Most teams throw out the same guys. They practice it, so I assume they know who is the most likely to be successful.
Crawford did have a beat on Koivu’s backhand. I think most goalies have that scouting report on him and they still have a hard time stopping it.
Koivu needs to change than move at least one time and go back to the forehand to keep em guessing… Parise’s shot was unlucky and hit the handle of the goalie stick, not exactly sure what Pommer was trying to do, maybe go 5 hole? With our shootout record atrocious the last what 8 times, it might be good to change the lineup up a bit, Coyle, Spurgeon and Granlund both have deke crazy moves…
When asked about why he keeps using it, Koivu said “It works”. It’s kind of hard to argue.
I can’t stand players who go down and don’t make a move and just try sniping it. I guess if it is there, it’s not a bad play, but I like to at least see a guy make the goalie move.
Rolston’s shoot out attempts were pretty exciting. You knew he was just going to wind up and take a slapper. That isn’t sarcasm either.
The Wild are playing like they will need to in the playoffs. Defensively sound hockey.
How about the Bryz!
Good win. I thought it was one of those game where we let them hang around all game when we should have put them away. Thanks to Bryzy, he kept the jets out of the net. They were sure hammering it hard on us in the third. Im going to the game tonight, I hope we can take a couple points from the bruins. GO WILD
Wallster ><((((>
Offense looked a little tired last night, but Coyle’s play continues to be good. And 1 was all they needed with Bryzgalov denying everything the Jets threw at him. And taunting the crowd while he’s at it! So two shutouts in a row AND an a GAA and SP below 1. Wow. Give us more of that action going into the playoffs.
Also, I hope the Wild’s defensive play continues. Look at the Pens game and they really denied the Pens any high quality shots. They let Bryz see the shots and cleaned up the few rebounds that he allowed.
So basically the Wild sealed the deal last night. The Coyotes would have to win all 4 remaining games AND score >13 goals in the process. Good luck.
I have the St. Louis game on Thrusday. Hope the Wild aren’t two gassed from the heavy schedule. If Bryz keeps playing the way he has and the Wild keep up the solid D, they can frustrate the offense of Boston and St. Louis, the Wild can make it tough on any team.
Grouse
It seems like they are playing their best hockey now from top to bottom. The last 2 minutes and all of overtime reminded me of the first 8-10 games when they were playing a fast paced, aggressive game and not being rewarded much.
How about Haula? Looks like the best player on the ice.
Haula is definitely making sure that second line does not miss a beat without Granlund. I also like how he stood up for Bryz. In fact, the whole team seems to be sticking up for each other and getting a little mean streak like Cooke and Nino tonight.
The playoffs have made a lot of players and put them on the national scene. We have 4 or 5 that could fill that role. Right now Coyle and Haula are front runners, but any of them could step up.
I cant belive Yeo keeps putting Mikko Koivu In the shootouts hes just going to do that back hand move that beat the best team in hockey and clinched the playoffs for us tonight. 
On a side note after attending the game tonite its quite apparent that Fontaine physically, mentally due to in-expirence cant play NHL defense. The goals are a nice feel good story but there is a lot more to the game then that. Particularly in the playoffs.
I thought Yeo played outstanding again tonight.. 
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Koivu needs to change than move at least one time and go back to the forehand to keep em guessing…
So how do you feel about Koivu’s backhand shootout shot today, Joe? I’m totally with you, I was saying change it up, but last night he showed why it works. It’s not possible for a goaltender to stop that elevated shot if Koivu can get in close. They can’t reach up at that steep of an angle to block that shot.
Wow. What an effort by the Wild. Yes, the pundits will say the Bruins were takin’ it easy having nothing to prove in this game. Whatever. The Bruins were getting their [censored] kicked in that overtime and they were trying every which way from Sunday to try to avoid losing. If they were dogging it early, by the OT they were fighting it tooth and claw. The Wild won that game outright, no matter what the east-loving pundints say.
Coyle! I love him. That toe pass in the OT period was a great sign of the player he’s become. If you don’t play him like he’s a top gun threat, he’ll burn your buttski. Boston got a good taste of that last night and it almost cost them the game.
The Wild are bringing it on at the right time and I just want to say congrats for winning the Wildcard spot outright rather than sliding sideways into it based on the Coyotes losing.
I’m afraid the big hurdle the Wild need to clear now is Yeo’s inexperience and hurkey-jerky leadership. The downside to NOT firing Yeo at the Olympic break is that now they have to win in spite of him during the stretch drive.
Hopefully Parise, Cooke, and some of the other vets who have real experience can lead team with what it takes to WIN in the playoffs instead of just showing up to get hammered.
The #1 issue will be keeping Bryzgalov focused because there’s only one horse to ride from here on in. The #2 issue will be avoiding going into a no-goal funk where they can’t find the back of the net more than once a game.
The Wild could really set the tone AND play a little spoiler tomorrow with St. Louis in town. Looks like the Blues took a few nights off when they shouldn’t have and now the Avs are smelling blood in the water… Well, well, well…
Man, this is exciting.
Grouse
Grouse
Cullen??? 
just kiddin ya!!
I wish we still had Cullen. 
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Koivu needs to change than move at least one time and go back to the forehand to keep em guessing…
So how do you feel about Koivu’s backhand shootout shot today, Joe?
Wow. What an effort by the Wild. Yes, the pundits will say the Bruins were takin’ it easy having nothing to prove in this game. Whatever. The Bruins were getting their [censored] kicked in that overtime and they were trying every which way from Sunday to try to avoid losing. If they were dogging it early, by the OT they were fighting it tooth and claw. The Wild won that game outright, no matter what the east-loving pundints say.
