Official Wild Thread

Now that was a fun game to watch. Who thought it was over when the Hawks went up 3-2?

Quote:

---

Now that was a fun game to watch. Who thought it was over when the Hawks went up 3-2?

---

Not I.

I was at the game tonight and you could see from the players and the bench that the Wild were dug in and all in for this one. Drawing first blood was huge. Once the Wild tied it again, you could see the emotion on the bench and how fired up they were

The Wild were standing Chicago up at the blue line very effectively and not allowing them to gain the zone with speed. Nice offensive effort and key contributions from some who haven’t lit the lamp.

Last thing is I’m loving Haula. 2 assists in 3 games. He’s going to be lighting the lamp soon.

Grouse

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Fans seem to love it, but Matt Cooke isn’t fond of the Cookie Monster song — “C is for Cookie” — Xcel Energy Center game operations folks play after he scores goals at home.

“I don’t feel like I deserve my own song,” Cooke said Friday — one night after the Sesame Street song blared from the X’s speakers after he scored the game-opening goal in a 4-3 Wild win over the Chicago Blackhawks. “I don’t score enough for them to be playing a song just for me.

“The things that make me tick are team success and that’s individualizing it, and it’s not me. If they continue to do it, that’s their choice — not mine.”

Regardless, Cooke entered Friday’s Columbus contest with two goals in three games. He played three terrific games in a row after coach Mike Yeo reunited the Cooke-Kyle Brodziak-Torrey Mitchell training camp line

That line was cohesive in the preseason but was broken up by the season opener. Mitchell began the year on the fourth line because youngsters Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter earned second- and third-line roster spots.

Cooke, 35, also says he’s playing better recently because he’s found ways to be more physical. Cooke has worked hard to clean up his act after years of questionable hits with Vancouver and Pittsburgh.

“There’s this constant tweaking to make sure you’re trusting there are opportunities to be physical without it being reckless,” Cooke said. “My problem has been once an incident happens and it’s a close call, I tend to shy away from it. At times, I’m overexaggerating on the cautious side.”

Cooke said lately, through video reinforcement, he’s become more engaged.

“I need to be physical, especially in games against Chicago and teams we feel are a good test for us,” said Cooke, who’s second on the Wild with 70 hits — one behind Niederreiter.

Cooke’s game has also taken off since Yeo demoted him to the fourth line a week ago. The downgrade only lasted four shifts because linemate Zenon Konopka sustained an eye injury.

“It was just a matter of refocusing,” Yeo said. “Maybe that helped, but regardless, you could tell [Saturday] in Colorado, [Cooke] just had a real strong focus on the way he was going to play the game. It was a great reminder that when he’s doing those things how effective he is.”

Flyby proponent

Zach Parise has tried to weed out the post-goal, high-five bench flyby, although even Parise has been doing it recently. Cooke is the big locker-room proponent of the flyby and did a demonstrative one after scoring Thursday.

“You score a big goal, the guys on the bench want to get involved, and that’s their opportunity,” Cooke said. “It’s not fair if they’re not involved in that energy. For me, if I’m on the bench, I was to be high-fived. I think it’s important, like ‘Let’s keep going.’ That’s why I choose to do it.”

I have to admit told my wife the wild aren’t good enough to beat chicago and turned the channel. Glad I was proved wrong.

Peeeeee ewwwwwww. The Wild stunk so bad in Columbis last night I could smell them back in St. Paul.

Always a danger that the emotion was all burned up in a big win and then the next night is a letdown. That’s exactly what happened.

They need to recharge.

Still, an awesome win against Chicago and the Wild have been getting the best of Chicago this year, 2-1. Good job handling a tough team.

Grouse

I expected them to lose, but hoped they’d prove me wrong. Historically the Wild are bad in those situations. Just once I’d like to see that turn around. How come when other teams play us in the second half of a back to back they come out with more jump?

Point are a premium. I wish they would schedule a back to back against a team that has been resting a few days.

I heard some chat about Harding playing on the Olympic team but I assume that’s all it is. Or I should say that he would be a good fit. They seem to have their favs for that.
Anyone else hear that?

The only chatter I have heard is from fans. They’d be crazy not to add him. I think the Olympic squad carries 3 goaltenders. Him leading Canada to gold would make a great chapter in the story he is making. Figuratively, not literally.

I doubt the Wild would want him to go with his MS and the wild needing him to play almost every game with the way Backstrom’s game has gone into the crapper this year. That almost three week break would be good for him to rest up for the end of the season push if the wild figure out to get out of this funk they are in. Granlund injury seems to have really hurt the chemistry of the lines. I can’t believe the turnaround he has made from this year from last.

