Hey all,

Just throwing out a feeler here...what would people think of a weekly, or bi-weekly park hockey game amongst the wilderness folk during the winter months?

I know I am interested, but that doesn't mean anything, cause i am out skating at our local "little rink" all winter anyway.

Leave a comment, if there is interest...I will let one of the big guys (Nate or Bryan) take it from there.

Look forward to your responses.

-mike

Now and again, a smash hit, cult classic Christmas movie crosses paths with everyday life. The day after Christmas, this occurred for me, my lovely wife, and my buddy David. It only took a few minutes after puck drop to realize that we not only had an annoying kid, in the dreaded "know-it-all" age range sitting behind us, but that kid was Scut Farkus. However, instead of terrorizing Ralphie, Flick and the lot in "A Christmas Story," this little squirt was ready to drop bombs of harassing knowledge upon all of those around him. To make matters worse dear reader, the kid was about 12-14, he had red hair, braces, and had the general irritating disposition of Scut Farkus. Now, being I am damn near thirty, I determined that playing the part of Ralphie, and beating the living crap out of our own personal Scut would be a very bad idea. However, through the "pen is mightier than the sword" mentality, I have some of the jewels that Scut bestowed upon us. Please read, enjoy, and imagine sitting the entire Wild vs. Blues game with these, and many other jewels coming from a row behind...

If the goalie stops it, it’s a shitty shot.

Knock him on his ass!

C’mon! Kick his ass!

Fight already! That’s the whole point of hockey.  Push them into the glass and make them die!

Minnesota is the worst team in the NHL.

**6 minutes in** They can’t get a fricken’ goal!

They’re not even trying! They don't try...at all!

He passed the ball to him and he hit the wall.

SHEADAHIM! (I have NO clue what this was, nor what Scut was trying to say)

They’re not even trying!

Don’t shoot that!

Stop blowing that goddamn whistle.

You are not supposed to catch it! Let it bounce!

Kill them!

Pittsburgh is known for their fights.  The Penguins. They are mainly known for their fights.

We have a good defense.  I’ll tell you that.

Nick, there are no penalties for people killing each other in hockey.

What a horrible pass!

All you gotta do in hockey is kill each other!

Gophers don’t have a hockey team.

All you have to do is punch them! It’s that easy!

Kick him! In the balls!  So he doesn’t have any! If he even had any before!

My God, you gotta hit him, retard!

Why is he using the damn whistle? Keep playing idiots. (the puck had just gone into the stands)

Get ‘em out of your way!

Why do they use the wall?

They’re just dancing around!

Run, Ref, Run!

They lose the puck so easily.

All you have to do is punch them in the face. Don't worry about the ball...punch them in the face...Ugh!

Why do they keep hitting the ball into the wall? The goal is down there morons!

Hockey is a brutal sport.

I hope you enjoyed a brief sampling of Scut's preaching. I leave you with the one thought that ran through my head the entire game...Where the HELL are the parents of this irritating kid???

Well, that didn't exactly go smoothly did it? Not that anyone really could have expected a win, but I was holding out for an OT loss. But sadly, that didn't happen.

Frankly, from the drop the Wild looked very solid, their biggest issue was simply that they didn't pepper the rookie goalie Mike Brodeur with rubber as often as they should have. The first period was seemingly headed to a 0-0 tie until defenseman Anton Volchenkov took a slapper with under three minutes left and it hit a stick out front, going over Niklas Backstrom's shoulder. The Sens took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

When the Wild came out for the second, the Wild looked flat, and this is essentially where the wheels fell off. Not even 30 seconds into the 2nd period, Milan Michalek threw a snapshot through Backstrom for a very soft goal. This was followed by less than crisp play by the Wild in the offensive zone, and a very strong forecheck and exceptionally strong puck possession by the Senators. At just over two minutes to play in the2nd period, Jarkko Ruutu put the garbage in the dumpster leading the Senators to a 3-0 lead heading into the 3rd period.

In the third, Backstrom had another soft goal go under the pads for a 4-0 lead. A decent shot by Erik Karlsson for his first career NHL goal. Congrats to you Mr. Karlsson. The Wild from that point on looked like a team that couldn't hear the horn soon enough. While they did get a goal from Martin Havlat when Nick Schultz' shot hit his shin guard and bounced in, it was a garbage goal which only had the moral victory of NOT allowing Mike Brodeur's NHL debut to be a shutout win.

Now, I know what you are thinking..."Mike, you haven't mentioned the Power Play." There is a reason for that dear reader, in order to talk about the "Power Play," first, one has to convince me that the Wild have one. Truthfully, this is a glaring issue for this club. One which cannot be overlooked, one which is very inconsistent. Is the philosophy wrong? Has no quarterback stepped forward to consistently run it? Perhaps the pass first mentality can't be broken? I have no answers, but if I am Richards & Co...this is my number one concern heading in to Monday.

All in all, the Wild played pretty damn well for the shenanigans which took place yesterday. Again, I was hoping for an OT appearance, to get a point, but alas, this didn't occur. As we look back, with all the circumstances which surround this game, only three things seem relevant/concerning:

1) Power Play - Ummm...wow. Beuller?? Beuller??? Frye??? Frye??? I would gladly have a better PP as my Christmas present.

2) Niklas Backstrom's confidence in his gear - The normally steady Backstrom looked very very shaky. Soft goals that he doesn't normally give up, pads that he recently determined as too old, and a helmet which he wore for a few years. It will be interesting to see how Nik plays the next few days.

3) Will the break-in period of gear slow down the progress - Hockey, being the animal it is, the next few games are going to be crucial to win some so that everyone gets comfortable in their equipment, and this insanely odd circumstance is well beyond us.

I have one more thing...as a parting comment...I am fairly certain that Greg Zanon is a cyborg. He had to run down the aisle after the high stick to simply replace his eyeball. Clearly his spare parts were not damaged in the fire.

It had to come to this...we ask you fine members of the wilderness...

