Wild Suffer Worst Loss in Team History Against Habs
For the best Wild coverage on the web, please visit Hockey Wilderness.
Wild Suffer Worst Loss in Team History Against Habs
Live6 Total Updates since March 15, 2011
- Important 2
- Updates 7
- All Updates 6
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Suffer Worst Loss is Team History Against Habs
Game re-cap from JS Landry at Hockey Wilderness. Please read the full game re-cap for the Three Stars of the Game and the answers to the Five Questions of the night.
The game started off horribly as Benoit Pouliot, of all people, made Greg Zanon look like a damn traffic cone and zipped a pass to Ryan White to get him his first career goal. White is pretty much the Wild equivalent to Brad Staubitz, but a bit more talented. Then, Cal Clutterbuck inexplicably fumbled the puck in the defensive zone and coughed it up to Andrei Kostitsyn for an easy top corner goal. Clayton Stoner threw two big hits for the only Wild highlights of the first period, along with a fight with Ryan White that was ended much too soon by the officials. The first period ended 2-0, which wasn’t so bad, 2-0 can be surmounted right? Wrong.
The second period gave way to a pure massacre with 4 Canadiens goals. It was the P.K. Subban show at that point as he scored a first goal by dancing around freely in the Wild’s zone and banking the puck off Greg Zanon’s skate and in the net. Then, Sean Avery’s best friend James Wizniewski scored on a two-on-one rush, Travis Moen scored in a defensive mess and P.K. Subban added a wicked slapshot goal to make it 6-0 for the Habs. As you can guess, the friends I was watching this game with were having TONS of fun at my expense.
The third period was more of the same as P.K. Subban topped off his hat trick with yet another early period goal and Tom Pyatt added an 8th goal on a strong wrist shot past Niklas Backstrom, who had replaced Jose Theodore after he allowed 5 goals against his former team. Jose Theodore has always posted horrible numbers against the Canadiens and tonight was no exception, even though he couldn’t really be blamed for any of those goals, as they mostly resulted from horrendous defense. Mikko Koivu was awarded a penalty shot between the two Habs goals in the third period as a result of a Habs defender closing his hand on the puck in the crease and Kaptain K made no mistake, burying a nice backhander past Alex Auld, filling in for Carey Price (thank the Lord) to ruin his shutout bid. That made absolutely no difference in the outcome or the Wild’s play, because they played a terrible all-around game, even though the shots were nearly dead even at 32-31 in favor of the Habs.
The only things we really had to cheer about was Stoner and his two huge hits and his fight with Ryan White and Mikko Koivu’s penalty shot. Although, it’s pretty sad we actually needed no one else to be on the ice but Koivu and Auld to actually get a goal.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Hosts Habs in a Rare Meeting
Game preview from Hockey Wilderness. Check out the full game thread for the lineups and Five Questions of the night.
The one meeting per season between the Wild and the Habs. It is also, if I remember correctly, the first time Benoit Pouliot has returned to the X. Will be interesting to see if the fans even acknowledge him. He never really did anything wrong, but he never really did anything right, either.
As for the game, it is all but meaningless at this point. I know the math says otherwise, and I don’t want to be the guy who says they are done and have them come back and make the playoffs, but things sure look bad. The best in the business are writing them off, so, it is best to start saying your goodbyes.
For this game, the Wild are facing a team still in the playoff hunt, and the Habs need a win. The Habs are not an easy win, and the Wild have shown that even a easy win isn’t. The Wild will need to bring an A game, and since that won’t happen, they will need at least a B+ game simply to avoid embarrassing the French Canadian connections on the roster on in the media.
Who knows, maybe the Quebecquois on the roster turn it up a notch and end this horribly painful losing streak. It’s doubtful, but maybe. Either way, let’s just hope it’s not too painful to watch.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Stall the Inevitable, Get a Point Against Blue Jackets
Game recap via Hockey Wilderness. Please visit the full recap for the Three Stars of the Game and the answers to the Five Questions.
This was a solidly entertaining hockey game with scoring both ways, and a Wild comeback at the end of the game that gave everyone just a bit of hope and gave the Wild at least one point. The loser point is certainly welcome, at least this time.
Once again, Rick Nash absolutely dismantled the Wild, with two goals and two assists on the afternoon. The Wild defenders simply had no answer for him. The Wild have never had an answer for him, and the way it looks, will never have an answer for him. How the Blue Jackets are where they are is mind numbing.
Side bar: The offer stands. Pick any players you want Columbus, just leave Koivu. Pick the package of guys you want, send Nash back this way, and it’s a deal.
Several Wild players had spectacular games including Mikko Koivu, Niklas Backstrom, and John Madden. Yet, shockingly, it was just not enough again. Five straight winless games has to be weighing heavy in the locker room. Hopefully the Wild get a small portion of help in some of the games tonight.
The Wild gave up zero power plays for the sixth time in team history, and the Wild had just one themselves. The referees made some mind boggling calls, such as the even up calls with Scottie Upshall and Koviu, Upshall again with Martin Havlat, and an absolute ghost of a charging call on Brad Staubitz. All fo these calls likely should have led to Wild power plays, yet the refs felt “evening it up” was the better idea.
Wild give up Havlat and Koivu, Jackets give up Upshall. That seems pretty even.
All of that is not to say the refs cost the Wild the game. Far from it. A lack of control of the movements of Rick Nash, a complete unwillingness to park in front of the net, and a couple of defensive meltdowns cost them this game. A game they really needed.
