Backstrom, Backstrom, Backstrom

That about sums it up for how the Wild won last night's game against the offensive-laden San Jose Sharks.  Backstrom was a monster in net last night and was the difference maker in the game to even allow the Wild to have a chance for the 1-0 win over the Sharks.

The Wild seemed to have spent the entire night in its defensive end, playing prevent defense for the most part, sans the 9 powerplay opportunities that the Sharks gave them.  But apart from the lone tally of the night from Andrew Brunette on a 5-on-3 powerplay, the Wild weren't able to generate any prime scoring opportunities  on the powerplay.

The defensive play last night was huge against the Sharks. Mikko Koivu, Eric Nystrom, and John Madden were great in their own end, as well as many of the other forwards.  And the defensive pairing of Burns-Schultz was just awesome against the Sharks top line.

Notes:

• First shutout for Backstrom since April 3, 2009, a 4-0 win against the Calgary Flames.
• The Wild defeated the Sharks in regulation for the first time in 16 meetings.
• Koivu's assist on Brunette's powerplay goal gives in a 7-game point streak.
• I've honestly soured on my opinion of Marty Havlat since that article about his "misuse" came out :[ ...who knows, maybe if he starts scoring in droves my opinion on him will change.

UP NEXT: Friday vs. Calgary Flames, 7:00pm CT

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Wild Limit Reigning President Trophy Winner, Win 2-1

The Wild by far played one of its better games against the Washington Capitals last night, holding them scoreless until the last 1:36 of the game when Alexander Ovechkin scored spoiling Niklas Backstrom's shut out.  The Wild put out a solid effort defensively against a offensive juggernaut with the likes of Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green, holding them to 22 shots in the game (4-7-11=22), and it didn't hurt that the Capitals were in Carolina the night before.

Chuck Kobasew scored the first goal of the game, his first point of the season, in the first period burying a great feed across the goal crease by Andrew Brunette.  Kobasew, who has been bothered by a groin injury this season, was moved to the first line with Antti Miettinen not playing because of an illness, played well along side Brunette and Mikko Koivu.  Koivu would later score the game winning goal late in the second period with the Wild on powerplay and with a delayed penalty being called.

Backstrom was just solid last night, making the easy saves along with a couple spectacular ones like this post to post save on Mike Knuble on the powerplay.

Backstrom, along with the defensive corps, was able to stymie the Capitals, frustrating them at times.  Brent Burns and Nick Schultz were a solid defensive pairing, and were often pitted against Ovechkin.  Just a good solid 60-minute effort by the Wild, one of the few ones that fans have seen in a long time.  If the Wild could play like this the rest of the season they'd be set =).

Notes:

•  I'm really starting to like Justin Falk-Clayton Stoner d-pairing.  For a pair of rookie defensemen they haven't made any glaring mistakes, they've just been solid.  Stoner didn't play well in camp so I had my reserves about him and Falk has impressed me so far.
• With all eyes on Martin Havlat after his agent Allan Walsh comments on his underuse in the Wild lineup, he did nada.  Havlat ended the night with one shot in 17:27 of ice time.
• Colton Gillies played his first NHL game since the 2008-2009 season and Casey Wellman made his home debut.  Gillies and Wellman replaced Guillame Latendresse (groin) and Miettinen (illness).
• When a sellout streak stops, it really stops.  I was surprised that the X wasn't sold out seeing as it was the Caps the Wild were playing.
• The Wild took only 2 penalties last night...YAY!

UP NEXT: Saturday vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 7:00pm CT

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Wild Rally Back from 3-0 to Win 4-3 in OT

It's a good thing that I decided not to leave the home opener early like I was planning to after it was 3-0 at the end of 2, but who would have blamed me or anyone who left after 2 the way that the Wild were playing.

The first period was uneventful, mainly because most people in attendance were still wrapped up with the Twin-Tigers game (and the crowd roared with applause and cheer when the Twins won). The second period was just an utter disaster. Passes weren't on target, the Wild couldn't get any sustained pressure in the offensive zone, and when the Wild were able to get shots, they were either not on target or they were shooting into the body of Ducks player (note that they were shooting into the Ducks player, not that the Ducks players were blocking them). And like Richards said in his postgame, the defensemen were trying to create something that wasn't there and stepping up in the offensive zone at unnecessary times creating odd man rushed (I saw a 4-on-1 twice) and the Wild, like in the Columbus game, were scrambling in their defensive zone, and just like that it was 3-0 Ducks. The lazy and lackluster play of the first 40 minutes of the game took the fans out of the game, but the turning point in the game has to be the George Parros vs. John Scott fight, it definitely woke the crowd up again.