I don’t think the Wild would have any choice in the matter. He’s been fine all year. I don’t think resting or playing hockey during those 3 weeks is going to affect him.

The wild certainly dont want him to play. Not that it matters there is zero percent chance to be on the team

Quote:

---

The only chatter I have heard is from fans. They’d be crazy not to add him. I think the Olympic squad carries 3 goaltenders. Him leading Canada to gold would make a great chapter in the story he is making. Figuratively, not literally.

---

NBC would certainly jump on the opportunity for feel-good stories regarding his health.

Quote:

---

The wild certainly dont want him to play. Not that it matters there is zero percent chance to be on the team

---

Given the choice, you think any team would want their star to play and risk injury?

I don’t know who is annoyed with people wanting to handle Harding with kid gloves, me or Harding himself.

I was dozing off the whole game. Must have fell asleep a few minutes into the 3rd. Woke up for the shoot out. Back to

Wild & Rockies played a dozing type of game. Wild won which is a good thing.

Gundy

If the wild lost to the Rockies, I’d be a little concerned.

If we could just have the Wild find their scoring touch. I wasn’t a big Vanek bandwagoner, but now I wouldn’t mind getting him. He still isn’t elite like a Stamkos, Perry or Crosby, but scoring by committee is what we need. I thought maybe making room for prospects was needed, but none are emerging. Yeah, some of these kids look nice, but I don’t even see a 30 goal scorer in any of them. Coyle is going to be a beast in his prime. He’ll probably be a 30 goal scorer in a couple years, but he’s a power forward playing at 21. He still has time to develop.

If I were Fletcher, here is what I would do, go after Matt Moulson. I think a lot of teams think he rode Taverse coat tails. I don’t think Buff will resign him, I think there is a good chance the Isles try to resign Vanek. I think he’d thrive here.

I keep hoping the scoring touch will arrive. I just can’t believe some of these pucks don’t go in the net for them. I don’t here the chatter you guys do. Living in outer space down here.

Gundy

In case you missed it…

24 Reasons Why Hockey Players Are Actually Big, Cuddly Sweethearts

They left one out though. When a player who has played so many years for one team and then leaves and comes back as an opponent, his former team takes time to show a video presentation saying thanks to their former player. And everyone stops to watch. And his former teams bench taps their sticks on the boards in appreciation.

I think they also may have left out that when 2 guys fight, many times it ends in both players giving each other a tap on the back out of respect.

Sure hope Granlund comes back Thursday. The Wild sure were playing like he is and by that I mean they were looking ahead and playing lack-luster the 1st 2 periods.

Cooke played poorly. Pominville played poorly. Ballard played poorly.

I like Haula and Bulmer. I think once Granlund is healthy, Haula back to Iowa and Fontaine and Rupp sit. Bulmer stays in.

I like this kid. I think Yeo does too. He’s got a lot of jump and a heavy hit.

I think Spurgeon is due for a big game. I really like what he is doing offensively, jumping into the play. Scandela might have one soon as well. We got a pretty good young defensive corps.

I’m starting to see why people are down on the shootout. It’s like some All-Star game, homerun derby stunt.

I found it odd that the Sedin twins didn’t participate in the shootout. I can’t remember if they have ever been in one. I guess those 2 refuse to do everything alone. The Sedin twins are weirdos. They probably spoon on the road.

I thought spooning was only done in Winnepeg. Wild can be glad Harding is having the season of his life. Yes,a lot of poor play again last night.

The Sedin twins are down right creepy. I mean brothers demanding to sign contracts as a package? As grown men?

The Sedins don’t do any shootouts because well they are terrible at shootouts and penalty shots

I guess then maybe they are geniuses knowing that together they are elite, separated they are mediocre.

Harding was just placed on IR for upcoming changes to his MS treatment. Backstrom really needs to step up his game. He has been terrible this year. Hopefully this snaps him out of his funk. We really need Grandlund back to get pominville back scoring too to help Backstrom with some more goals.

I have a feeling they knew that they had to do this at some point a few weeks ago and with the Christmas break coming up it is probably a good time.

In any event I hope the team rallies and Backstrom finds his mojo.

Isn’t it funny how quickly a goaltender can fall off? Backstrom was the toast of the town not so long ago, now we need him to get his mojo back.

2 years ago Lugano was the toast of the league, last year they couldn’t even trade him, couple nights ago he leads his team to the vaunted participation point at the X.

Ah, the life of a goaltender.