2021 MN Wild/NHL Thread

Fast paced game today and a ppg already! This is the power play we needed all year.

Why the heck do they have Rask on the boards and Kaprizov in the bumper slot? It makes ZERO sense!!! We really want Fiala to pass across ice to Rask for a 1 timer? WTF?

I do like that they are funneling everything through Fiala though at the high circle, but he needs Kaprizov as an option on the far side boards…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Why the heck do they have Rask on the boards and Kaprizov in the bumper slot? It makes ZERO sense!!! We really want Fiala to pass across ice to Rask for a 1 timer? WTF?

I do like that they are funneling everything through Fiala though at the high circle, but he needs Kaprizov as an option on the far side boards…

You realize you’re critiquing the hottest PP in the league, that formerly was the worst PP in the league… Why fix what’s FINALLY not broken?

Puck over glass… dumbest rule in pro sports

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
Why the heck do they have Rask on the boards and Kaprizov in the bumper slot? It makes ZERO sense!!! We really want Fiala to pass across ice to Rask for a 1 timer? WTF?

I do like that they are funneling everything through Fiala though at the high circle, but he needs Kaprizov as an option on the far side boards…

You realize you’re critiquing the hottest PP in the league, that formerly was the worst PP in the league… Why fix what’s FINALLY not broken?

Puck over glass… dumbest rule in pro sports

Our best player didnt touch the puck on the powerplay, the 2nd unit scored the ppg…

Our 3rd line is owning this game, Foligno is having a huge impact on the ice…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Our best player didnt touch the puck on the powerplay, the 2nd unit scored the ppg…

The combination of Fiala-Spurgeon-Rask up top with Kaprizov at the bumper and Bonino net front has been their top group since the powerplay went red hot. I’m not saying it makes sense, but it’s been getting results.

Literally as I was typing this they scored with Kaprizov playing in Fiala’s spot and Fiala in Rask’s spot. That PP was really fluid with the top 3 guys moving all over the zone though, similar to the first 3-4 games of the season when they looked good but didn’t score.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Our 3rd line is owning this game, Foligno is having a huge impact on the ice…

I think we just go ahead and call that the 1st line from here on out. They’ve been one of the best lines in the league this season. Evason was saying it the whole beginning of the season when fans (including myself) were all clamoring for Fiala or Kap to take Foligno’s spot. Neither of those combinations worked out so at this point just leave the big boys together and let them dominate every shift like they have been. I don’t think that line has been together for an Avalanche game this season… could make a big difference in the playoffs.

The 4th line has been looking really good this game too, Parise rewarded with a tap in that looked like he almost tried to choke on. The top 2 lines haven’t been great, but making up for it with PP goals.

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
Our best player didnt touch the puck on the powerplay, the 2nd unit scored the ppg…

Literally as I was typing this they scored with Kaprizov playing in Fiala’s spot and Fiala in Rask’s spot. That PP was really fluid with the top 3 guys moving all over the zone though, similar to the first 3-4 games of the season when they looked good but didn’t score.

THIS is exactly what I was talking about! Fiala and Kaprizov are interchangeable as long as they are the high side players with Spurgeon in the middle, put the puck on the stick of your playmakers to make plays…not Victor F’ing Rask..

Ok, another Wild PP, lets see how the 1st unit sets up…

So they go back to Kaprizov in the slot bumper…wtf

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Ok, another Wild PP, lets see how the 1st unit sets up…

I don’t care who puts them in the net. 3/3 today.

This is the best Parise has looked in 12 months…

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
Why the heck do they have Rask on the boards and Kaprizov in the bumper slot? It makes ZERO sense!!! We really want Fiala to pass across ice to Rask for a 1 timer? WTF?

I do like that they are funneling everything through Fiala though at the high circle, but he needs Kaprizov as an option on the far side boards…

You realize you’re critiquing the hottest PP in the league, that formerly was the worst PP in the league… Why fix what’s FINALLY not broken?

Puck over glass… dumbest rule in pro sports

Yup…It has been pretty solid for the last 14 or 15 games. Only thing that changed is it is going in the net. The bounces were bound to go there way at some point.

Where are the Power Play will not work guys now? 3 PP goals yesterday, I believe 2 the game before and rolling on a 31% pace over the last week and change.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Our 3rd line is owning this game, Foligno is having a huge impact on the ice…

We’ve really missed Foligno. When he is with Ek and Greenway that line is suffocating. The only line who consistently spent the majority of the time on ice in the offensive zone.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Where are the Power Play will not work guys now? 3 PP goals yesterday, I believe 2 the game before and rolling on a 31% pace over the last week and change.