Coyle! I love him. That toe pass in the OT period was a great sign of the player he’s become. If you don’t play him like he’s a top gun threat, he’ll burn your buttski. Boston got a good taste of that last night and it almost cost them the game.
The Wild are bringing it on at the right time and I just want to say congrats for winning the Wildcard spot outright rather than sliding sideways into it based on the Coyotes losing.
I’m afraid the big hurdle the Wild need to clear now is Yeo’s inexperience and hurkey-jerky leadership. The downside to NOT firing Yeo at the Olympic break is that now they have to win in spite of him during the stretch drive.
Hopefully Parise, Cullen , and some of the other vets who have real experience can lead team with what it takes to WIN in the playoffs instead of just showing up to get hammered.
The #1 issue will be keeping Bryzgalov focused because there’s only one horse to ride from here on in. The #2 issue will be avoiding going into a no-goal funk where they can’t find the back of the net more than once a game.
The Wild could really set the tone AND play a little spoiler tomorrow with St. Louis in town. Looks like the Blues took a few nights off when they shouldn’t have and now the Avs are smelling blood in the water… Well, well, well…
Man, this is exciting.
Grouse
Grouse
Ooops. Wrong Matt, of course. Meant Matt Cooke, not Cullen and of course referring to his payoff experience with the Pens.
Yes, I wish we still had Cullen as well.
Grouse
Yeo has playoff experience with the Pens. Just saying… 
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The Wild could really set the tone AND play a little spoiler tomorrow with St. Louis in town. Looks like the Blues took a few nights off when they shouldn’t have and now the Avs are smelling blood in the water… Well, well, well…
John Curry will probably be in net (Russo’s guess), so that will be quite the task, although the defense will probably tighten up even more.
More interesting will be seeing how Christian Folin plays in an NHL level game. He likely will play.
Backes is out, so we don’t have to deal with that jerkface. 
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Yeo has playoff experience with the Pens. Just saying…
Yeah, and going on a cruise gives you the experience to be the captain of the cruise ship. Sorry, but every coach in the NHL has, at one time or another, has probably been with some team that did something in the playoffs. That’s not the same as being the guy calling the shots.
Not sure what kind of a game we’re going to see tonight. St. Louis is going to come out hell bent to win, not sure the Wild will be in the same mode having sealed the deal against Boston.
And I’ll be missing the Gophs vs ND. Ouch. Granted, there’s probably only a small chance they’ll get into a fight, but still.
Grouse
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Yeo has playoff experience with the Pens. Just saying…
Yeah, and going on a cruise gives you the experience to be the captain of the cruise ship.
Wait now. The people going on the cruise are the fans. Yeo would be the Chief Officer 
I sure hope the stars and planets align and they make some noise! They sure look good as of late.
But, will we get a fresh thread for the play-offs Pug?
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Yeo has playoff experience with the Pens. Just saying…
Yeah, and going on a cruise gives you the experience to be the captain of the cruise ship.
Wait now. The people going on the cruise are the fans. Yeo would be the Chief Officer
Now stop that. You know that Yeo must go.
Grouse
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But, will we get a fresh thread for the play-offs Pug?
I was just going to ask the same thing.
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Koivu needs to change than move at least one time and go back to the forehand to keep em guessing…
So how do you feel about Koivu’s backhand shootout shot today, Joe?
Lol, I knew that was coming…wasn’t he like 0-4 the last 4 shootouts before that though? He used to change it up and go back to the forehand a few years back, it takes the perfect shot to go in and he made it the other night so kudos, if he missed or the save was made, we’d be having a different conversation I’d really like them to try Coyle and Granlund every once in a while, they are shootout specialists and have some unstoppable moves. That’s the one thing I hate about Yeo, he’s so adverse to change… I’m excited to see what Folin shows the next few games, he could really cement our blueline the next few years if he’s all they say he is..
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…it takes the perfect shot to go in…
Um, isn’t that true of every shootout attempt?
He’s got decent shootout stats. Anything above 33% is good. The reason that move is good is because he can pull it off so quick. And he’s done it over and over, so he has perfected the pace coming in and the timing. He’s confident with it, so its a good reason to stick with it.
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Now stop that. You know that Yeo must go.
Grouse
A couple weeks back when it was dicey, I said he needed to reach the conference finals. I’ll back off of that now. Certainly laying an egg in the first round will probably do him in. But I don’t think the finals is a requirement.
Put it this way. Lets say they played the Blues in round one and they take them to game seven and are in every game. Say every game is decided by one point with several OTs. That might be anough to keep his job.
I don’t know. We’ll see what Fletch thinks I guess. I’d be fine either way, provided they don’t poop the bed in the first round.
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But, will we get a fresh thread for the play-offs Pug?
I was just going to ask the same thing.
This thread got quite active. I might have to split it up into 4 or 5 threads for the playoffs.
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…it takes the perfect shot to go in…
Um, isn’t that true of every shootout attempt?He’s got decent shootout stats. Anything above 33% is good. The reason that move is good is because he can pull it off so quick. And he’s done it over and over, so he has perfected the pace coming in and the timing. He’s confident with it, so its a good reason to stick with it.
No it’s not, making a quick backhand shot like that takes perfection, there’s plenty of room for error with other shots, there’s a reason he missed his last 3 or 4 before the other night..
Room for error? You get one chance, one shot.
I think the Twins should give the Wild fans their beer during the playoffs 
Gundy
I cannot believe the Wild won tonight.
I was at the game and poor Curry making his first start and absolutely getting shelled. Wild gave up 45 shots on goal and still got the win! How? I’ll never know.
Curry gets the man of the match award and then some.
St. Louis was giving it everything they had but somehow the Wild held it together and won ugly.
Then getting home in time to see the Gophs win was the icing on the cake.
Grouse
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