Mikko Koivu, Petr Sykora, and Eric Belanger scored in the third to tie up the game, and Andrew Brunette score in the overtime on the powerplay after James Wisniewski took a retalatory penalty on Kyle Brodziak to secure the overtime win for the Wild, and Todd Richards' first win as an NHL coach.

Fans saw in the third period how well Todd Richards system could work for the Wild, we'll see if the Wild can do what they did in the third for a full 60 minutes.

Notes:

• Pierre-Marc Bouchard was a late scratch due to ongoing headaches. He'll be out indefinitely until the organization figures out what's wrong with him.
• Loudest ovations during lineups to Brent Burns, Koivu, Niklas Backstrom and Cal Clutterbuck.
• A Wild player got hit in the first period and was just dumped into the bench...can't seem to find who it is though, anyone know?
• Joffrey Lupul took a puck to the face in the first period, but came back in the second to score the first goal for the Ducks.
• The Wild actually won in the faceoff department, winning 63 percent of the faceoffs, with Koivu winning 76 percent of his faceoffs.
• Can you honestly tell me that the home opener was a sellout when the suites and club levels were mainly empty, the lower level had a bunch of rows that were empty, and the end opposite of the one that I was sitting across was just bare?...Well, it is tickets distributed, not how many people actually show up...

UP NEXT: Thursday @ Los Angeles Kings, 9:30pm CT

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Next GM, Injury News

The question now after Craig Leipold "didn't renew" Doug Risebrough's contract is: Who will be the Minnesota Wild's general manager? Michael Russo threw out some names which includes Pat Quinn, Doug MacLean, Jay Feaster, Rick Dudley, Neil Smith, Pierre McGuire, Chuck Fletcher, Ron Hextall and Peter Chiarelli. And...uh...Jacques Lemaire has already told Russo that he's not intereseted in being the GM. Whoever it is will have to make a lot of major decisions this offseason, and they'll be important ones, starting with who will be the next head coach.

News on other fronts:
From Russo's article:

Backstrom said Thursday he might need surgery.

"I saw a doctor today, and the team doctors, and we have to decide now in a couple days if I need surgery," Backstrom said. "I need to get other opinions, and also from back home in Finland. It's tough for me because everything's in English, so I need someone to translate to me so I know exactly what's going on."

Backstrom said he hoped to talk to Gaborik so he can see his hip specialist, Marc Philippon of the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo. Backstrom said the recovery from surgery "is speculated, but in my mind, I'll be ready by the start of the season."

Isn't that just great :( ... Andrew Brunette had successful reconstructive right knee surgery, and Derek Boogaard will have surgery on his right shoulder on Tuesday.

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Predators, 4 vs. Wild, 8

The Wild did their part in this game, it's just too bad that they didn't do their part in the season, as the Wild have now been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with St. Louis defeating Columbus and Anaheim defeating Dallas. Onto a pretty good game by the Wild...

Nashville got the first lead of the game when turnovers in the Wild's defensive zone lead to Jason Arnott's first goal of the game, but on a delayed penalty Dan Fritsche scores on the breakaway to even up the score. Andrew Brunette caps off the scoring in the first period when he scored with 25.2 seconds left in the period on the powerplay to give the Wild a 2-1 lead going into the second. The Wild got the two goal lead in the second period when Marc-Andre Bergeron, but what really overshadowed the goal was Fritsche laying on the ice. As Fritsche was searching for the puck, Jordin Tootoo comes across with a high elbow and Fritsche laid on the ice, while Bergeron scored, and had to be helped off the ice. Kim Johnsson then adds a powerplay tally, but not long afterward Arnott cuts the lead in half as he notches in his second goal on the night. And as Tootoo is in the box, Bergeron gets his second goal of the game on the powerplay to make it 5-2 at the end of the second period. In the third, the Preds make it 5-3 on the powerplay as they had a 5 on 3 powerplay, but not long afterward, Mikko Koivu scores shorthanded to give the Wild a 6-3 lead. Steve Sullivan makes it 6-4 with a goal, but with less than two minutes left in regulation, Nashville pulled their goalie Pekka Rinne, and Cal Clutterbuck and Marek Zidlicky score empty netters to end the game and the home finale a 8-4 victory.

I guess it's a small consolation that the Wild eliminated the Predators from playoff contention...

Notes:

• Looks like Gaby's not going to be coming back next year (big surprise) as at the end of the night he took a lap around the rink and waved buh-bye, and the crowd gave him a big ovation, which did include me
  
• Dan Fritsche will not travel with the team after receiving a high hit from Preds agitator Jordin Tootoo. It will be the first game that Fristche has missed since being traded from the Rangers. My problem with the hit, it's obviously a hit to the head, and there are two refs watching the play and call nothing...and he was playing so well during the game...
  