The playoff race just got that much closer to being over.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Nurse Thin Playoff Hopes Against Blue Jackets
Game preview from Hockey Wilderness. Be sure to check out their full game thread this afternoon for full lineups and the Five Questions of the game.
This is what we call a perfect storm. An afternoon game on a beautiful Saturday afternoon featuring two teams struggling not to be in twelfth place. Fans? Not so sure about that. I guess we will see, but my guess is the sun wins out on this one.
The positive take on the current situation is that the Wild are six points out with 11 to play. Twenty-two points are still available, which means the math still works. The realistic take is that the Wild are in 11th, which means they need three teams to fall apart, and quickly.
Still, those 11 games have to be played. Even if there are no playoffs, the games must go on, and these guys are still professionals. They will be giving it their all, and they could use your support while they do it.
The Blue Jackets are the very definition of beatable. Aside from Rick Nash, the offense is limited, so shut him down and you have a pretty good chance. That is… assuming you remember the other guys are still allowed to score. Nash is the lynch pin, and he is a Wild killer.
The Columbus game plan is very similar to that of the Wild, thus explains their relative position in the standings. Do more than they should with less than what they need to do it. Nothing about the Jackets screams intimidation, so if the Wild decide to actually show up this afternoon, it is very possible to win.
Hey, maybe this is the one that spurs them into an 11-0 run to finish the season. (Hope, it’s what’s for dinner.)
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Fall To Sharks, 3-2, Despite Backstrom's 47 Saves
The Minnesota Wild hardly look like the team that was on the verge of hosting a playoff series just a few weeks ago, as they lost their fourth straight game on Thursday night, falling 3-2 to the San Jose Sharks.
Goalie Niklas Backstrom stopped 47 shots on the night, but it just wasn't enough to garner a victory for the Wild on this night, as the Sharks got the go-ahead goal on a play where Backstrom made the initial save and the puck bounced in off of Brent Burns' leg.
Over at Hockey Wilderness, they know that the chances of the Wild making the playoffs now are incredibly slim, and they're looking for answers.
Honestly, I don't think it's all on Richards. I don't think they have the personnel to make the playoffs, let alone make a run once in. Sure, it's bad when the captain is out for an extended period of time, along with one of the top four defensemen, but the fact is that these guys didn't suffer badly with Mikko Koivu and Marek Zidlicky out. Yes, missing Guillaume Latendresse all season hurt, but they were in position two weeks ago to make the playoffs without him.
So coach, which is it? The players or the coaching?
Keep an eye on Hockey Wilderness for more insight into the team.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Need To Get It Going Against Sharks
Apologies for the lateness of this particular posting.
The Minnesota Wild have had a rough last few games, and have seen themselves drop to eleventh place in the Western Conference playoff race. They need to start winning if they want to harbor even a little bit of hope of making it to the 2011 NHL playoffs, but right now, the playoff pulse of the team is faint.
Over at Hockey Wilderness. . .well, to say they're pessimistic would be understating it a bit.
Let's be honest, this doesn't matter. Sure, the Wild can secure a season series win over the Sharks if they beat them tonight, but they haven't won in regulation in that building since 2006.
For a team with great playoff positioning (in fact, only 3 points out of hosting a first round series 10 days ago, the past week has been a slide of biblical proportions. You have to wonder where the heart, soul and effort went. What went so wrong? Why has a team that was turning things around and heading into the playoffs in the driver's seat seemingly given up? The Wild are 3-6-1 in the last 10, and frankly look like a team going 0-10-0. They have a massive uphill battle to not miss the playoffs for the third straight season, and I can't see it happening. Fork.Stuck.Done.
Hopefully, the Wild can go out and put forth the effort necessary to get the job done tonight. At this very moment, they're tied at one with the Sharks in the second period.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Wild Week: Playing It Out
About a week ago, the consensus was the Wild needed to win ten of their last 17 to make the playoffs. They then proceeded to lose three of four games, including two shutouts against the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars. They followed those losses up with a loss in Vancouver. Doing the very quick math, that means five games passed, with just one win.
Now they need nine wins in twelve games. A .750 win percentage. In Minnesota, we know that as: something they haven't done all year. The hope is quickly fading, the frustration rising, and the depression of another long summer looming.
It certainly appears the Wild will simply be playing out the final twelve. For this weeks, that means finishing up a road trip, and then coming home for some fun games for the fans.
To finish the road trip, the Wild head to San Jose on Thursday, where the third place Sharks are waiting for what look to be a fairly easy two points to pad their lead in the Pacific Division. With the way the Wild have played as of late, it is difficult to imagine they can stack up against a relatively hot Sharks team.
Mercifully, after that, the Wild get to come home for a game against one of the only teams left in the West that is worse than the Wild. A Saturday afternoon matinée against the Columbus Blue Jackets is shaping up to be a battle to not be in 12th place.
The Wild then close out the week with a rare home game against the Montreal Canadiens, one of the Original Six teams, and one of the most storied franchises in league history. That match-up comes Sunday at 5PM CDT, and Montreal needs the points, so they will come out swinging for the fences.
All in all it is a good week of hockey, although it looks less and less like is going to mean much at all. To quote Mike Tice, "Enjoy the season."
Photographs by
Micah Taylor,
clairity, and
Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.