Who has the best hair? Or, should we say, the "not as bad" hair?

                          Brendan Witt          

                  Darby Hendrickson

 The poll awaits....

Minnesota 2 - Phoenix 3

Greetings all, Nathan had more important things to do last night, (congrats on nine years my friend) so, I figured I would pop on in and give a game recap from the perspective of section 210, row 1. Never been in the upper deck before, so this was a good experience. You sure can see the plays (or lack thereof) developing from up yonder. Alrighty...let’s get to it...

Another Fraud Sellout at the X last night, packed to the rafters...if you are counting the nearly 2000 empty seats. The 'Yotes came in not faring well over the past Millenium versus the Wild, and we were told that on the scoreboard before the game. I felt this was a classic "Dick and Bert" moment, and, well, if you watched the game, you know the kiss of death occured.

The Wild came out Slloooooooowwww, and seemed to lack energy the entire game. The only consistent energy came from the Brodziak/Earl/Clutterbuck. The slow pace of the wild was matched by an equally lethargic attack from Phoenix. I saw more excitement at the prospect scrimmage this past summer. With under a minute to play, the Wild lost Owen Nolan for tapping a player's ass with the blade of his stick slashing. When the 'Yotes came out on the PP in the second, they scored on a laser from the right side of Backstrom off the stick of Radim Vrbata. 1-0 Yotes. That was all the scoring in the 2^nd.

The Wild bounced back with a nice hard working goal from the Koivu/Brunette/Miettinen line. Bruno found a free puck and an open net, and buried it. 1-1 tie. Sadly, as often happens, the Wild found themselves down 2-1 after a horribly played puck at the blue line led to a 2-1 the other way, and James Vandermeer faked the crossing pass and pushed the puck behind Backstrom. Come to think of it, I think it wasn’t so much a misplayed puck, but Kim Johnsson falling down.

With roughly five minutes to play, the Wild once again tried this "scoring" thing, much to the celebration of the fans. It was another classic Andrew Brunette setup from behind the net. Puck came hard around the back wall, Bruno pushed it along, Koivu tapped it back to Bruno who slides it in one motion out to Mittens who buries the puck from maybe 6 feet away. 2-2 tie.

As much rejoicing was occurring, the Wild forgot that the puck being dropped symbolizes that play is resuming, and within 20 seconds, Scottie Upshall takes a rebound off Backstrom and slides it underneath Nik for the 3-2 lead, and eventual game winner. It was a soft, soft goal, and it really took the wind out of the collective sails of the players and the fans.

Neither team was especially good this evening, but the Wild was worse. Please note that word choice…as opposed to the classic cliché of "they were the better team." Sadly, in this case…the wording, as it reads, is more accurate.

Lets take a look at the 5 questions posed by Nathan "Swine-Flu Survivor" Eide…

1.     Any chance Danny Irmen can continue the first career goal trend? Well, he did get to wave at his family in the crowd, and I did see him out there…so he was physically present, but sadly…no goal for you!

2.     Can Brent Burns continue improving upon his plus/minus? Burns was a -1, so by definition, this is a step back.

3.     Will the Coyotes know how to play in front of actual people? They did look a bit puzzled by the breathing life forms on the other side of the glass…but they won, so, I guess they know how.

4.     Ilya Bryzgalov is in net. He tends to play very poorly against the Wild (1-7, 3.42 lifetime). Will this trend continue? He played pretty well. Controlled rebounds, didn’t do anything stupid. A very serviceable performance, and got his win at the X.

5.     8 shots against Washington, 0 against Carolina. Which Martin Havlat will show up? Havlat had 4 shots, one was a decent opportunity. The Martin Havlat who likes to carry the puck into the zone and curl also showed up! I think it is time to look at getting him his number back…he clearly feels like "10 less of a man."

Just in time for the holidays, here is a "how to" guide, to help you spot a fake Wild sweater.

I have been a hockey jersey purchaser/trader for many years now, and I want to share some information so that you can make an informed decision about purchasing hockey jerseys, specifically, for this area, Minnesota Wild jerseys.

The estimation, which is floating around, is that 85% of all hockey jerseys sold on craigslist/ebay are knockoffs. These counterfeit jerseys are produced in China, and purchased by "distributors" here in Minnesota. Before you get all excited about that amazing jersey for "only $80.00" per se, ask yourself, "is this too good to be true?" More than likely, it is. "But it has a fight strap, it must be genuine!" I ask you, " is elastic white material hard to come by these days?" "But it has a tag, and an NHL logo, and even has the rbk stitched on tag inside the jersey" you say? I counter with, "if an entire jersey can be made, how hard is it to sew a bunch of collar tags, and to print on cardstock a ‘tag’ for the sleeve?" I’m not trying to be mean, just trying to save you from buying something which isn’t real. This is intended to help. Please read carefully after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

On the very bottom of Russo's Rants, he mentioned that Jim Dowd retired today.

One can only tell, from television, but Jim Dowd always appeared to be a very good man, and an excellent example of how a professional hockey player carries himself. He played all of, or part of, 16 seasons at the NHL level.

Congrats on a fine journey in pro hockey Jim, and good luck in your next stage of life.

I have to say thanks to Buddafisch, because when I read yours, I had to try my own. This was way too fun, and a great way to kill an hour at the end of the work day.

Oh, also...it expresses my frustration as well. I encourage all to play with this...but make sure you give props to Budda for being your "muse."

Minnesota Wild got ya down? Puzzled by decisions the management team has, or hasn't, made? Pissed off about the horrible stretch run before you?

Then have no fear ladies and gents...I encourage you to forget about the frozen water, and think about the open water, and how fun it is to fish that water! Don't believe me?? Just ask Owen Nolan!

That is right, the same Owen Nolan who gives his grit and heart every time he on the ice, wants to teach you how to catch some delicious bass. Head on over to Fish TV and watch some of Owen's better casts, landings and cheesy smiles.