  I really wished that the refs would've let John Scott get at Tootoo.
  
• The writers during JL presser really wanted to know whether or not he would be back next season. When asked if JL would be curious to see what the team would be like if he had a full team, he responded in true JL fashion that he's "curious but not that curious", but apparently he's already made a desicion on his future in coaching.
  
• SI's Allan Muir comparing Martin Skoula's physicality to a "pre-pubescent Zac Efron" really made my day...and for the record, I like Skoula...
• “Only in the NHL: A linesman had to pause the game for a few seconds to pick up two teeth from the mouth of Brunette after he was hit in the face with a puck in the second period” ~AP
  

UP NEXT: Saturday @ Columbus Blue Jackets, 6:00pm CT (I know that the guys are really disappointed in not making the playoffs, but I really hope we beat the Jackets badly tomorrow for not helping out cause.)

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Flames, 0 vs. Wild, 4

A year ago last night, the Wild were facing the Calgary Flames, already having clinched a playoff spot, they were on the cusps of clinching their first Northwest division title. Fast forward to today, and the Wild are battling for their playoff lives, hanging onto a sliver of hope and playing against the same Calgary Flames team, a team in which the last win the Wild had against them was a year ago.

The Wild came out with a purpose againt the Flames, and it showed in the results. With a powerplay opportunity early in the first period, the Wild get the first goal of the game when Andrew Brunette tipped in the puck past Miika Kiprusoff off of a Marek Zidlicky shot from the point. Not even a half a minute later, Cal Clutterbuck ends his 30-game goal-less drought, as he scores his 9th goal of the season. The Wild makes it 3-0 when Owen Nolan takes a slap shot that squeezes through Kiprusoff and gives him his team leading 24th goal of the season. The Wild end the first period with a 3-0 lead, and tell me you weren't thinking about the Ottawa Senators, the last game that the Wild scored three goals in the first period, but luckily, the Wild didn't have a repeat of the Valentine's day fiasco. The Wild were a litle sloppy in the second period (and yes, I had a little Sean Avery moment), taking three consecutive penalties and basically passing the puck to the Flames players. But Niklas Backstrom was solid when he needed to be and the penalty killers were great. The third period was a good solid period where fans saw that the Wild didn't sit back on a lead. The Wild had some prime scoring chances, a couple of missed open nets, a couple of wide shots, but the Wild were keeping the pressure on the Flames, and eventually made it 4-0 when Marian Gaborik scored off of a great feed from James Sheppard. Overall, it was a great game by the Wild, and a great overall effort by everyone on the ice last night, and it showed onbrhe boxscore as 12 of the 18 skaters got a point.

Today will be a crucial day for the Wild, and they're not even playing. A lot I scoreboard watching, and a lot of rooting for the Sharks, Blue Jackets, Stars...and...(gulp) the Canucks.

Notes:
• Scratches: Kolanos, Olvecky, Gillies, Boogaard, Bouchard, Burns
• Kiprusoff was pulled after Clutterbuck's goal, but later put back in net. Total time spent off the ice: 12 seconds.
• Backstrom made 27 saves for his 16th career shutout, 13th career at home, and 8th this season, second only to Steve Mason (10).
• How good was Martin Skoula last night? He played almost 25 minutes, had an assist and was solid all night, he was robbed of the first star.

UP NEXT: Sunday @ Detroit Red Wings, 11:30am CT, NBC

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Wild, 3 vs. Oilers, 2

The Wild keep their playoff hopes alive, if only for a couple more days, with a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Niklas Backstrom made 31 saves on the night for a franchise record 34th win and improved to 13-1-0 against the Oilers, in a rare win for the Wild at Rexall Place. The Wild got the scoring start when Marian Gaborik fanned on a shot that went directly to Andrew Brunette who scored while falling down as the powerplay had just expired, giving the Wild a 1-0 lead. And just 1:51 later, the Wild built a 2-0 lead when Martin Skoula scored from the point, his 2nd goal in 3 games. After a scoreless 2nd, the Oilers began to make it interesting, cutting the lead in half when 1:04 into the third, Oilers captain Ethan Moreau drove to the net, and Fernando Pisani tipped the puck in past Backstrom. But the Wild answered back, when on a delayed penalty drawn by James Sheppard, Gaborik comes on the ice as the extra man and scored, giving the Wild another 2 goal lead. The Wild were outshot 16-4 in the third period, and eventually the Oilers cut the lead down to one again on an Ales Kotalik goal with just under 5 minutes to play, but Backstrom's play was solid and the Wild were able to leave Alberta with 2 out of 4 points on the weekend road trip.

