Games to Watch this Week

Sunday, March 8
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, 2:00pm CT

Tuesday, March 10
Edmonton Oilers vs. Montreal Canadiens, 6:30pm CT

Thursday, March 12
Calgary Flames vs. Detroit Red Wings, 6:00pm CT

Saturday, March 14
New Jersey Devils vs. Montreal Canadiens, 6:00pm CT

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Wild Rallys from 3-0 to Win in OT

Who would've thunk it, huh? I really didn't (as you can see in my random thoughts), and I'm positive those in Minnesota watching this late game didn't, but the Wild rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 in OT to steal 2 points from the San Jose Sharks. Gosh, how excited was Mikko Koivu when he scored the GWG in OT with 13.3 seconds left?, and he outta be. After Joe Pavelski scored his second goal of the game in the second to make it 3-0 Sharks, this game looked done for the Wild, but the Wild did what so many teams have done against them this season. The Wild scored two late goals in the second period 1:28 apart by Koivu and Pierre-Marc Bouchard to cut the deficit to one goal, and the momentum was swinging toward the Wild. And with 7:37 left in regulation, the Wild complete the comeback off of a Marek Zidlicky bouncer from behind the red line that got through Brian Boucher (I love that Zidlicky didn't even know that he scored until his teammates told him because he was headed for a change).

There's just something about this team...just when you think that there done and out, they pull you back in with a win like this against a team as good as the Sharks. But I've still jumped ship, and am planning to stay off until I see what happens at the end of this road trip. Maybe then I'll consider coming back and hoping the Wild make the playoffs...for now, I'm a pessimist (even though the Wild are only a point out of 8th).

Here's a look at the game tying goal by Zidlicky (LOL at the lone Wild fan cheering that goal):

Notes:

• The Wild weren't the only team last night that rallied from a 3-0 deficit as the LA King defeated the Dallas Stars in 5-4 in OT.
• The Wild had no powerplay opportunities in the game, only the 4th time in franchise history that this has happened.
• Russo: "Apparently, by the way, Owen Nolan was very sick tonight. He played through it, but he got sick — so to speak — throughout the game on the bench. He only played nine minutes."...You gotta love his dedication to the team and the game.
  
• It looks like Kurtis Foster is going to get his first NHL game this season in almost a year since breaking his leg at HP Pavilion on March 19th either in LA or Anaheim; apparently he could've played last night, but expecting that would've been too much.
• Anyone see how Calgary's trades did last night? Jokinen with two goals, including the GWG, and Leopold with a goal.
  

UP NEXT: @Los Angeles Kings, 3:00pm CT

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Trade Deadline Day

• Ottawa - D-Filip Kuba signs 3-year contract extension ($3.7 million/year)
• Columbus - F-Antoine Vermette; Ottawa - G-Pascal Leclaire, 2009 2nd round draft pick
• Buffalo - F-Tim Connoly signs 2-year contract extension ($4.5 million/year)
• Calgary - D-Jordan Leopold; Colorado - D-Lawrence Nycholat, prospect D-Ryan Wilson, 2009 2nd round draft pick (Montreal)
  
• Pittsburgh - D-Andy Wozniewski; St. Louis - D-Danny Richmond

Waiver notes: Peter Olvecky cleared waivers, Toronto picks up Martin Gerber (OTT) and Eric Reitz (NYR), Dallas picks up Brendan Morrison (ANA), Pittsburgh picks up Craig Adams (CHI)

• Buffalo - G-Mikael Tellqvist; Phoenix - 2010 4th round draft pick
• Boston - D-Steve Montador; Anaheim - F-Petteri Nokelaninen
• Calgary - F-Olli Jokinen, 3rd round draft pick; Phoenix - F-Matthew Lombardi, F-Brandon Prust, 1st round draft pick (Calgary choice of 2009 or 2010)
  
• Los Angeles - D-Sean O'Donnell (1-year) and G-Erik Ersberg (2-year) sign contract extensions

Injury Notes: Vesa Toskala (TOR) was placed on IR and is done for the season with a hip and groin injury; he'll need surgery and will be out at least 4 months.