Again, that is http://www.fishtv.tv/

Thank you again Owen. You have been the bright spot in my day again, even on a day that has no hockey game.

I have been reading, and reading, and watching, and reading about this team. Life has done its usual maneuver of getting in the way of regularly contributing to this site that nate, budda, marthaler, joe and handler have made very good. Luckily, I have a minute, and here I have a chance to throw something out there.

Nate and I have discussed this many times in person, or over IM, but I am curious to see what the community here at Hockey Wilderness has to say...

The Wild are skating closer and closer to losing the fan-base they love. For these first years of existence, the Wild have been given the free pass because they are a new team. Well, Doug, Craig and Jacques, in case you haven't noticed...you are no longer a new team. In two seasons, (or is it one?) the Wild will be a ten-year old franchise. A ten-year old franchise who has not displayed a consistent progression towards being a force in the league. Lets dispel a few rumors shall we? Rumors about why this progression may not be occurring.

1) Mpls/St. Paul is a small market - Truth be told, for most sports it is. But not hockey. The wild have enough revenue to be able to spend to the upper limits of the cap, if they so chose, so this excuse is out.

2) The players don't care about winning - This is bogus. I have complained that the effort hasn't been there on nights, but all-in-all, these guys want to win. The problem is, the other team also wants to win. Players want to lift that hunk of metal above their heads; lift it with pride, its the cup...the hardest trophy to obtain. Eighty-Two games is a long time, then a potential for twenty-eight more games in the playoffs makes me not buy that the players are content to give the fans a few extra games. They want to go deep, but the better question is can this team as it stands?

3) Players don't like Minnesota - Nobody wants to play here. This has been said, and there may be a sliver of truth. But it has nothing to do with the city, its people nor the facility. Name me a player who wouldn't want to play in front of a sell-out crowd, in a facility which is a beautiful as the X? It isn’t the fans, the city or the venue...perhaps, it could be something else.

So, if these situations aren't the issue, what is? My take is this...the management team was a good start-up crew, but they don't know how to take a team to the next level. I am not confident that this group of people know what it takes to take a promising young, and new team, and turn it into a consistent threat for the cup. Don't get me wrong, I don't buy that the ownership/management doesn't want to go deep into the playoffs either. The ultimate goal is to earn more revenue, and more games sells more ads, more beer, more foam fingers, etc. But again, similarly to the point at the end of point "#2," can they take this team deep?

My hypothesis is no, they cannot. The team has drafted very poorly, the team makes very strange fiscal decisions when it comes to personnel and the team policies regarding contract negotiations during the season have created more issues then they have quelled.

These policies, and this style of management works very well when establishing a new franchise in a community. But what I don't think anyone is asking is...what happens when the newness wears off? What does the turnout look like, when mediocre seasons pile-up over and over, in a state that known for its knowledge and passion for the sport of hockey? In all honestly folks, there wasn't a huge uproar when the North Stars went south. Why? Cause there was still hockey to be seen. Quality solid hockey, played with passion was(and still is) being enjoyed everywhere. This mindset may be suppressed in the minds of hockey fans, but eventually, the desire to spend $75+ dollars on a wild ticket will be replaced with cheering on the kids from your community at the Friday night High School Games, or driving to your closest D-1 WCHA game.

So what happens to a pro hockey team, in the state of hockey, when the newness is gone, and the team fails to compete for dominance in the league? The wild management need look no further than their colleagues in the Target Center. For years, the T-Wolves were building, and then they were doing well enough to make the playoffs now and again. Hell, they even made it to the conference finals...they were new, we forgive all. And then...nothing. No winning, not reason to believe...and fan support plummeted. Players starting leaving town, and potential free agents, ignored offers from the Wolves.

In a similar fashion, could this be why players aren't anxious to sign with the Wild? Maybe it isn't the venue, the fans or the city. Maybe, the free agents of the NHL see the Wild as a destination to be watched, and loved by fans, in a large hockey market, all the while, on a team, which isn't prepared to take its organizational game to the next level. Thus leaving players who want to win, overlooking a contract from St. Paul. (Do these tie in with the rumors from earlier? hmm.)

A new team can afford to play on the cheap, but an established market team can't. At year eight, a team needs to realize it is quickly approaching established-hood. I don't know how this message can be conveyed any other way than this...progression and winning keeps fans happy and keeps dollars coming in..."doing it how we have always done it" yields complacency and a lack of interest.

If this management team can't take the Wild to the next level...then doesn't ownership want to change the management staff? Again, why sell 41 games worth of beer, when you can sell 50+ games worth? Why settle for an occasional free agent, when you can create a culture where players are willing to take less to be part of "that?" Why do something half-assed, when you have the means to go all out?

Something needs to change, and preferably soon. A state like MN deserves a better product on the ice than we have seen the past two-four years. I hate to think about the Wild in the basement of the league, but sometimes I wonder, if that is where they need to go, before the message is received by the "powers that be."

If the Wild management/ownership doesn't start thinking of new ways to succeed, their former "new" team will become yesterday's news.

I watched this game, and all I heard myself yelling "SELL! SELL!!!" This is not a good team folks, and regardless of how badly we want them to be...they are not good. Reload, rebuild, whatever jargon you want to use...this is what you have to do. Don't expect the playoffs. Don't expect anything worth your money. Things aren't going to change. And this stretch against the Sharks, the flames, the hawks, the wings, etc. is gonna'  be brutal. As a note of my frustration and acceptance in the weak weak team, called the wild, please note the lack of three reasons why the wild could have won.

Why the Wild Lost:

1) 1-7-1: When you create a culture of losing, you lose. That record over the last nine games is well, shitty. I am fairly certain that somewhere, there are people screaming at the tv. I wasn't one of them tonight, but I am getting closer.

2) Passing: I think that there were 4 solid passes all night. I have seen USHL teams pass better. Horrible. Just Horrible. And, oddly enough, two errant passes led to St. Louis goals.