The Wild got the win and the two points last night, but so did the Preds, Blues and Ducks...it's going to be hard for them to get into the playoffs with the other teams ahead of them playing as well as they have been.

Notes:

• Mikko Koivu returned after missing 3 games with a knee injury, he had a TOI of 19:06 and won 13 of 20 faceoffs.
  
• Pierre-Marc Bouchard missed his 2nd consecutive game with what the Wild are now saying is a concussion, most likely occurring during the Islanders' game when Nate Thompson checked Bouchard.
  
• Kurtis Foster was a scratch, along with Colton Gillies and Peter Olvecky, who was out after blocking a shot during the Calgary game; Krys Kolanos played after being called up earlier in the day.
• LOL, during John Scott's fight with Zack Stortini, Stortini ripped of Scott's nameplate, and Scott had to play the rest of the first period with only his #36.
  
• Clutterbuck's getting a lot of attention lately with a NHL.com and THN article about him.
  
• Stats from the night: Skoula +3, Sheppard +2, Patrick O'Sullivan -3
  
• On a not Wild related note, I hope that some of you caught the Canucks-Blackhawks game last night, as a pretty interesting brawl erupted after Dustin Byfuglien checks Roberto Luongo in the face...it just gives me more reason to dislike Alex Burrows after watching him fight (I'm a girl and even I wouldn't pull hair in a fight ^_^). Really, they should put mics in the penalty box, I would pay to watch that show...
  
  
  LOL that the penalty box is full, and the bench is half empty.
  

UP NEXT: Tuesday vs. Vancouver Canucks, 7:00pm CT

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Wild, 6 vs. Islanders, 2

Doesn't this game start the what-ifs for fans about Marian Gaborik; what if Gaby had been healthy the entire season (heck I would've taken half of the season)? In his 3rd game since returning from hip surgery Gaby looked like he was back in form, with a TOI of 19:22 and 2 goals and 2 assists for a four point night in a game that was physical and chippy to the end. Not even 5 minutes in and John Scott and newly recalled forward Joel Rechlicz when at it, with Scott getting the decision with his 6'8'' reach. The scoring didn't start until off of a faceoff win for the Islanders in their offensive zone Bruno Gervais score on a great play set up by Dean McAmmond and Mark Streit to give the Isles the 1-0 lead. The Wild tied it up when Marek Zidlicky was working just off the corner and feed Gaby who was standing in front of Isles goalie Yann Danis to pot the goal. With a late powerplay in the first, Antti Miettinen netted his career high 15th goal of the season 10 seconds into a Rechlicz holding minor. The first didn't end all happy, as Nick Schultz took exception with a slash by Blake Comeau, which entailed him to shove Comeau and as the off ice security was just opening the door to let the Wild into the locker room, Miettinen came back at Comeau to give him a shot, Comeau was being shoved through the doors, and it lead to a huge gather which saw both Comeau and Miettinen get coincidental roughing minors and former Gopher Kyle Okposo jawing at every Wild player he saw. The Wild built up their lead as Owen Nolan scored a powerplay goal in the second period when he went to the center of the offensive zone and gestered for the puck and got a great feed by Gaby, and when Martin Skoula scored from the point in the third period, the Wild had a comfortable 4-1 lead over the Islanders. The Isles came back with an Andy Hilbert goal to cut it to a two goal deficit, but the Wild put the game away when Andrew Brunette scored in front of the net, and on a 5-on-3 powerplay Gaby got his second goal of the game.

But I'm not too overly enthusiastic about the game, it was a game that the Wild should win against a team that the Wild is very much better than, it will make it interesting to play the Islanders next season though.

Notes:

• Scott got back into the lineup, which meant that Kurtis Foster and Craig Weller were the healthy scratches for the night.
• The Wild were much better last night in faceoff% winning 52-48.
  
• With 7 hits in the game, Clutterbuck broke the NHL hits record set last year by Dustin Brown with 311 hits; Clutterbuck now holds the record with 317 and counting.
• LOL...when Zidlicky and Okposo both went to the penalty box for coincidental roughing minors, Clutterbuck was already in the box. Clutterbuck was then gestering to Okposo to shave because "if he can’t grow it on the rest of his face, why try at all?".
• You see boys...if you drive to the net how many goals that you can score...
• This game was pretty interesting with the physicality and chippiness of it, but it also displayed a rare 3 on 3 opportunity when Zidlicky and Okposo took coincidentals and Clutterbuck and Comeau were already in the box for coincidentals.
  
