WildHBcommunity:Tough Loss in Dallas Means Wild Must Bounce Back Against Blues at X
The St. Louis Blues Will Be Tough Test For New Look Minnesota Wild
The St. Louis Blues 43 - 14 - 6 (92 points) have punched their ticket to the Western Conference playoffs already and proved they are all in this season by adding all star netminder Ryan Miller and gritty veteran captain Steve Ott to their lineup in a deadline. The Minnesota Wild 34 - 22 - 7 (75 points) were the hottest team in the NHL into the olympic freeze and out of it as well. Last night the Wild were cooled off in Dallas by mistakes and errors that I would attribute to hesitance and miscommunication. This Wild squad added forwards Matthew Moulson and Cody McCormick to their lineup in addition to finally returning it's captain Mikko Koivu. Some adjustment is surely on the menu for the Wild but with each point so meaningful in these last 19 games they can ill afford to give away too many more like last night.
New Look Top Six Needs to be Cemented by Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo
Now that the Wild is healthy and has their trade deadline additions in their lineup, the current top 6 line combinations need to be kept together for the final 19 games. Moulson showed last night in Dallas he is a natural fit with Koivu and Charlie Coyle as that line was the Wild's best besides a tentative first shift. Quite honestly that line reminds me of a Blues line that Wild fans have seen devastate our team the past couple years. That line is so strong on the puck and although it is so early showed it will camp out in the opponents zone with the cycle patiently looking to flip one out front when the timing is right.
The Mikael Granlund centered first line with wingers Zach Parise and Jason Pominville will only continue to play better and faster with each shift as they build their chemistry and trust. Granlund returned from Sochi with reinforcement to his confidence and overall game. Beyond being a magician with the puck, Granlund has flat out impressed with how strong he is battling for pucks and on the faceoff. Parise and Pominville fit so well together finding each other cross ice for premium scoring opportunities. The grip has been Koivu slowing down Parise and Pominville, well granlund will not be accused of that and if anything his vision and responsibility has empowered his winger to take risks.
The Bottom 6 forwards is going to be fluid moving forward which is very good for Yeo and the Wild. The Kyle Brodziak centered line of Matt Cook and Nino Niederreiter has the potential to be such a difference maker for this squad. Beyond matching up with opponents most potent offensive line, this is a tough strong savvy line that creates offense with hard work and draws penalties. The KnightRider has been a bit of a tough to diagnose player with required to what to expect from him. He showed in Sochi for the Swiss he is so strong and dynamic in spurts. It would be nice to see him add so aggressiveness offensively on that third line as the primary option to shoot.
The fourth line right is kinda a mess in my mind because I don't trust Yeo to put Dany Heatley in the press box when it is warranted or for the betterment of the team. I liked what I saw out of Cody McCormick in his debut with the Wild last night in Dallas. Erik Haula is going so well right now just flying in both ends. That was a trash match penalty last night can't blame Haula for killing himself to try and be a hero. Mashing into Kari Lehtonen was unfortunate but not reckless in my opinion. Justin Fontaine belongs in the lineup and continuing to run Heatley out there is going to hurt the team. Maybe McCormick can be situationally implemented but he sure worked his tail off last night. Fontaine and Haula together is a problem for opponents as a fourth line gotta get them out there!
It was disappointing the Keith Ballard had the type of night he did in Dallas because I have rooted for him to get his game on track and for him to be a difference maker with his very different skillset and gritty play. It hasnt happened though despite a couple flashes he has been the team's least effective defensemen this year besides Mathew Dumba. Nate Prosser has played so well since be inserted in the lineup, it was a terrible call to scratch him in Dallas for Ballard. Prosser has proven his worth with literally his best stretch of games in and around the olympic freeze. He comes back tonight and hopefully he continues to play empowered.
Tonight will mark the debut in a Wild sweater for Iilya Bryzgalov and honestly I dont think anyone knows what to expect. Getting the Blues right out of the gate is not a favorable way to make your first start with a new team under the microscope trying to keep their slight advantage in the Western Conference picture. I think Bryz will perform well tonight as I am sure the entire Wild defensive corps knows they owe some after last night's lapses. Ryan Suter had in my opinion his worst game defensively of the season and was only eclipsed by Ballard in how his performance contributed to the team losing.
Tonight 2 Huge Points on the Line Huge Mountain to Climb Though Against Blues!