I’m still here.

I said the same thing to the power play “will work based on talent guys” back in February and March and it was crickets.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
Where are the Power Play will not work guys now? 3 PP goals yesterday, I believe 2 the game before and rolling on a 31% pace over the last week and change.

I’m still here.

I said the same thing to the power play “will work based on talent guys” back in February and March and it was crickets.

The PP hasn’t change in who is out there, they are just now producing. It’s not magic, its law of averages. You’re never going to go a season at 7% clip and you are not going to go a season in excess of 35% either. They still have “all these lefties” out there and its producing. Just a matter of time.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Just a matter of time.

I don’t disagree. I just simply stated my presence as you requested, Captain.

I read yesterday that its producing at a 50% efficacy in April too. Perhaps the quality of opponents is playing a role as well. If/when it drops back down to a 7% rate, I’ll be on this like stink on a monkey.

gim wrote:

If/when it drops back down to a 7% rate, I’ll be on this like stink on a monkey.

You better! LOL

17 PP goal since March 10th. It’s been over a month that they have been clicking a bit.

gim wrote:

Perhaps the quality of opponents is playing a role as well.

You sure about that? Wild PP 6/11 in 2 games against the Aves during this heater. Not including those 2 games, the Aves have the best PK% in the NHL.

tswoboda wrote:

You sure about that? Wild PP 6/11 in 2 games against the Aves during this heater. Not including those 2 games, the Aves have the best PK% in the NHL

2 games isn’t very much though. I can’t comment on the other games they’ve recently played against but certainly they’ve played more than just Colorado since the PP has been improved.

I think the improved powerplay success is a combination of:

1) We’re getting puck luck now, The Bonino PPG was an oddball Kaprizov pass deflection right to him in front and the 1st Zuccarello goal was on a oddman line rush and the 2nd Zuccarello ppg goal was a deflection off a defender’s leg.
2) We appear to now have some semblance of a plan when we get into the zone and setup. Run everything from Spurgeon at the middle point and feed Fiala moving towards the goal with both shoot or pass options (it should be Kaprizov on the boards for a 1 timer shot option vs Rask’s ineptitude…)
3) Our best ppg success (even if we score or not) is when Kaprizov and Fiala are able to handle the puck from the side boards vs having Kaprizov anchored in the bumper slot and basically rendered useless.

gim wrote:

2 games isn’t very much though. I can’t comment on the other games they’ve recently played against but certainly they’ve played more than just Colorado since the PP has been improved.

2/6 against Vegas in 2 games, the only other good team the Wild plays. VGK has given up the least number of PPG in the NHL this year.

So during this stretch, the Wild PP% has been better against the Aves/Knights than it has against the Blues/Sharks/Ducks.

Yeah Joe, Kaprizov is a complete waste at the bumper…

https://twitter.com/link2yourfuture/status/1379988995111755777

lol, you find the 1 time they actually ran a play for him there all season!!!

Show me ANY OTHER EXAMPLE

JoeMX1825 wrote:

lol, you find the 1 time they actually ran a play for him there all season!!!

Show me ANY OTHER EXAMPLE

I agree, if Rask is on the ice with that PP group, KK97 shouldnt be in the middle. Rask is atrocious on the sidewall, whereas Fiala and Kaprizov can single handedly control possession and distribute. Rask is not capable of this. I’d rather see Greenway on this PP group and put him in the middle and then move Kaprizov to where Rask is.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

lol, you find the 1 time they actually ran a play for him there all season!!!

Show me ANY OTHER EXAMPLE

Beauty of a pass from Rask to Kap for a backdoor tap in, pretty sure it was earlier that game. Can’t find the highlight, but I know it happened.

Here ya go…

It’s sad that we have Bonino and Rask on the PP1 unit for the sole purpose if trying to win the draw, if they do GREAT but then you have 2 guys on the ice without the proper skillsets…

I would think Greenway or Parise would be preferred replacements but you’re then trimming 30-45 seconds off your 2:00 powerplay time just retrieving the puck and getting back into the offensive zone after lost draws.

This again shows how important having at least 1 comparable center is…Hopefully we’ll have that problem finally solved next season with Rossi or a FA/Trade acquisition.

Lol a backdoor open net? Stonehands could score that one