3) Goal timing: This was the 8th game in a row that the wild have yielded the first goal of the game. This has to stop, or not, because the players kinda seem like they have given up on the year. The other timing issue is the immediate coughing up a goal within two minutes of scoring one. PMB scores, game tied...30 seconds later, no longer tied. Nice work everyone.

I think that it is becoming apparent that either the players, or the system have to change. Cause frankly, I am starting to feel like I am wasting evenings watching a game I truly respect and love.

...the smoke and mirrors are no longer working.

This is not a good hockey team. At least not right now. But more than likely, now that every team is in mid-season form, the Wild's "truthiness" has been exposed.

3 goals in the last 12 periods. need we say more?

The end.

Who knew? After the game, I was digging around, and look what I found? All the Wild players just uploaded their Facebook statuses...seems they aren't that different from us afterall. Lets take a looksy shall we?

Niklas Backstrom is sorry he can’t win every game by himself.

Eric Belanger wants to thank the trainers for the amazing rub down.

Marc-Andre Bergeron is willing to shoot only if the crowd yells at him enough.

Derek Boogaard is punching you in the face!

Pierre-Marc Bouchard is busy curling and making bad passes.

Andrew Brunette wants that 200th goal badly.

Brent Burns thinks you should see his snakes!

Cal Clutterbuck will return shortly, after he is done checking your mom!!

Kurtis Foster is ready to bring the pain!

Marian Gaborik doesn’t care what you think…it hurts, deal with it.

Colton Gillies misses how easy it was in Juniors.

Josh Harding doesn’t write with the wrong hand…you do!

Kim Johnsson wonders why the “C” is on his sweater.

Mikko Koivu is busy carrying a team on his back.

Antti Miettinen wishes he would have traded himself off his fantasy team weeks ago.

Owen Nolan still hurts from the thermometer incident…curse you Dr. House!!

Benoit Pouliot would rather be at the disco.

Erik Reitz is proud to be an American.

Nick Schultz just wants a re-do on a few games.

James Sheppard is never going to let his family leave Minnesota.

Martin Skoula loves the bad guy in those Harry Potter books. What was his name?

Stephane Veilleux will glady help you sign a contract.

Craig Weller says “you should see the other guy.”

Marek Zidlicky is asking for a mulligan on tonight’s contest.

There is no way around this…it was an ugly game. I haven’t seen the wild play this poorly in a long time. Anyway, here is what we have…

Why the Wild lost:

1)      Fear of contact…and passive defense - Why no hits? Zidlicky gets no cookie. Horrible day for him. Frankly, a horrible day all around on the defensive side. At least four goals were direct results of defensive F*Ups. This has been a horrible game to watch if you are looking for usual Wild Hockey.

2)      Clear a puck? Anyone? Beuller? – Wholly cow. First things first, Marek Zidlicky needs to skate laps. When you can clear, clear moron. Then, there was another goal that the Wild Defense allowed, 4 players were within five feet of the puck, and instead, Stastny backhands a goal. The wild were especially outplayed in this regard in period two. Ugly, Ugly.

3)      Shots  – In the 2^nd period, the wild were being outshot 20-6. It is unfair to think that Backstrom will save 35-50 every game.  Bouchard again chooses to get cute, curl, and look for the pass. You can score dummy…shoot and maybe you can get an ugly goal.

Why the Wild Could Have Won:

1)      This Koivu kid – They take his “C” away, and he has another multi-point game. He may be a keeper. Keep it up Koivu…the “C” will be back soon.

2)      PP unit – 5 goals on PP last game, 3 goals this game. Yes please, I will have that every game. Now the key is to remind the squad that the same kind of passing and shooting can happen 5 on 5.

3)      The Old Man – 4 games, 4 goals. Is Owen channeling some mid 90’s Nolan? God we can only hope. Hats off to you old man. I like it.

I have to go get this horrible taste out of my mouth. Bye.

Not too bad of a game. Mikko Koivu would be easy  to talk about tonight, but that is easy. It would also be easy to talk about the bazillion penalties that Nashville took, so we will just touch on that in a different way. So, we are going to talk about other things…here we go folks…

Why The Wild Won:

1)       Taking advantage of the (5 on 3) – A day after I get all over the Wild for the lack of production with an early 5-on-3, they receive another early 2 man advantage, and this time they kicked its ass. Two goals, and happiness abounds. I think I will take credit for this result…I think the management read the post yesterday and said “we need to convert that two man advantage.” You are welcome Wild fans. (Side Note - 5 PPG makes Mike happy)

2)      Miettinen bounce back - Three helpers after his penalty box ridden day…once again, I will take credit for this. Management also was angry after I pointed out that Antti was in the box twice in the same period, he comes back with a play-maker. Keep those points going Antti, we like points.

3)      Spreading the Wealth – Six goals, Five different goal scorers. We like it, we love it, we want some more of it. A special salute to Owen Nolan, three goals in three games. Keep it up old man, we like what we see.

Why The Wild Could Have Lost:

1)      Lack of checking in the defensive zone - The wild continue to poke and stick their way out of issues. We need the D-men to feel confident taking the body to separate the puck from the opposition. Can we channel some of what Clutterbuck is eating into the Defense?

2)      The Pouliot Box - Two penalties for Benny…in the third period, within 4 minutes of each other. Bad time, bad decisions. Again, this will not help Benoit gain love with the coaching staff. This is not what I want from a first round draft pick.