• I was so annoyed with the MSG commentators for the Islanders during the broadcast last night. They just kept talking about the "restrictions" of the system and how the Wild play a trap which leads to a "boring" game...GAWD the Wild don't play the trap anymore, granted it's a defensive first system, but that just means that the d-men just need to know when and when not pinch into the the offensive zone so that it doesn't lead to an odd man rush, a scoring opportunity or, worst, a goal against. Ugghhhh...I'm just so tired of commentators and mainstream media saying that the Wild play a "trap and boring" game...

Scott vs. Rechlicz


Let's hope that this 6 goal output by the Wild doesn't mean that they'll lay an egg in Calgary...but I won't hold my breathe knowing what the Wild's record is in Calgary (and overall against Calgary for that matter).

UP NEXT: Saturday @ Calgary Flames, 9:00pm CT

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Wild, 3 vs. Blues, 5

The worst thing that the Wild could've done last night was to score the 4th goal after the Blues scored the empty netter to saddle Josh Harding with the loss. On a road trip that will basically tell the team whether or not they can still make a run at the playoffs, they come out and lay an egg in all three cities. In a game where both team were supposed to come out desperate, St. Louis came out and dominated play, basically they just wanted the win and the two points more. Honestly, I turned the tv off after the THIRD powerplay goal was scored by the Blues (and I thought the Wild were supposed to be the #1 PK team) to make it 3-0 Blues and turned it back on with 5 minutes left in the game to check out the score. I knew that the Wild weren't going to come back from the 3-0 deficit (though hopefuls might point out the last couple of games where they've been down 2-0 and 3-0 to rally) with the way the that the Wild were playing. The 5-3 score makes the game seem closer than it really was, and like I said, the worst thing that the Wild could've done was to saddle Hards with the loss, like they've done so many times this season. Obviously a really disappointing loss for the team and the players as Russo said that the players looked "disappointed" and that JL looked "defeated", but they dug themselves this hole.

To the eternal optimist (aka the Kool-Aid drinking fans): Hey, the Wild are only a point of a playoff spot, if they string some wins together they're back in the thick of things.

To the realist and pessimist in all of us: When was the last time that the Wild had more than two wins in a row? Pack it in and hope that they make a big splash in the free agency market this summer. NO GABY, PLEASE!

I'm officially done with the hockey season and am resigned to know that this year, there will be no playoff run (at least they won't be one and out again, that's a consolation prize, right)...July 1st here we come...now, who do I root for in the playoffs?

There's no "Isn't it sad", it's just sad T_T.

Notes:

• So much for all those games in hand, huh?, as those have all but complete disappeared during the last two weeks.
• The Wild have lost nine of its last eleven (2-5-4), and I thought these must win games were supposed to make the team come out with desperation?
  
• Andrew Brunette playing on a torn ACL contemplating surgery during the offseason. My opinion: shut it down. I know he wants to help the team "succeed", but I don't think even AO could help this team...And like Riser says in that article, guys like Bruno and Nolan are a dying breed now in the NHL.
• I want to know what's going on with Brent Burns! The only news that has been heard is that he's suffering from concussion-like symptoms, but that was early on when he was out of the line up, is he planning on playing Tuesday?
• I wonder how the crowd will react to the team when they come back home for one game, or whether or not it will be a full house at the X?
  

UP NEXT: Tuesday vs. Colorado, 7:00pm CT

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Wild, 2 vs Stars, 3 OT

The last time that the Wild won in Dallas, Wes Walz had the GWG, with Richard Park and Lubomir Sekeras getting the helpers, it's been that long...March 21st, 2003 to be exact. What is it with this team that they like being down 2-0 or 3-0 that makes them actually get going...it's pretty annoying for a fan to watch. As it's been said all season, the Wild just can't seem to pull out a full 60 minute effort. Really, when was the last game that the Wild actually played 60 minutes of solid hockey? With a goal two minutes into the first period by Steve Ott, the Wild were down 1-0 early in the game. And 38 seconds into the second period, Ott scored his second goal of the game to give the Stars the two goal lead. The Wild then started the rally Cal Clutterbuck drew a high sticking call, and Mikko Koivu scored on the powerplay. Andrew Brunette scored 1:51 after Koivu to tie the game at 2. The game ended in overtime 2:23 into overtime when Niklas Grossman scored giving the Stars the win and the extra point.

Question, and I know that I'm reposting this but, Is it sad that the team is becoming satisfied with ONE point? At what point in the season is the team going to start showing the desperation that they've needed in the past month to make a push for a playoff spot. They showed it a little bit tonight, but the problem is that it may just be too late for this team to make the playoffs now as the teams competing with the Wild for the last two playoff spots look to be moving up, while the Wild are stagnant in their position.

