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Wild hopefully will have baks and pomeville back for next game. Zucker played great!
I dont know if I would go with backs after a performace like that from harding, I think backs is a debateable goalie, his prime has passed. Pominville will be huge to have back. I really like the play of zucker. Hes not afraid to try and make one more move to create something instead of just dumping the puck like most of our guys.
Wallster ><((((>
This could be Zucker’s coming out party. 2 days rest will do the Wild good. Heard Cullen was hurting too and we need Pominville back.
If the Wild are to advance, they will need to improve on the PP. The Wild can frustrate the Hawks into taking a lot of penalties and they need to take advantage.
No shame in that game. They were aggressive and pretty solid defensively.
Dang, Chicago had 17 giveaways to our 9. If we play like this and the Hawks play like that, we have a chance.
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Wild hopefully will have baks and pomeville back for next game. Zucker played great!
I dont know if I would go with backs after a performace like that from harding, I think backs is a debateable goalie, his prime has passed. Pominville will be huge to have back. I really like the play of zucker. Hes not afraid to try and make one more move to create something instead of just dumping the puck like most of our guys.
Wallster ><((((>
The problem with Hards is he can just as easily come back and give up 5 soft ones the next game. He’s streaky, but I suspect he’ll have a few more good games before a bad one. Josh is a great back up. He’s got an awesome attitude. Who knows, maybe he is the starter next year with Backs being a FA. But Backs is the better goalie.
Hawks in 4
I think that was the Wilds best shot at taking a game. Giving it all in front of the backup goalie.
Hawks played very sloppy. They wont be that way again.
Well, game 2 tonight. The neighbors and I are getting together to watch. It’s really just an excuse to drink beer of course.
I’m of the mind set we gave them our best shot in game 1 and will be hard pressed to win this game if the Hawks play decent at all. My neighbor on the other hand thinks they should have come out motivated that we can play with them. I guess time will tell!
Its over. The Wild’s best shot was last game when they went up by 1 in the first had the Hawks been locked in their locker room between the 1st and 3rd periods. Chicago 18 – 0. Ditka with the double natural hat trick.
I have a feeling something will happen in the early stages that will set the tone for the game. Something along the lines of a heavy Clutterbuck/Seto hit, a borderline cheap shot from Rupp/Konopka or Rupp/Konopka doing some stuff after the whistle.
Speaking of cheap-shots did you guys see Dustin Brown last night? OMG somebody needs to end his season. It’s ridiculousness he wears the C for the Kings playing like that!!
Poms remains out due to Mr Brown’s dirty play~~~
I just did a quick search for Dustin Brown hits. This guy has been a 
for the last several weeks. Why aren’t other teams standing up to him? I thought that is why teams carried bruisers like Boogie?
I just don’t understand how people have been saying game one was our best chance. If that was it then they don’t deserve to win another. And what would have been the purpose of stealing 1 if that’s all you can hope for?
I can’t believe they suspended the guy for that hit in Montreal.
I thought that was a legal shot, but what do I know about hockey… Just cracked my first beer preparing for the Wild win!! 
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I thought that was a legal shot, but what do I know about hockey… Just cracked my first beer preparing for the Wild win!!
So did 99% of hockey analysts. The other 1% are from Montreal. Seriously I did not hear one commentator say he’ll be suspended or even fined. To a T they all said it was a good hockey hit.
What people are saying is that the guy who passed it to him was an idiot. You do not put the puck on your team mates stick there.
You don’t receive a pass there either. The old guys in my men’s leagues won’t try and even catch that pass, even when there’s no hitting. NHL players know better than that.
I’m with you pug, no reason they can’t put in that kind if effort for the rest of the series.
Goog energy so far, just not very effective.
The game is slipping away. Need to score before the third.
Ok. Now I feel a little better. Need to keep pressing. Part of me doesn’t want them to be on the pp again this game. I’d rather see 4 on 4.
Here’s the new rally cat!
This is probably the most boring playoff series I have ever watched. Where is the nastiness? The fricken Wild are not even finishing checks. Not mixing it up after whistles.
I have been a fan of Yeo, but that is starting to slip. He should have ordered Konopka and Rupp out there to mix it up and send a damn message.