3)      Lack of aggressiveness in third – Once again, the wild went into a defensive shell, and the momentum swung to the Nashville side. The third period they played against Tampa, was stellar. This third period was lazy, and passive in nature. Shocking that Nashville owned the majority of the third? I say nay. Heck, it was over ten minutes into the third before the Wild got a shot on goal. (Side Note: Of course, after I write this segment, the wild decide to dominate. Thanks PP unit, you make the game fun, but the story less truthful. Oh well, life goes on)

Well, well, well. Look what happens when you don’t go into a defensive shell, but instead, press and shoot…you win! I would humbly request the the wild play all periods in the manner which they played the third today. Well, lets get to it…

Why the Wild Won:

1)      The(5 on 3) Kill – Wow. Wow. Wow. Eric Belanger needs a cookie, as does He Who Must Not Be Named, Kimmy, and the rest. Kudos to that effort. A full 2 minutes of 5-on-3 at the end of the third, and the Wild say, “no thanks. We don’t want your puck in our net.” I was pretty sure that the puck was gonna find the twine…but it didn’t. I am ever so pleased to be wrong.

2)      Shepp starting to heat up – 1 Goal, and 1 Assist. Not to mention solid shifts, and great back-checking…I liked what I see. I believe it is in the interest of MN Wild staff, and fans for Shepp to have family in town at all times. Get on that DR, Jacquez…and you too Bomber…if this isn’t a community relations moment, I don’t know what is.

3)      Bergeron’s nice low slappers – A heavy shot leads to two assists, and the puck doesn’t go higher five inches off the ice. All I can say is…Shoot more! Shoot often. Bergeron seems to have a pretty accurate shot, so, I say let it fly buddy boy!

Why the Wild Could Have Lost:

1)      The (5 on 3) flop – You get two minutes of a two man advantage right at the beginning of the game. Even worse was they maybe let 6 shots fly. Kind of funny that there were (2) full 5-on-3’s in this game, and not one goal. Next 5-on-3 for the Wild, I am expecting at least a goal. But today, it looked like they have never practiced this scenario before.

2)      That crappy call with Malone – What the hell? Apparently backs stick counts not…he does not get to have a whistle for a delayed call. Also, if your name is Vinny LeCavalier, you can also slide into a keeper, moving him out of the crease, letting your buddy Ryan Malone to get an easy goal. I can’t believe that it wasn’t reviewed, discussed, or anything. The wild did very well to overcome the issue, and play a very solid game thereafter.

3)      Miettinen’s love of the box – Two penalties, by the same guy, in the same period. I don’t think that this is going to help his likability with the coach. With your crew having issues scoring, lets not give the other team two PP’s in one period. No supper for you Antti.

Well, I hope we have a similar discussion tomorrow…that being, another win to break down. Hope your thanksgiving’s were good.

Did you know that you can’t close your hand on the puck? Anyway, moving on to the issues…

Why the Wild won:

1)      Drive to the net/Shoot the puck – Funny when you shoot, and shoot, and drive, good things happen. The Wild threw at least 32 pucks at the net, and got 4 goals. Never mind the let down at the end, we will get to that later. There was a good fore-check and a good offensive style they tried tonight.

2)      Cal! – What a nice little game for Cap’n Clutterbuck. He hit about a billion people, and dropped in two goals. Congrats Cal, you are the new Aaron Voros. Skate hard, hit everything, be a fan favorite.

3)      He Who Must Not Be Named – All kidding aside “Marty” is looking good. He is getting in the shot lanes, and he is playing a decent physical style of defense. Hats off to you he who must not be named.

Why the Wild could have lost:

1)      Umm…letdown? – The Versus guy said it well, the wild celebrated their 4 goals, and decided to stop playing. I am so used to seeing a very strong defensive effort with the lead, but that simply didn’t happen tonight. I felt like I was watching the “prevent” defense in football.  Its like they forgot that they could let a team back in a goal at a time. Lets not revisit that boys!

2)      The first 5 on 3 – The wild had one shot in nearly 1:45 of 5-on-3 time. Absolutely unacceptable. I was going crazy, and yes, yelling at the HD feed. Bad news Wild, I want 1 goal, not one shot. Ugh. Luckily they got things going, because that lack of production could have cost them.

3)       A lack of Sharpness from Antti – There were at least 5 passes that he had incorrect weight on, and he just looked lost out there tonight. We need him to produce a good solid game from the wing. I am not expecting 25-35 goals this year, but we need that 10-15 from you.

I was all ready for talking about the dominating performance, but I had to change gears after the last six minutes. Hope you guys can enjoy the Wild win, even with the bad ending.

This was a solid game, all the way until the Sedin breakaway. Then, hope vanished. Great time for an additional goal, if you are a Vancouver fan, pretty bad time, if you are a Wild fan.

Here we go…

Why the Wild lost:

1)      Roberto Luongo – This guy is good. He made at least 5 saves which were huge, crazy, or impossible. I was very impressed frankly, three shutouts in a row, even if I want his team to lose, I have to give credit where credit is due.

2)      Not taking advantage of the PP – The wild continue to boggle my mind. They are still looking for that pass, the perfect pass, which rarely exists. Also, how is it that the Wild can’t get into the zone, and start from go. Their third PP, it took them 30 seconds to even get the puck into the zone. It was cleared on the face-off, then it took 30 seconds, a quarter of their PP, to get the puck into the zone, let alone a shot on goal. I am very frustrated by the anemic aspect of what should be a genuine scoring situation every time.

3)      Penalties – When you take three in the first, and give up a PP goal in the first, you are setting yourself up for failure. The second period was better, but, again, in the third, they took some dumb penalties. I need to see some disciplined hockey again, and preferably for stretches of games at a time.

Why the Wild could have Won:

1)      Blocked Shots – I think that Nick Schultz averages 7-8 blocked shots per game, and yet his team averages, what, 9 shots on goal per game??? Ok, so I am exaggerating, but, as the Wild are making it a habit of getting grossly out shot, these blocks play a huge role in keeping the Wild from being down big early. Keep giving up the body guys, your team needs it.

2)      2^nd Period – A great period. If they could click save on what they did here, and repeat it always…I would gladly take that effort every day, every period. Good passes, great hitting and playing smart. Heck, they didn’t get outshot that period either!

3)      Pouliot/Boogaard/Weller – They looked really good tonight. Banged the bodies, took some shots even. They had the best shifts in my opinion, and one of these days, they are going to get the puck in the back of the net. More effort from all lines like these guys played, and more wins will come with said effort.