Notes:
• Derek Boogaard returned to the lineup after serving his 5 game suspension, though he was eligible to return against Colorado, Boogaard was ill and not able. Colton Gillies, Craig Weller, and Kurtis Foster were the scratches, while Brent Burns still remains out with concussion like symptoms.
• All the teams that are bunched around the 7th and 8th seeds picked up points last night except for St. Louis, as Dallas of course won and got two points, Nashville won, an Edmonton picked up a point in an overtime loss to Colorado.

UP NEXT: Today @ St. Louis Blues, 5:00pm CT

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Wild, 3 vs. Ducks, 2

At least the Wild ended this road trip on a good note, beating the Ducks by a 3-2 score, finishing the trip with a 2-4-0 record. The Wild came out well out of the gate, with Stephane Veilleux getting a goal 1:08 into the game, but a lackadaisical play behind the Wild net in the second by Marc-Andre Bergeron, while the Wild were on the powerplay, allowed Todd Marchant to tie up the game at one. The game was tied going into the third period until Veilleux scored his second goal of the game on a slapshot (reminiscent of Brian Rolston), as Owen Nolan feed him the puck to allow for a breakaway opportunity for Veilleux. Andrew Brunette scored 11:49 into the 3rd period to give the Wild a two goal lead, and it proved to be an important goal as it ended up being the gamewinner as Scott Niedermayer scored with 21 seconds remaining in the period. Niklas Backstrom had a solid night with 36 saves, rebounding from his last game against the Kings in which he was pulled. The Wild finish the season series with the Ducks with a 2-2-0 record.

Let's see how the team comes out against the Sharks, as they come home for a game after a long road trip, just to head out to another road trip (@Colorado, @Dallas, @St. Louis).

Notes:

• After getting playing in his first game in almost a year, Kurtis Foster was a healthy scratch against the Ducks after John Scott was recalled from Houston. Brent Burns missed his second consecutive game, as Craig Weller got back in the lineup with Gillies being a healthy scratch.
• With the win against the Ducks and the two points, the Wild leap frog over the Ducks into 10th place, 1 point out of a playoff spot.
  

UP NEXT: Tuesday vs. San Jose Sharks, 7:00pm CT

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Kings, 2 vs. Wild, 1 SO

Another failed opportunity to string more than two wins together for the Minnesota Wild, as rookie blueliner Drew Doughty scores the gamewinning goal in the shootout to push the Kings pass the Wild for the 2-1 win. But even with the loss, with the extra point, the Wild actually moved up a spot to the 7th seed in the West. It was a really tight, kind of boring game with not a lot of good scoring chances, where the only goals scored by either team was on special teams. Antti Miettinen got a great feed from Mikko Koivu after Koivu picked off a pass from Doughty to allow for the odd-man rush and the shorthanded goal for Miettinen, while Jack Johnson got the goal for LA on the powerplay as Kim Johnsson shot the puck in off of Backstrom. Miettinen was the only Wild player to score in the shootout (Zidlicky, Koivu, and Burns), while both Johnson and Doughty scored on Backstrom (Kopitar and O'Sullivan) to give Backs his first shootout loss this season, and the first shootout goals scored on him in the shootout. No real glaring mistakes by either teams, the Wild just wasn't able to generate any good scoring chances.

Onto this 6-game 11-day road trip...and the next 14 of 17 on the road...

Notes:

• Andrew Brunette returned to action after missing 2 games; Colton Gillies and Kurtis Foster were the healthy scratches.
• Congrats to Kings' captain Dustin Brown, who missed the game, on the birth of his second child.
  

UP NEXT: Friday @ Calgary, 8:00pm CT

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Today's News

And another coach has lost his job as the New York Rangers have fired head coach Tom Renney to make Renney the 6th head coach casualty of the season. The Rangers have lost their last 10 of 12 games, and are currently 3rd in the Atlantic, 6th in the East, but are dangerously close to being out of the playoffs with 9th seed Carolina just 2 points behind, along with 10th seed Pittsburgh 5 points behind. Along with Renny, assistant coach Perry Pearn was also fired. No immediate replacement has been named by GM Glen Sather. John Tortorella to replace Renney.

Owen Nolan is out with a cracked toe and will not play Tuesday; Andrew Brunette, who's missed the last two games is expected to play Tuesday.

