Let's Go Wild!

Wow!
DT

Sad to see the pk steak end.

Dallas lost their legs there on the the second night of a back to back. It was nice to see the Wild return the favor of the 7-1 loss by pouring it on, instead of just playing it safe.

With Miller getting hurt for Vancouver,they along with Winnipeg and Calgary are in real danger of falling out of a playoff spot.

It be nice if the wild kept this up and we’re able to over take Chicago eventually.

Before Doobs, it was hard to name a handful of guys who played good in any given game. Now its hard to name a guy who had a bad game. They all seem to be coming together.

Last night for example, Folin is in replacing Spurgeon and set up Parise with a beauty of a play and pass. Checking forward Veilleux scores his first of the year. Matt Dumba pots one on the second PP unit. Vanek with several chances. And outside from the scoring, all the players were winning battles and playing great defense.

I keep forgetting the trade deadline is coming up. It should be interesting to see what happens there. We got Pominville and Moulson the last 2 years? I don’t see us making a big move. Russo seems to think a depth defenseman and maybe a depth forward. The problem is that the market is tough and he says 6 teams are sellers, the rest are buyers.

mplspug wrote:

It be nice if the wild kept this up and we’re able to over take Chicago eventually.

Well, it’d be nice, but I want to just catch the Jets first.

The Wild are going to have to win some tough games coming up. We’ve got Nashville this week and the Avs aren’t going to just roll over despite their position in the standings.

And that just sets up March. We need to play the Nashville, Ducks, the Blues x2, Islanders, LA and Calgary. We could pull even with the Jets or even the Hawks, but it could all go in the crapper very quickly if we don’t keep winning some big ticket games in March.

In other news, Bryz is back on the market. He got put on waivers yesterday. Backup to the backup?

Grouse

Grouse

mplspug wrote:

I didn’t think I needed to defend yeo. So no.

But since we are no the subject, I’ve watched a lot of away broadcasts and when they bring up people were calling for him to be fired, everyone says that is crazy.

I don’ think Yeo is responsible for them losing, as I’ve said many times. The coach creates the conditions to make more wins possible.

That seems like a contradiction to me.

It is funny how when they’re losing it’s the coach and when they’re winning it’s the players.
Although the turnaround does seem to coincide with signing Doobers.

Do the Wild hit a bump in the road tonight? Sometimes you reach a “goal” or progress to a point where you mentally have a pause. Fortunately we are playing the Oilers, – Yakupov and – Taylor Hall. Still you never know. The Wild best jump on them with an early lead instead of floundering into the 3rd.

Russo had a cool link to an article by Igor Larionov

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/miracle-on-ice-hockey-russia/

Nothing to do with the article, but as an Avs fan in the 90s I hated the Redwings, but I was saddened when I found Konstantinov suffered career ending, and more importantly life altering injuries in that limo accident.

Yup, that’s what I thought might happen. The good thing is it is the Oilers and not the Predators, so you have a chance to wake up.

Not to big on the Bergenheim trade, mostly because I think a 3rd is too high for a guy I don’t expect to see much ice time. Its a depth move and I don’t see him playing unless there is an injury or someone is in Yeo’s seldom used doghouse.

But we’ll see what some other guys end up being traded for. I guess jumping out ahead of the deadline you avoid some mark up, but a 3rd rounder for a guy scratched 6 games and demanding a trade.

Haula having a good game. Parise, not so much. Maybe the trade is resonating with Haula who was oft scratched earlier in the year.

Pouliot having the best game. Besides the goal, he broke up the nice Vanek pass.

I think the Wild will pull this one out. The Oilers are keeping their head above water and the Wild are pressing while still playing sound defense.

Well that’s a shame. Especially since Whinypeg won. The effort was there those final 2 periods, but I thought the passing was a little off at times. I am really surprised they didn’t get at least one more.

I had a feeling before the game even started that we were going to drop this one.

A real crap shoot on that Bergenheim trade, he should be fresh ready to go so hopefully he can bring something to the team.

And that, ladies and germs, is what it technically known as “not finding the back of the net”.

Agree with Out_Fishing, I didn’t have a good feeling going in. I just had a feeling that they were due to hit a flat spot, but when they tied it up at 1-1, I was hoping…

Next game is the real deal. Wild better find a way to get up for Nashvegas. Time to bring it all to the table, if you can’t beat teams like the Preads on a one game basis, there’s no sense talking a lot about the playoffs.

Grosue

The crowd was, shall we say, “Restless” last night. They drop one game and you’d swear some people were ready to overturn cars and loot stores. Settle down people, You’re going to be okay.

Pretty fired up for tonights game. Like Grouse said, they have be impressive against the quality teams.
Maybe I’m putting too much weight on it but man I wish Zucker was playing.

I think everyone misses Zucker. He’s going to be a special player. Once he starts getting #1 PP time, he’ll be a 30 goal scorer, probably not a stretch to say he has a chance at 40. PP time is where the top goal scorers “pad” their stats. For a good player the PP is worth 7-10 extra goals a year.