What else did people see? All-in-all, not a bad effort, ran into a hot goalie, and had a few key mistakes.

Let’s not sugar coat it…this was a horrible effort all around. Backstrom had a bad game, and it happened to coincide with a bad game by the whole team. Lets get to it…

Why the Wild Lost:

1)      Horrible Clearing - Three of the Four goals came off of horrid clearing chances. I mean wow…clearing up the middle, clearing with soft crosses, fanning on the puck…ick ick ick. A horrible effort on the transition, and an even worse outcome.

2)      The first 13 seconds – Look what happens when you cough your first goal in less than 15 seconds…you tend to play poorly. Lets not try and do this again in the future.

3)      One scoring line – If it isn’t on the PP, and it isn’t AMA…not a lot else is going to happen offensively. This has to change.  Gaborik needs to get back on the ice, and Bouchard/Nolan need to start shooting and crashing. Oh, and does James Sheppard know he won’t get a two minute minor for taking a shot? Got some work to do boys.

Why the Wild Could have Won:

1)      Had the team shown up to play – Ugly effort, it seems that they were bored by the inconvenience of flying to Texas. They looked sluggish, and they just didn’t give the impression that they had the desire to want to win.

2)      PK – So they coughed one up, big deal. This is a good looking unit. I like the sliding box, and I think that they tend to be smart with the puck, when they have it. A unit like that keeps a team in the game, no doubt about that.

3)      Never gave up – Well, this is a low bar, but I had a hard time coming up with anything positive. At least they kept playing, and gave it a decent effort. Hope that tomorrow brings more good things to discuss.

Sleep well puckies…this game is just one of 82.

Another win, some more scares.

Why they Won:

1) Koivu/Miettinen/Brunette - Well, Nate asked in the pre-game, will Antti and Andrew show up...well, they brought their buddy Mikko as well! If I counted correctly, that was seven points. Very nice work troops...but Mikko...that pass was no good. I shake my finger at you.

2) Brent Burns getting deep on the PP - His stick is 500 feet long, and he has a scorers touch. Get him deep, and let him score...wait...that is what happened tonight! Wonderful pass by Brunette, and a great finish by the Burns. But don't get too comfortable Burnsie...you may be on the other side of the coin too...

3) PK - Wow. Hats off guys, I will cry when one finally goes in...but until then, lets keep it rolling! Well played penalty killers.

Why they could have lost:

1) Burns' bonehead moves in the defensive zone - Was he thinking about his snakes? Fish? Dogs? He put the puck on a blackhawk stick at least twice, maybe three times. This behavior will eventually lead to goals more often, so Burns...leave the zoo at home...think about the game while on the ice.

2) Shots - Thirty-Six for Chicago...Eighteen for the Wild. Sounds like the Wild were doubled up. Oh, lets not forget that the Wild put 4 shots on goal in the 2nd period...FOUR! Ugh. As an addition, the Wild seem to be looking to pass to a teammate instead of putting it on net! There were two odd-man rushes where a shot on goal didnt even get made. Amazing. Amazingly bad. I would love to report that the Wild are shooting too much, but, that is not happening yet.

3) Another late game let up - Wow. I miss the 2007 team. The lockdowns...the almost guaranteed win after two periods. Can we get it back please?? My heart can't take the "YAAAAAGGGGGG" emotion every game.

Any thoughts troops? Agree? Disagree?

Getting late, so lets get to it...

Why the Wild Won:

1) Penalty Kill - Really 19/19? Absoultely incredible this far into the year. I mean, just amazing. Hats off to the PK...we all appreciate the work.

2) Niklas Backstrom - As if the stone on nash's breakaway wasn't enough, Niklas came up with a few more monstrous saves throughout this contest. I am hoping that the Wild are talking to Niklas now about an extension. As i see it, he has been just stellar this young season, and he deserves in-season talks.

3) Mikko Koivu - This guy is the real deal. Wow. Every shift, he is doing something productive. That blind pass to Nolan was something that was just...wow. As Nate and I were watching, he said..."just make him the captain now...for all months." I agree, and while I know it won't happen...it doesnt mean it shouldnt.

Why the Wild could have lost:

1) The late game letdown - Two games in a row, we are learning this isnt the lock it down team from last year. Had it not been for Nash's above the crossbar deflection, who knows how that game turns out. Shouldnt have gotten to that point anyway.

2) The lack of production on the PP - Even on a 5-on-3, they took slappers, and otherwise were not impressive. The tic-tac-toe passing was a positive sign, but 1:20 of a two man advantage should result in a goal. This HAS to get better as the season progresses.

3) Announcers and the Kiss of Death - Honestly, the "they have been perfect this year" and "the wild are always good at protecting leads" almost resulted in the doom of the wild. Just like announcers in football before a field-goal...Greeny and Terhar need to shut up! :)

What else did everyone see?

Pay attention to the first five words of this sentence...let it kick around in your head a while, and laughter will follow...

...

....

.....

"Derek Boogaard played defense today because Lemaire wanted to practice defenseman Tomas Mojzis at wing again."

Ok folks...Im gonna' say it...and you may not like it...the Wild shouldn't have won that game. Simply put, they were out shot, out chanced, out played. Tampa missed some open nets, and should have ended up with the two points. But, with that, they won...and sometimes ya need a bit of luck. Here are my three things from this evening's contest.

Why the Wild won-

1) Captain Backstrom: I haven't seen Nik on his game like this for some time. I mean, wow. He was covering side to side, the butterfly was stellar, and he was at the top of the crease challenging shooters. Combined with his co-goalie, there was great keeping tonight.

2) Penalty Kill: This squad was absolutely amazing. They continue to be amazing, and hopefully they can be this way for the remainder of the season. Probably not gonna happen, but, a guy can hope. Three cheers for the PK!