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Red Wings, 2 vs. Wild, 5

Great effort by the Wild last night in a game that they needed the win and the two points. You kind of had a flashback to the Sens game when the Wild got the first two goals in the first period, and more so when Kopecky scored for the Wings, but the Wild didn't let up the pressure. They responded with a breakaway goal by Bouchard and a goal by none other than MARTIN SKOULA, off of a great feed by Koivu. It was good to see Skoula get the goal, his first since March 2008 (and if I'm remembering correctly it was the OT winner vs. LA), and his reaction was priceless. It was 4-2 in the third with 2 minutes remaining, and the Wings fan sitting next to me says, " It's a pretty quiet building. You know if I was a Wild fan just about to beat the Wings In my building I'd be screaming my head off." My response to that would be that you're never comfortable with a lead until the horn sounds, especially if the opposing team has players like Detroit has, but after Veilleux score that empty netter I was definitely screaming my head off.

If the Wild could put in the effort like they did last night, maybe their playoff hopes wouldn't looks so dire.

Notes:
• The NHL iron man streak ends at 509 as Andrew Brunette missed his first game since 2001.
• Craig Weller was back in game action since Jan 15 (boo Sheldon Souray), as both Brunette and Boogaard were scratches.
• Great special teams going 1 for 3 on the pp and 5 or 5 on the pk (against the top ranked pp).
• Question: I thought that the mug giveaway last night was supposed to be the d-men mug with Rammer and Burnsie on it...I got the mug with Gaby...
• And yes, I just noticed that 3 of my 4 games to watch involves the Caps.

UP NEXT: Today @ Chicago Blackhawks, 6:00pm CT

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Flames, 3 vs. Wild, 2 OT

You know, I didn't care if Calgary got the loser point, they're too far ahead in the NW division to catch anyway, what I did about was getting the two points and not being stuck with the loser point like were are now. It's so crucial for the Wild now, going down the stretch and the grind that leads to the playoffs, that they get Ws, and if they don't start getting wins, they'll be looking at something else after the regular season. With Adrian Aucoin getting the OT goal off of Brent Burns to only allow the Wild one point, they remain in the 10th spot in the West, 1 point behind 9th place Anaheim, and 2 points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the last spot in the playoffs, and the Wild have games in hand on both teams.

Time for the Wild to pull their heads out of their butts and time for me to start drinking more of that kool-aid...I NEED MORE OPTIMISM!

Notes:

• With Foster steadily coming back from his injury and likely to be back with the team by next week, look for Jacques to sit one of his d-men, just to emphasize that they all need to be on their game....and with the way Zidlicky's been playing lately, I wouldn't be surprised if it was him.
• Andrew Brunette left the first period after colliding with Adrian Aucoin and didn't return. Of course Brunette is now labeled with having a 'lower body injury', but it looks like he may have aggravated a MCL injury that he sustained in a game against Anaheim in February.
• The Wild have now lost 3 games in row and have an astounding 17-21-3 record against the West.
  

UP NEXT: Saturday vs. Detroit Red Wings, 7:00pm CT

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Today's News

• Brunette's been given the 'C' for the month of February.
• Craig Hartsburg's been given the axe in Ottawa; Cory Clouston, the head coach of Ottawa's AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators will replace Hartsburg.
  

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Maple Leafs, 1 vs. Wild, 6

It was a win, and it was a decisive one at that, but looking at the opponent, the Wild should have won. The Wild needed a good game coming out of the All-Star break, and with 6 even strength goals, 12 players getting points, and no powerplays allowed, it was a good game, a solid 60 minute effort by the team. The Wild didn't pepper rookie goalie Justin Pogge with shots like they wanted to, with only 21 shots on goal, but they capitalized on their chances, scoring 3 goals in the span of 2:57. Cal Clutterbuck had another good game; he scored the first goal of the game, had a franchise record 9 hits (and now leads the league in hits with 173), agitated the Toronto players, and had a fight with Ian White. Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who didn't want to be outdone by Clutterbuck, had 2 goals and an assists, while Marc-Andre Bergeron, Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan each had a goal. Backstrom played solid last night (of course), and made the good stops and the routine ones. Now it's on to the Western Conference, as the Wild will have a two game road trip to Edmonton and Vancouver.

Notes:

• Craig Weller is still out with a head injury, missing his 4th consecutive game since his fight with Sheldon Souray. Eric Reitz was the lone healthy scratch for the night.
• Andrew Brunette, the reigning NHL ironman, played in his 500th consecutive game.
  
• Miettinen, Bouchard, and Bergeron were all +3 tonight; Kim Johnsson was a career high +4.
• The Wild play the next 7 games against the Western Conference, 4 of those games against the Northwest Division.
  
• The Wild are now 11-2-1 against the Eastern Conference, can we petition to be moved to the Eastern Conference.