The Wild sent a message tonight already. “We’ll rollover for you”.
I have been a fan of yeo also but I am starting to have my doubts. Wild on paper seem to have enough to be competitive but I see no one other than parise who will go to the front of the net. They cycle around the back of the net till they cough it up and the other team breaks out. 
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Here’s the new rally cat!
.. what did ya snag her on? Any measurements?
So the nephew is not taking the boat out today, he is going to cinco da mayo (Yeah, I don’t know Spanish, si?) and Michelle likes quiet naps Sunday afternoon. I wonder if I could get a decent price on a single ticket and watch by myself.
I’m guessing you could find a ticket out by the X.
I’m overlooking the Excel center from our hotel room across the street. Vendors starting to set up. Blackhawks fans in the lounge. Go Wild!
Will get interesting if the Wild can pull off this game.
I decided against my thinking out loud. It would be fun to even go by myself, but I have too much crap to do.
I think the Wild has as good of a chance to win today as they have had all series. It depends on the Wild’s attitude playing at home. If they start finishing checks and get the crowd into the game and finally play playoff hockey, they have a chance. A lot also depends on the Hawks attitude after a dominant performance. Will they put the peddle to the metal or get over confident.
I think the Wild will have to score a lot of goals and spread them out. If they go up 2-0 early, that might be enough to wake up the Hawks. I’d like to see 1-0 after 1 or 2-0 after one with a late Wild goal. Then the Wild to pot a few more in the second and force the Hawks to take chances in the 3rd.
All that being said, I don’t like our chances. The Wild after looking good in game 1 couldn’t make a counter adjustment to the Hawks adjustment for game 2. And that is no curse talk, the curse has lost its mojo.
The best chance for the Wild to extend this thing deep into the series is to really mix it up and start finishing checks and mixing it up after the whistle. They need to get under the Hawks skin. They also need to make them pay when they take a penalty.
The Wild need to play hard for 60 minutes.
Harding has played good enough for us to win. I’d rather have Backs in there, but I’d rather have Harding over a injured Backs. I agree though, that was my biggest disappointment so far. I have been waiting all these years to see Backstrom in the playoffs and see if he could raise his compete level like he did in Europe.
If the Wild start pressing and trying to cross the blueline with the puck instead of dumping, you are really going to see a Blackhawk team that is killer in transition. The Wild can pick their spots and carry when the opportunity is there, otherwise they need to get the puck deep. The problem is when they have there has been little forecheck and little punishment on the blackhawk defensemen.
For once I agree that dump and chase is the way to success against the hawks. But they really need to execute, especially the first line.
I absolutely can’t stand the talk on KFAN lately about how advancing to the second round is a must for this team to be considered successful. The signing of their two best players is only a start. This season has really revealed which players the Wild can live without. Butch, Brodziak, Stoner. All those guys are easily replaceable with equal talent. Guys like Coyle, Zucker, and Brodin are reason to believe the best is yet to come. Next year the goal is to run away with the division.
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The problem is when they have there has been little forecheck and little punishment on the blackhawk defensemen.
This is my biggest complaint, when we do dump it in, they have no forecheck. Or they have to work so hard to get it out of their own zone, they have to throw it in for a line change. The last 2-3 weeks, the d-zone has been awful, seems like they are just standing around.
Agree. What has happened to Brodziak this year, the guy looks like he lost all drive to play. Last season, the guy was a stud, scoring big goals and crushing people. Bouchard shouldn’t even see the ice, and Stoner is wearing out the side boards/glass. I wish we were able to see Dumba at least once this season. How does a guy make the opening day roster but then gets sent to Houston and never see the Wilds roster again. Scandella should have replaced Stoner earlier, I hope Stoner is out again today.
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I absolutely can’t stand the talk on KFAN lately about how advancing to the second round is a must for this team to be considered successful. The signing of their two best players is only a start. This season has really revealed which players the Wild can live without. Butch, Brodziak, Stoner. All those guys are easily replaceable with equal talent. Guys like Coyle, Zucker, and Brodin are reason to believe the best is yet to come. Next year the goal is to run away with the division.
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