3) Eric Belanger's defense: Not only was his back checking top notch tonight, Eric made two saves tonight with his co-goalie Nik Backstrom. The way he went down and stacked his legs was impressive, but his diving soccer style "penalty kick" save was quite impressive. Nevermind the fact that replays showed that the puck on that save was going nowhere near the net...it was very entertaining and the willingess to give up the body is something I love seeing from this team.

Why the Wild could have lost-

1) Power Play: (0/7) is a bad stat on the PP. The previous games the PP has been solid, but tonight was quite poor. I mean, I dont expect a (3/4) every night, but with seven chances, you need to hit the twine.

2) Offensive Zone time of possession: I didn't time this, but I swear to god the Lightning were in the Wild zone, and cycling for an average of 20-35 seconds per shift, and the wild went into the tampa zone, took one shot, or dumped it in, and ran back to play defense. There was no sustained pressure at all coming from the wild offense and that simply will not cut it as the season continues.

3) Playing one scoring line: I am fairly certain that neither Barry Melrose nor any Tampa Bay player was concerned when any line not called "Brunette/Koivu/Miettinen" skated tonight. I mean, you need to have two scoring lines, and tonight I dont think Sheppard/Veilleux cut it as a scoring line. Oh, and I would have been shaking in my boots seeing Weller and Boogey coming at me...but not from fear that a puck was going in the net. The Wild need to get PMB and Nolan back, and figure out what the hell to do with Gabby. They can't afford to be a one trick pony on the offensive side of the puck.

This is what I saw tonight...anyone agree? Disagree?

Another solid game...lets get to it..

Three reasons the Wild won:

1) Special Teams: (4 for 4) on the PK & (3 for 6) on the PP. Dont think we have to say too much beyond that.

2) "The Line": If you were to tell me that a line of Koivu/Miettenen/Brunette would produce 9 points, I may have laughed at you. But, it did...and I loved every minute of it. Special props to Mikko...5 point game makes me think you are earning that "C" on your chest.

3) Solid Positional defense: Nobody shoot me, but even SKOULA had a good game. The penalty he took was even a good idea, as, there was a good chance that the puck would have been blasted into the back of the net. Bergeron looked better, Johnnnnnnnnnnnnnson looked good, Reitz was hitting, and Burns/Schultz were solid. I enjoyed.

Three reasons why the Wild could have lost:

1) The team they had to play: Again, we are fortunate that Florida is really not that good. You lose PMB/Gabby/Nolan/Zidlicky, and you still dominate. I don't see the lineup doing very well against per se, the Wings or the Oilers.

2) The 5 on 3: I hate these things. I get nervous watching them...luckily the PK showed up today, or that could have gotten ugly, and put "Mo" back on Florida's side. Again, lets not give up 5 on 3's to the Wings, Stars, etc.

3) Darby's Hair: I couldn't think of a 3rd one really, so i am once again on Darby for his lack of a barber. Honestly, had the team watched the pre-game, they wouldn't have been able to focus because of laughter...laughter due to Darby's hair. Its bad news folks...somebody help this guy out!

I liked what I saw, and I will like it even more if we can play a good game and win versus the Lightning.

A decent game, again, not great, but one to grow off of. As Nate managed to steal my thunder after game 1, I thought I would pop in and push my flag into the ground on game two.

Here are the three reasons the wild won, and the three reasons they could have lost...

Why the Wild won:

1) Strong Forecheck: I was running along on the game thread last night, and while typing some non-sensical things, I did put one amazing observation in there...Andrew Brunette killed nearly 19 seconds of the third period, single-handedly, on the forecheck. Combine that with Gaborik's stellar stick lift/shot on goal, which came about because of the forecheck, we have a reason why the wild won!

2) Disciplined Play: With the exception of Antti forgetting where his stick was (but the two goals helped me forget that), I think the Wild played a very disciplined game. While they had penalties, it seemed that the PP generated very little momentum for Atlanta, while the PP truly helped the Wild. The lack of extra-curriculurs were nice to see, and even Sheppard who was pushing and shoving after the high-stick contained himself enough to not get an even-up penalty. Well done troops, well done.

3) Backstrom: He looked solid. S-O-L-I-D. The two goals allowed were not on him...when three of your 5 guys go over to play pattycake with the D-man, leaving Ilya on the doorstep with Martin Skoula as his chaperone, bad things will happen. And the second goal was a perfect pass and deflection, Im not convinced that any goalie could have made that stop. Well done Cap'N Backstrom...Gold star for you.

Why the Wild Could Have Lost:

1) Lack of shots in Period 1: Was it me, or were they trying to look a little too cute out there in the first period? Shoot, shoot and shoot. What could it hurt, it may go in! The wild were fortunate to get the PP goal in the first, cause nothing else was going for them at all.

2) Porous Defense: If anyone that reads this site has a way to remind players that checking is not only legal, but encouraged, I would appreciate that  message being sent. There were at least five times that a Thrasher got in towards goal when a good old shoulder or hip would have done the trick. I like clean, physical hockey...and checking is a part of that. Had one of those players who got through been able to score, the game complexion would have been totally different.

3) Injuries: PMB goes home, Owen Nolan to be evaluated, and Zidlicky still not seeing the ice. As memory serves me, this is game two, and we all know it is not a question of if, but rather when Gabby hurts his groin. The role-players stepped up nicely into the holes which were created, but I would be just fine not having to see Erik Reitz as an everyday D-man for much longer...and 1/2 Boogey (he wears number 12, which is half of 24...forget it) didnt impress too much either. Luckily the wild played Atlanta, and not the wings yesterday.

There it is...thoughts? Jokes?

...don't be afraid to check out the up and coming blog for Wild fans over at Hockey Wilderness!  http://www.hockeywilderness.com/

Hockey Wilderness is currently under new ownership, and as a token of its hospitality, mention this posting to receive a new set of steak knives with every new enrollment.

