WildHBcommunity: Final Thoughts on Colorado Series
What an intense first round series between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche that was just a battle from start to finish. The two franchises have combined to create signature moments in both of their histories. I can not say enough about how skilled the Avalanche are up front with their barely legal group of forwards. On the back end they are led by Bloomington native Erik Johnson who nearly ended the Wild's season. I think everyone will be keeping an eye on Tyson Barrie hoping he makes a full recovery. Also their goaltender Semyon Varlamov was insanely good all season long and especially in this series.
The Avalanche fans have called us(MNWild Fanbase & WildHBcommunity) whiners to which I wonder what their reaction would have been to all of the infamous judgement error calls and no calls that plagued this series were the roles reversed?
I take full ownership of my whining or whatever you want to call it on Twitter(@TonyDeanTHW) or here in my content because quite frankly NHL fans, players, and organizations should demand better from the on ice officials. The problem is not the human element creating errors being unreasonable, it is NHL officials decline to intervene in NHL PLAYOFF games when the situation calls for it.
If a HUMAN being/NHL official does not view a play/infraction then that is the end of it. When the NHL officials DOES in fact view it occur and exercises an error in judgment or takes no action and as a result the outcome of the game is altered it then taints the result and overall product on the NHL. All along our contention is the NHL officials in this series had made errors in judgement that directly tainted the outcomes and product which is unforgivable.
I have zero doubt in my mind that change will occur from what has taken place in the 2014 NHL first round of Lord Stanley's Cup Playoffs. More ability to review and make sure every angle and every moment of scoring plays and plays pivotal in game should be provided remedy through video review.
The NFL has taught us that the most important thing to Fans, Players, Coaches, and Owners is getting it RIGHT when a play is called into question. Now we can certainly still disagree with the conclusion of course but to clearly error with an opportunity to correct it and not make an attempt is unreasonable.
Mike Yeo Knows Best and Extension Earned
Mike Yeo has proven to everyone of his detractors or doubters that this is his team and he has a firm grasp on how to get every ounce out of them in the face of adversity. Yeo proved it several teams during a regular season that saw his team be either the hottest team in the NHL or deep into lengthy slumps that put their playoff spot in doubt. Yeo's ability to avoid losing his mind when asked to address the officiating in this series alone is all anyone needs to know about how he has decided to define himself as a leader of men.
Nobody has been more critical of Yeo than me, well maybe there has been but I cant express how wholesale my view of him present and future as the bench boss for the Wild has changed. I made sure to eat some crow on Twitter and I will do it here as well. I was wrong about Yeo not being the head coach to elevate the brand of hockey here in the State of Hockey. This club has rallied around their coach and bought into his system and each other. Yeo takes the hits for his players and they kill themselves for him as result.
Yeo has stood with so many embattled veterans this entire year no matter the savagery by media and fans. The responses he made to the Matt Cooke situation specifically were just par for the course for the Wild's bench boss.
The other two veterans Yeo seemed to take the hit for all season long Dany Heatley and Kyle Brodziak also happen to be the players that elevated their game in the final two of the Colorado Series just in time to keep this team's Stanley Cup hopes alive. Yeo's greatest impact on this team surely has been his handling of the young talented core who arrived on the scene last year in a stunted sprint of a regular season and playoffs.
These kids are still wide eyed and lack the experience and production history of most of the remaining playoff teams but they are battle tested and rose to the occasion versus the Avalanche in round one. Yeo has done very well be each of them to protect them from getting over exposed and as result their confidence individually has been building steadily.
Some of My Favorite Moments and Locker Room Celebration
Hey @DiceTea10 @mnwildSTH , look who we caught up with in Denver. Thanks for interviewing us diehards prior to Game 7 pic.twitter.com/orgP2YIKNM
— Brad Ratgen (@Brad_Ratgen) May 1, 2014Gia says our #mnwild will score 3 tonight. #StanleyCupPlayoffs I said 3-2 earlier with Pommer a hero Let's. GO. WILD. pic.twitter.com/YT7zfBVXiB
— Jason Stern (@JASONdeanSTERN) May 1, 2014
Game 7 - then, and now. #bruno @thelnino25 #mnwild #itsplayoffseason pic.twitter.com/tuKK6xhepw
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) May 1, 2014#MNWild I am so happy for @thelnino25 he came to MN humble with nothing but Team First since day 1. Deserves every bit of that #HeroMoment
— Tony Dean (MNWild) (@TonyDeanTHW) May 1, 2014I am very humbled by how my #Gamer at Hockeybuzz blew up today great discussion was by far most active today! Thank You for Support! #MNWild
— Tony Dean (MNWild) (@TonyDeanTHW) May 1, 2014@PulledGoalie @FSNGorg @AnthonyLaPanta @Russostrib love this screenshot pic.twitter.com/1qfmKbKRkG
— Dan Bell (@Dbell2835) May 1, 2014
Best fan reaction. Sorry, this really made me giggle. Thanks @kLchamp pic.twitter.com/0Xkjjvrion
— Abby (@ybba2215) May 1, 2014Eh @Russostrib ? RT @3InTheBox: Yeah, the officiating is balanced this season #SaidNoOne #mnwild #FourBlindRefs pic.twitter.com/KO0R73C3tg
— 3 In The Box (@3InTheBox) May 1, 2014Just My Take, Tony Dean Follow Me on Twitter @TonyDeanTHW Also Like the WildHBcommunity of FaceBook here: WildHBCommunity on FaceBook