Rivalry Between Avalanche and Wild has Created Franchise Defining Moments
The list of signature moments shared between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild continues to grow with each matchup between these bitter rivals. Above I included the image of some inflammatory comments made by Avs Head Coach Patrick Roy after their season opening 5-0 loss in Saint Paul on Thursday night.
I personally believed the Avalanche was guilty of some Busch league cheapshot and junky physical play and targeting of smaller stature finesse Wild players during the 1st round playoffs series last season. I also thought that Matt Cooke hit on Tyson Barrie was ugly but I did not believe the intention was to injure but rather it was an opportunity to put a solid hurt on him with an open ice hit.
Obviously that opportunity in a split second turned into ugliness and the result was a terrible injury to a kid that was playing his best hockey for the Avalanche but perspective on it is such divide between the fanbases and franchises.
What is truly interesting about these two teams just months later, is that the Wild is now bigger faster and stronger than when these teams matched up in the first round last year. The Wild used their size/skill combinations to impose their will up and down the ice on Thursday so tonight's matchup will be an interesting indicator of the Avalanche's ability to respond.
I thought the Avalanche had a disappointing offseason losing Paul Statsny to St. Louis in the division. I respect the hell out of Jarome Iginla who has been a Wild killer over the years but his addition along with Brad Stuart and Daniel Briere is rather uninspiring in my opinion. Lastly I have grown to dislike the behavior and mentality of the Avalanche kid captain Gabriel Landeskog. Obviously it is on the Wild's players to respond to his physicality but for some odd reason the NHL officials give him more latitude than the law should allow.
I am very aware the Avalanche have some extremely talented young players, their core of 20-somethings took a huge step forward last year. They are certainly capable of making the playoffs despite the division being strongest in the NHL in my opinion. I am just not convinced that it will be a repeat of last year for the Roy led group. Semyon Varlamov is a huge factor in this team's success between the pipes this season as he was last year. Varlamov needs a bounce back tonight after giving up 5 goals at the X.
MINNESOTA WILD LINEUP
Zach Parise–Mikael Granlund–Jason Pominville Thomas Vanek–Mikko Koivu–Matt Cooke Nino Niederreiter–Erik Haula–Charlie Coyle Jason Zucker–Kyle Brodziak–Ryan Carter
Ryan Suter-Jonas Brodin Marco Scandella–Jared Spurgeon Mathew Dumba-Christian Folin
Darcy Kuemper Niklas Backstrom Scratches:Nate Prosser-Keith Ballard-Stu Bickel Injured:Justin Fontaine-Josh Harding
COLORADO AVALANCHE LINEUP
Jamie McGinn - Matt Duchene - Jarome Iginla Gabriel Landeskog - Ryan O'Reilly - Dennis Everberg Alex Tanguay - Nathan MacKinnon - Daniel Briere Cody McLeod - Marc-Andre Cliche - Max Talbot
Brad Stuart-Erik Johnson Nick Holden-Tyson Barrie Jan Hejda-Ryan Wilson
Semyon Varlamov Reto Berra Scratches: Nate Guenin and Zach Redmond Injured: Patrick Bordeleau, John Mitchell, and Jesse Winchester
3 Keys to a Minnesota Wild Win Tonight!
1. The Wild must continue to play aggressive in both ends limiting opportunities and extended possessions in the defensive end while generating extended offensive zone and generating shots on goal to solve Varlamov.
2. This new look Wild power play designed by Andrew Brunette aka Roy's career ender, has been impressive during the preseason generate many more shots than it did last year. The key from my view has been a much more aggressive attacking approach that has eliminated much of the mentality that saw the Wild often trying make the perfect play. With the man advantage this team needs to put shots down range and it looks like they are bought into that.
3. Tonight in the Pepsi Center Kuemper is going to need the Wild's defensive corps to clear the front of the net and be strong on the puck clearing the zone. Each pairing for the Wild has a player capable of banging bodies with a partner able to carry it end to end. The Avalanche will be looking to get on the board early after getting shut out Thursday at the X. Kuemper needs to play at the top of his crease confident and aggressive tonight.
That's all for now thanks for reading!
***Late Addition***
This hit from Canadian Juniors is INSANE!
***Update Addition #2*** This is from my friend @dlukenelson writer for The Hockey Writers and Gone Puck Wild!
Opening Night Lineup Iowa Wild 'Baby Wild' The team also announced what will be their opening night lineup. Take a look:Goalies: John Curry, Johan Gustafsson
Defensemen: Guillaume Gélinas, Colton Jobke, Jonathon Blum, Jake Parenteau, Corbin Baldwin, Gustav Olofsson, Alex Gudbranson, Justin Falk
Forwards: Tyler Graovac, Jordan Schroeder, Curt Gogol, Ryan Walters, Brett Bulmer, Zack Mitchell, Stephane Veilleux, Brady Brassart, Joel Rechlicz, Jay Gregoire, Brett Sutter, Raphael Bussieres, Marc Hagel, Michael Kerà¤nen, Kurtis Gabriel, Zack Phillips
Just My Take, Tony Dean
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