(Please note steak knives may or may not actually exist)

Again, pop on over and check out Hockey Wilderness, and share your thoughts on that game which is played during the Twins offseason.

http://www.hockeywilderness.com/

After a bit of a delay, here I throw my hat in on this bizzle. Question #4 was as follows:

Is the Wild deep enough at center?

At first glance, my thought is no. At second glance, my thought is still no. But, reading training camp info my final answer is...Not Quite.

The idea of Koivu centering the front line, with Bruno and Gabby is appealing. Koivu can make the play, or shoot himself, Gabby can shoot all day, and Bruno isn't afraid to pick up the trash. Is Koivu a #1 Centreman yet? No. But will he be by year's end...more than likely. But I will be the first to say that had he not been injured last year for so many games...he would be a #1 center on opening day.

After that, we go to speculation-ville, and the Belanger Syndrome. Rumour has it that Sheppard is prepared to have a breakout season. Cap'n Russo at the USS Strib speaks very highly of what he has seen. As a lowly fan, without season tickets, I have to take that word, as I have seen no pre-season puck on tv. I could live with Sheppard as our #2 line centreman, but, in all honesty, he would be better suited as a checking-line centreman until mid-season.

Benoit...we hardly knew ye! Seriously, I don't know which Pouliot will be showing up this year. Is it the under-acheiver, or the hard-worker? The slick skater, or the turnover machine? I will be watching him closely, and I would be very unhappy to see him anywhere but line #4 or as the floating 5th centre.

And lets not forget our dear buddy-boy Eric Belanger. Man he came out of the box hot last year with the BBR ine, but that quickly cooled. He has decent hands, and he skates well, but again, he is (and was last year with BBR) a 3rd line centreman who can pretend to play more of an offensive position.

To Summarize, the Wild REALLY would have used a Olli Jokinen or a Bobby Holik type presence. Mikko is, currently, a 1.5 line centreman and we are looking at (3) 3rd/4th line centers. Curious to see what, if anything can be done early in the season, if they are feeling that this is, in fact, a playoff contention year. The Wild could use a bonified 1st or 2nd line centreman...to compliment Koivu, and as a result, making all four lines stronger. But, as it stands, this is what we look at...and I return to my original answer...the WIld are not quite deep enough at center.

The games don't matter...but they do...you see players who are trying to earn a spot...but they won't...I love pre-season. Because even if you suck in pre-season, it doesn't matter!

One gripe...It sure is nice to see the highlights, but boy, how I wish that the games were actually on tv. But, Only a few more days till we can see Puck on the HD!

A couple of thoughts I have been having regarding the upcoming season.

1) Will there be set lines this year?: From reading stories, the wild may be experimenting in this new concept called "static lines," wthere three forwards play together probably 85-95% of the time. This new-fangled idea hasn't sat well with Jacques in the past, but perhaps, he may be willing to try this out this season. Hard to say, but the idea is just so crazy...it just might stick...who knows, maybe other teams will try it as well.

2) Where is the pop going to come from offensively?: I like Nolan banging home PMB feeds, and I enjoy the idea of koivu making plays for gabbby, and having Bruno clean up the trash left at the crease. But where else can our scoring come from? This is a major concern...however, at least they are packed to the gulliver with Blue line help, so maybe they can win the 1-0 or 2-1 game.

3) When do you decide to shop gabby?: I am a Gaborik backer to the hilt, but at some point, they need to either commit to signing, or to trading. You can't let a talent like his go for nothing. Does he want to stay? Does he want a bigger pay day yet? None of this I can answer...but as much as I really like the guy, if you can't keep him, get something for him, and do it sooner as opposed to later.

These are just little thoughts...and the season hasnt even started yet! Cheers to another fun year of puck on frozen water.

Hey all...before this insanely huge game, I figured I would throw out a little fun challenege. Please comment with your post-game comment "predictions." Don't forget to do one for a win, and one for a loss. Think of it as a "buzzword bingo" type game.

Here are mine-

In case of a win: "We always believed in ourselves. Never once did we have any doubts. Not once. That was a heck of a ballclub over there, and they should be very happy with their season. We are fortunate to come out on top, and now we need to focus on Tampa Bay."

In case of a loss: "We battled out there. Gave it our all, and came up short. That's baseball. But overall, Im very proud of these guys...afterall, we were supposed to be horrible remember? After the offseason of losing Torii and Johan, we all were told we would be in the cellar. Have a long offseason ahead, but I couldn't be prouder."

Lets see it Twinkie Towners!

AP - Minneapolis, MN -

It has just been released that after Monday evening's loss to the Seattle Mariners, the Minnesota Twins were subjected to a barrage of tests, and a psychological conclusion has been determined; the Minnesota Twins have first-a-phobia.

While unknown in many mental health circles, Dr. Howard McWhollyCrap and Dr. Ivanna BangmyHeadintheWall are well known leaders in this field. "It truly comes down to fear, and discomfort," stated McWhollyCrap; "the Twins currently are suffering from a team wide fear of maintaining a first place position." This news comes immediately after Minnesota dropped an extra inning game to Seattle, and after the WhiteSox had lost their April 28th suspended game, but won their regularily scheduled game to Baltimore, thus taking a 1/2 game lead back over the Twins.

"All we can do is go out there and play our tails off" quipped Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "I mean, if they are afraid of first, we are afraid of first...I'll talk to Bill (Twins General Manager) and see what he says about that."

Doctor BangmyHeadintheWall has other ideas; "it comes down to focusing on the game at hand, as opposed to worrying about standings. If the team can forget its standing, it will forget its fears."

Only time will tell how this phobia will be resolved, or if it will be resolved, but perhaps, the situation was best put by backup catcher, Mike Redmond. "The issue seems to be a lack of grit, and less than stellar intensity. I have encouraged these kids to get down, and eat some dirrrt, but they don't do it. I think they feel I am saying to eat dirt figuratively, but I mean it for real...the team needs to eat some dirt."

Perhaps Redmond could give a clinic on just how this dirt eating is done.