I don’t have a good feeling about tonights game. The preds are just that good now with Rinne back this year. If they win it is 2 huge points. They are 26-3-1 at home. Good luck boys.

Bergenhiem-Koivu-Vanek?

Odd. I don’t see that line gelling.

Wowzers. Very impressed. Finally a lucky break with the goalie pulled.

Big win on the road!

mplspug wrote:

Bergenhiem-Koivu-Vanek?
<P></P>
<P>Odd. I don’t see that line gelling. </P>

I actually didnt mind the idea. Get him on a top line sets the tone hes here to contribute vs playing on the 3-4 line.

Big win for sure has to increase their confidence that they can play with anyone.

I missed the 1st period and watched the 2nd period in a bar so I really couldnt tell how he looked. Does he have anything to contribute or is he going to be another bust like Molsen?

He played decent. I guess I have always thought of him as a little above average. I really like the line combinations now, especially when you look at their roles.

I wouldn’t call Moulson a bust. He had a rough playoff, but was playing hurt with a hernia or shoulder injury.

mplspug wrote:

Bergenhiem-Koivu-Vanek?
Odd. I don’t see that line gelling.

Pugster! You of all people questioning the coaching genius of Mike Yeo? #neverthoughtIdseetheday Where should I send you your official “Yeo Must Go!” t-shirt?

Both of the wild’s recent adds, Bergenhiem and Schroeder looked good last night. I’m hoping Bergenhiem’s playoff scoring could be OUR playoff scoring, I heard something like 10 goals in 12 games or something?

Really impressive game last night. The Wild were mentally tough and the 4th line play last night was awesome. Haula, Brodz, Fontaine were just all over the Preads for every minute they were on the ice, they didn’t give them one second of coasting out there. The Preads didn’t have a matchup for the 4 line, you could just see them scrambling trying to keep up.

Last night was what I hope the Playoff Wild would look like if they can make it. When the big guns are evenly matched, have the 3 and 4 lines that are dangerous all the time. That’s how they beat the Avs last year. Play 60 minutes and run the other team into the ground trying to defend the depth.

One last note, holy cr@p Preads fans. Suter left. Get over it. Really? 3 years later and you’re still booing the guy for half the game? You’re just looking like a bunch of a-holes, even the NBC announcers picked up on it and are mocking you. One of the announcers said, “I wonder how many of these Nashville fans who are booing Suter would have turned down $95 million just to stay in Nashville?”

Grouse

I said the same thing to my bros last night about the booing. I said watch, next thing they’ll be doing the wave. Some things the crowd does really annoys me, but I guess if you pay the money, you have the right. As long as they realize it is falling on deaf ears.

Its like when I see the sieve chant at an NHL game. And I’m peaked in high school NHL fans.

Man, doobs stock is really rising.

…and our goalie situation looks bleak for next year.

Nice to see Colorado become unhinged realizing the Wild basically eliminated them from the playoffs this year after eliminating the divisional Champs last year.

Too bad the refs didn’t call the instigator at the end. Should be a suspension and a fine for Roy and that Bush league crap at the end.

The Avs are quickly becoming one of the biggest bush league violators in the whole NHL. Once again the refs lay an egg and allow continual violations right under their noses with no call. I LOVED the punch to the back of Vanek’s head with the ref 10 feet away and no call.

And I’d really like the league to clear up cross checking. Apparently, the NHL referees have been told there are two types of cross-checking, one of which is not a penalty. Apparently, you can cross check at will as long as you do it to the opposing players back and that player is NOT handling the puck. When did this become legal, because the Avs were doing it all night long, right in front of the refs.

Have to credit the Wild with not becoming drawn into this kind of pathetic crap. The Wild are all business and not getting pulled off track by these amateur antics is exactly the way a playoff team needs to play,

Also nice to hear that Landeskog got his @ss handed to him by Shea Weber 2 games before the Wild played them.

Grouse

I fully expect a complete meltdown by Roy before the end of the season. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is next Sunday.

Good to see everybody hitting on all cylinders. They have been flying around the ice which is the type of hockey I like. I really worry what would happen if Parise got hurt for any length of time right now. They are playing well but…….

LOL, I keep forgetting it is trade deadline day. Wild will pick up a bottom 2 defenseman…

Dutchboy wrote:

I really worry what would happen if Parise got hurt for any length of time right now. They are playing well but…….

Don’t be the typical Minnesota fan who fears success

I actually had the same thought, that what if someone gets hurt, but I am not too worried, even if it is Parise. Multiple injuries is another deal.

My only injury fear is…I’m not even going to say his name. I still fear the jinx.

All 4 lines are set up exactly as they need to be. I think should we make the playoffs, that fourth line could be huge if they continue to play this way and for the last 2 years they have been better end of season/post season players.