• Boston - F-Mark Recchi, 2010 2nd round draft pick; Tampa Bay - D-Matt Lashoff, F- Martin Karsums
• Pittsburgh - F-Bill Guerin; New York Islanders - conditional draft pick (5th round, 4th round if PIT makes playoffs, 3rd if PIT wins round)
• Philadelphia - F-Daniel Carcillo; Phoenix - F-Scottie Upshall, 2nd round draft pick
• New York Rangers - F-Nik Antropov; Toronto - 2nd round draft pick, conditional draft pick

Jay Bouwmeester staying in Florida.

• New York Rangers - Derek Morris; Phoenix - D-Dmitri Kalinin, F-Nigel Dawes, F-Petr Prucha
• Buffalo - F-Dominic Moore; Toronto - 2 round draft pick
• Atlanta - F-Eric O'Dell; Anaheim - F-Erik Christensen
• Florida - D-Steve Eminger; Tampa Bay - D-Noah Welch, 3rd round draft pick
• Columbus - G-Kevin Lalande; Calgary - 4th round draft pick
• Philadelphia - D-Kyle McLaren; San Jose - 6th round draft pick
  
• Chicago - F-Sami Pahlsson; Anaheim - D-James Wisniewski
• San Jose - D-Kent Huskins, F-Travis Moen; Anaheim - Nick Bonnino, G-Tim Pielmeir, conditional draft pick
• Carolina - F-Patrick O'Sullivan, 2nd round draft pick (Calgary); Los Angeles King - F-Justin Williams
• Carolina - F-Erik Cole; Edmonton - F-Patrick O'Sullivan, 2nd round draft pick (Carolina)
  
• Edmonton - F-Ales Kotalik; Buffalo - 2nd round draft pick
• Toronto - G-Olaf Kolzig, D-Jamie Heward, D-Andy Rogers, 4th round pick; Tampa Bay - D-Richard Petiot
  

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Wild, 2 vs. Canucks, 4

Another 2-0 lead, another loss to an opponent in the NW division. The Wild play well in the first period of the game, but as they have done this entire season, they just can't play an entire 60 minutes. The second period was just a disaster, as the Wild were just pinned in their defensive zone. At one point in the second, the Canucks retained puck possession for a good 2 1/2 minutes before the Wild could clear the puck, and in that time span, the Wild couldn't get a change (the d-pairing of Burns and Bergeron played 3:23 and 2:32 shifts, respectively). It's just the story of the season, isn't it, a collapse in defense or every Wild player on the ice having a mentally relapse all at the same time and it results in a loss, as evident in the 28 seconds during the second that it took the Canucks to tie the game at 2 and get the go-ahead goal.

What started as a good day with the signing of Backs to his contract, ends up sucking with the loss, as every team ahead of the Wild that played all got points(Edmonton, Nashville, Anaheim) and with Dallas winning, the Wild have fallen to 11th in the West.

Onto the trade deadline...where's that bag of pucks for Gaby...

Notes:

• It's good to see Owen Nolan back on the ice after sitting out 3 games with a cracked toe; Weller and Foster were the healthy scratches with Boogaard still serving his 5-game suspension.
• Another low shot total for the Wild against with 19 total shots on goal (7-4-8)...How do you expect to win games when you only get 4 SOG in one period?
• OMG...can you believe there's only 20 games left in the season? Get your butts together boys if you have any hope to get into the playoffs...and our reward if we get into the playoffs...playing the Sharks or Red Wings. Great.
  

UP NEXT: Thursday @ San Jose Sharks, 9:30pm ET

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March Captain

Drum roll please...and the captaincy goes to...Mikko Koivu. Not a big surprise there; so Brunette and Nolan will be the "A"s.

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Today's News

The Wild sign goalie Niklas Backstrom to a 4 year $24 million deal. YAY...but dang $6 million goalie...could've gotten him cheaper if you were more assertive DR.

Lots of news regarding waivers from Russo:

Also, according to sources, the Wild has placed Peter Olvecky on waivers, and the Rangers have placed former Wild players Aaron Voros and Erik Reitz on waivers. Huge names on waivers today. Others include Brendan Morrison, Miroslav Satan, Craig Adams, Jon Sim, Eric Perrin, Gary Roberts and Martin Gerber.

Oh...and Sean Avery was picked off of reentry waivers by the Rangers...big surprise there.

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Games to Watch this Week

Tuesday, March 3
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins, 6:00pm CT

Wednesday, March 4
Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche, 8:00pm CT

Thursday, March 5
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders, 6:00pm CT

Saturday, March 6
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks, 9:00pm CT

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