UP NEXT: Friday @ Edmonton, 8:00pm CT

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Wild, 4 vs. Blackhawks, 1

Aren't the Wild happy that they have an all-star goaltender in Niklas Backstrom in net, stopping the pucks. without Backstrom last night the Wild may not have pulled this game out and grab two points from the Chicago Blackhawks. After grabbing a 3-0 lead against the Blackhawks, with a goal from Mikko Koivu, his 60th of his career, and two powerplay goals from Marek Zidlicky, the Wild just went into a defensive mode, especially after Martin Havlat scored midway through the game. The Blackhawks peppered goalie Niklas Backstrom with a total of 40 shots during the game, and had prime scoring chances. Great goaltending from Backstrom, capitalizing on early scoring chances, and scoring in powerplay opportunities, that's what won this game for the Wild.

Notes:
• Andrew Brunette was in the lineup for his 498 consecutive game after being injuried in the game against Anaheim. He had two assists in the game.
• Danny Irmen was recalled from Houston just in case Brunette wasn't able to play against Chicago.
• Irmen, along with Eric Reitz, were the healthy scratches for Minnesota.
• Martin Havlat scored at exactly the 10:00 minute mark of the second period, so one lucky Blackhawks season ticketholder just won $1million.
• Kurtis Foster made his first road trip with the team since breaking his leg in a game late last season against San Jose.

UP NEXT: Today vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7:00pm CT

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Ducks, 3 vs. Wild, 0

After scoring 11 goals in their last two games, the Wild decide to lay an egg before heading out to Chicago. There were numerous missed opportunities by the Wild, but the officiating in the game was horrid, and might have mentally cost the Wild the two points. After a Zidlicky shot rang the post, and Koivu failed to put the rebound in the net, there was a scramble in front of the Ducks net which eventually lead to Owen Nolan putting the puck in the net. The refs blew the call dead, and the goal was waved off, citing that they (the refs) has lost sight of the puck. Watching the replays, it's obvious that none of the Ducks players nor Hiller had secure the puck and it was still lose in the slot. A couple of plays later, almost the same type of scenario happens, this time in front of Nik Backstrom. Ducks players were crashing the net, the puck was out of sight, but this time no whistle. It just infuriated me watching this, especially with the refs right in front of Backstrom and the net, and not blowing the play. Backstrom had the puck under him for a good 10 seconds before the refs blew the play, and yet when Hiller clearly hasn't frozen the puck on the other end of the rink in a similar play, the play is then dead? I still don't understand it, because Hiller himself even says he didn't have the puck, only that it was "close" to him...UGHHHH! Even Backstrom's POed...I'm done ranting about that play.

The Wild didn't play an extremely bad game, though it wasn't spectacular by any means. The powerplay really hasn't been clicking as of late, going 0 for 4 tonight on powerplay opportunities, and 2 for 27 in the last five games. The powerplay hasn't even been getting high percentage scoring chances, being kept on the perimeter most or the time, or not even being able to control the puck in the offensive zone to get a shot on net. But it wasn't just the powerplay that wasn't clicking, Bouchard missed on a breakaway, Miettinen missed a wide open net, and a lot of fanned shots and shots into blockers for the Wild.

Well another missed opportunity to move up the playoff ladder...on to the next game.

Notes:
• Eric Reitz was the Wild's lone scratch of the night.
• Andrew Brunette left the second period with 15:27 left on the clock after going into the end boards awkwardly. He laid on the ice for a while, and was then helped off by the Wild trainer and Koivu and Clutterbuck. It looks to be a serious leg injury, but we'll see if the iron man will be back next game.
• The Wild are 1-6-1 against opponents who are on the backend of back to back games..
• The Wild are 1-1-1 on Hockey Day in Minnesota.

UP NEXT: Monday vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 7:00pm CT

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Wild 4-0 win over Blues

After Monday night's debacle of a game against Colorado, the Wild rebound nicely in a great solid effort against the Blues. The Wild scored 4 goals, held the opposition to none, and two of those four goals were power play goals, so it was obviously a better game than Monday's. Eric Belanger provided the game winner with his 100th career NHL goal, his 7th of the season, and Andrew Brunette scored on the powerplay for his 200th career NHL goal, his 9th on the season tying him for the team lead with Mikko Koivu. Also scoring on the powerplay was Zidlicky for his 4th of the season, all of which have come on the powerplay, and Antti Miettinen got his first goal in 16 games when he was tripped going in on a breakaway with the empty net. The Wild had a full 60 minute effort, and I applaud them for that, but let's get back to reality...this is the St. Louis Blues that the Wild beat not the Detroit Red Wings or San Jose Sharks, so I'm not going to be too overly thrilled about this game. I guess I'm a glass half empty kind of gal today.

Up Next: Friday vs. Vancouver Canucks, 7:00pm CT

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