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.