Individual Leaders St. Louis Blues Minnesota Wild Points: A. STEEN (49),T. OSHIE (49),J. SCHWARTZ (47) J. POMINVILLE (42),Z. PARISE (39),M. MOULSON (39) Goals: A. STEEN (29),D. BACKES (21),V. TARASENKO (19) J. POMINVILLE (22),Z. PARISE (21),M. MOULSON (17) Assists: A. PIETRANGELO (37),T. OSHIE (34),K. SHATTENKIRK (29) M. KOIVU (28),R. SUTER (28),M. GRANLUND (26) PP Goals: D. BACKES (8),S. OTT (6),K. SHATTENKIRK (6) Z. PARISE (11),M. MOULSON (8),J. POMINVILLE (5) SH Goals: A. STEEN (1),T. OSHIE (1),J. SCHWARTZ (1) M. COOKE (1),Z. PARISE (1),E. HAULA (1) GW Goals: A. STEEN (8),K. SHATTENKIRK (5),T. OSHIE (4) J. POMINVILLE (5),Z. PARISE (4),M. COOKE (3) 3+ Goals: C. STEWART(1) R. SUTER(1),J. FONTAINE(1) PIM: D. BACKES (87),R. REAVES (80),B. JACKMAN (58) C. STONER (78),M. COOKE (52),C. MCCORMICK (45) Shots: A. STEEN (170),K. SHATTENKIRK (147),J. SCHWARTZ (136) Z. PARISE (186),J. POMINVILLE (173),M. MOULSON (138) +/-: J. SCHWARTZ (+25),J. BOUWMEESTER (+22),T. OSHIE (+18) M. SCANDELLA (+12),N. NIEDERREITER (+11),M. COOKE (+8)
Last Game –Wild 3 at Dallas 4: Dallas scored the final two goals of the game to end Minnesota’s winning streak at five games. C Erik Haula, RW Charlie Coyle and C Kyle Brodziak scored and G Darcy Kuemper made 34 saves for the Wild. LW Jamie Benn, RW Alex Chiasson, C Tyler Seguin (1-2=3) and LW Erik Cole (1-1=2) scored for the Stars. G Kari Lehtonen made 26 saves before leaving due to injury in the third period. G Tim Thomas stopped all six shots faced in relief to earn the win. Next Games (all times Central) 3/11 vs. EDM 7 p.m. –FSN-PLUS, KFAN 100.3 FM 313 vs. NYR 7 p.m. –FSN, KFAN 100.3 FM 3/15 vs. CBJ 7 p.m. –FSN, KFAN 100.3 FM Current Wild Injuries LW Jason Zucker (IR) –4 games (lower-body) G Josh Harding (IR) –21 games (illness) TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 169 Recent Transactions 3/5 –Acquired F Matt Moulson and F Cody McCormick from Buffalo in exchange for F Torrey Mitchell and second-round selections in the 2014 and 2016 NHL Entry Drafts. 3/4 –Acquired G Ilya Bryzgalov from Edmonton in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Upcoming Milestones LW Matt Cooke –998 career games played LW Zach Parise –598 career games played WILD vs. BLUES All-Time Wild Record: 22-17-10 (14-7-4 at Xcel Energy Center, 8-10-6 at St. Louis) 2013-14: St. Louis leads the season series 2-0-0…The Blues shutout the Wild, 3-0, in the first meeting at Scottrade Center (11/25) and won the second meeting, 2-1 at Xcel Energy Center (12/31)...D Ryan Suter netted Minnesota’s lone goal as C Charlie Coyle and C Mikko Koivu tallied assists…G Niklas Backstrom stopped 18-of-20 shots in the first contest…G Josh Harding made 21 saves in the second contest…LW Jaden Schwartz leads the Blues with three points (1-2=3) …LW Alexander Steen (2-0=2) and RW T.J. Oshie (1-1=2) have two points each…G Jaroslav Halaksaved all 22 shots in the first game…G Brian Elliott stopped 24-of-25 shots in the second game. WILD LEADERS: Koivu owns 22 points (5-17=22) in 30 games against St. Louis...Suter has 20 points (2-18=20) in 47 matches...LW Dany Heatley has 14 points (10-4=14) in 21 games…LW Matt Cooke has 12 points (5-7=12) in 33 games. WILD GOALIES: GIlya Bryzgalov is 6-11-1 with a 3.22 GAA, a .895 SV% and two shutouts in 18 games (17 starts) against the Blues...G Darcy Kuemper has not faced St. Louis. BLUES LEADERS: LW Brendan Morrow leads St. Louis with 21 points (9-12=21) in 37 games against Minnesota…C David Backes has 15 points (8-7=15) in 28 games... C Steve Ott has 15 points (7-8=15) in 30 contests…Oshiehas 12 points (3-9=12) in 15 games…C Patrik Berglund owns 12 points (7-5=12) in 20 contests…. BLUES GOALIES: Elliott is 5-0-0 with a 1.83 GAA, a .917 SV% and two shutouts in six games (five starts) vs. Minnesota...G Ryan Miller is 3-2-0 with a 2.30 GAA, a .917 SV% and one shutout in five starts. CONNECTIONS: Darryl Sydor ended his career playing 47 games for the Blues in 2009-10...Rick Wilson played two seasons in St. Louis (19745-76)...Backes is a native of Minneapolis and played three seasons at Minnesota State Mankato (2003-06)...D Jordan Leopold was born in Golden Valley and played four seasons with the University of Minnesota (1998-2002)...RW T.J. Oshie played high school hockey in Warroad. FAST FACTS: Minnesota is winless in its last seven contests against St. Louis (0-5-2) including three shutout losses…Elliott is the only active goalie that has faced Minnesota at least five times without suffering a loss.
Just My Take, Tony Dean
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