Pre/Post Game Minnesota Wild Banter

[knoppers]

the wild continue to win, thats like 5 in row, they are very hot now, its probally a good time to be on this long road trip.

[echotrail]

Their forechecking system has really come together nicely after a learning process. Several goals in recent games have come on turnovers in the other teams end of the rink. I think they will climb fast in the standings in the next month as they seem to have found confidence in the system.

[solbes]

Bruno's like a magician behind the net. No look backhand passes right to the tape. Not the fastest or youngest guy out there, but he continues to make great use of what he has.

I also agree that the newer guys are contributing huge. They've been fun to watch.

[OnAFly]

It's just amazing how Bruno holds onto the puck sometimes. You think he's about to lose it, then he tosses it in between his skates and two seconds later is passing it in front of the net while two guys watch what just happened.

That no looker to Miettinen was pretty stellar.

Lattendresse seems to be doing what the coaching staff was asking Pouliot to do. He goes into the corners, uses his size and fights for every puck within 10 feet of him. If the puck isn't within 10 feet of him, he gets there and tries to make something happen. He just works harder than Pouliot ever did. Gotta love it!

[OnAFly]

How much longer do we have to watch Havlat skate around at half speed? Seriously, the guy needs to take a class called Moving Your Feet 101

[solbes]

Agreed! I think Havlat has about the worst plus/minus on the team.

Remember when we thought we got a player in a similar class as Gabby? Hmm, they are not even close this year. I know there is upside to Havlat, but he needs to start producing now.

[OnAFly]

It seems like he might be a guy who is great when with other greats. When he's with guys of average talent, or guys he doesn't click with, he seems like nothing special. That and he coasts around the whole game. I don't know if he needs a confidence boost or a swift kick in the...

[JimBuck]

I agree with your view's on Havlat. What a coaster! Someone teach this guy how to stop instead of skating circles all game. Last night was pretty painful to watch. Poor officiating and no team chemistry made for an ugly match. That hit that ebbett (I think?) took at the end of the game was pretty brutal. I'd like to see a fine slapped on Jovanovski for that one. It's unfortunate that a good hip check is a dying art form in the nhl lately.

[OnAFly]

No kidding, what a cheap shot. Hopefully the NHL steps up and actually does something about head hits on this one instead of just whining about it and never acting on anything.

Just watched the last couple of seconds of the game while I home over lunch, Fiddler should have gotten an instigator penalty for getting into a fight with Sheppard after Shep and Yandle started pushing each other - this is the definition of the instigator rule. The third man in gets a penalty...if it happens within the last five minutes of the game, it's a one game suspension and the coach gets a $10K fine or something like that.

Refs last night were missing a lot and "seeing" a lot. Oh well, what can you expect in Arizona when it comes to hockey.

[OnAFly]

Jovanovski got a 2 game suspension for putting a guy out for probably a month on a very dirty hit. If that hit is placed against Crosby/Malkin/Ovie/Toews etc... it would have been a lot longer.

The league needs to start putting harsher penalties on players who head hunt and kick out those who repeat (Jovanovski elbow to the head of Gabby couple yeas ago).

He should be given a minimum suspension which should extend as long as the player is out. So say 2 games plus however many the player misses

[Shorelunch]

Does anyone here have Wild ticket connections? I'm looking for four lower level tickets for the 12/26 game vs St. Louis.

You can email jm55304 @ yahoo dot com

[mr_jman]

Sounded like a good win in a 1 - 0 game over the Avs. Seems we have their number this year! Wish the game wasn't on VS so more people, including me!, could have watched it! A couple good ones on the road coming up yet!

[OnAFly]

I watched most of it, we only have one TV and the GF wanted to watch GLEE, which is easily the worst show on TV right now...just terrible.

Overall neither team could really get sustained pressure. Backstrom made some great saves to keep us ahead and both powerplays were off. I think about 3/4 of the game was played in the neutral zone.

I don't know what it is about the Avs, but we've got them figured out this year. Now if we could only figure out teams like LA and Phoenix

[solbes]

Now if we could only figure out teams like LA and Phoenix

And CALGARY!! We never win in their facility, and it kills our playoff standings every year. Phoenix has a hot goaltender (he's on my fantasy team) and LA has some pretty good chemistry this year.

Still happy for the win. I'm sure the Avalanche are as frustrated with us as we are with Calgary, so that makes me grin a little.

[hanronson]

I'm glad we won last night but I wish the Wild would SHOOT THE FRIGGIN PUCK MORE! 17 shots, pathetic. Good thing we have Backstrom.

[OnAFly]

Yeah, being better against Calgary would help us a lot. What do we have, 2 wins in the Saddledome? Ouch! I still have nightmares about that 5-3 loss there one or two seasons ago. Lead 3 nothing after one, lose 5-3!

[Bear55]

Ya Calgary certainly has been having their way with us lately. Maybe this version of the wild will be able to find a way to beat them.

[walleyes12]

I hate when we are playing Calgary!!!!!! Hopefully we can land the first blow this season with a win!

[OnAFly]

Honestly, I think if we want to have a chance, we need to step up the physicality on this team. Calgary has always pushed us around and it's showed in our record of 1-13-1 in the last 15 games played there.

[JimBuck]

1-13-1?!?! Geesh. It certainly doesn't help that a handful of our more physical guys are out with concussions.

Are concussion's the new "groin injury" of the 2009 season? I thought they were going to step up the enforcement on the serious concussion inducing hits?

[knoppers]

It seems like he might be a guy who is great when with other greats. When he's with guys of average talent, or guys he doesn't click with, he seems like nothing special. That and he coasts around the whole game. I don't know if he needs a confidence boost or a swift kick in the...

the problem he has been playing on the 4th line, and a lot with boogard, so he still has to be somewhat slowed down from his injury. our top lines have done very good of late, so its hard to split up the lines.

[OnAFly]

Well, I missed a really good game last night. I hear Kipper completely robbed us of a regulation win, but at least we got two out of it. Too bad Calgary gets one too.

[JimBuck]

Anyone get a chance to watch the game? I heard we won. That's about it.

[walleyes12]

Couldnt find it, not even on my hockey package!!!

[OnAFly]

It was not showed because VERSUS was showing a game and wanted higher ratings on it. I listened to it on the radio...106.1FM, never knew of that station. I always listened to them on 830 when I couldn't watch them.

Sounds like it should have been about 3-0 heading into the second. That Pouls-Latendresse trade is looking like GOLD!