Wild 2014/2015 Regular Season

[CaptainMusky]

Yeo's betting on Vanek to produce

Either way I win tonight!

I wonder if Vanek is betting on the spread? Too soon? LOL

I do have to feel for the guy, he has had more partners in the last year then Jenna Jamison. Hard to get any chemistry that way.

I get that everyone thinks he should be scoring and he should be, but something should be made of his assists. He just hasnt had anyone set HIM up.

IMO this is a must win game. We have been on a skid lately at home and we need to beat another one of the top teams. The Montreal win was nice, but we need to pound the East when given the chance.

The West is even tougher than I thought it was going to be. Who would have predicted Nashville at the top? Not me. Colorado is about where I thought, Dallas is lower than I thought as are we, but dang, these games are all important and its barely December.

[PierBridge]

Doubtful Vanek talked Yeo into that inspite of the media reports. Im sure Yeo has has been thinking about for a while and frankly what else is left for Vaneks nighmare season.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/284979431.html

But yes...Vanek, Grandlund, Parise operating on line #1.

[PierBridge]

Distraction?

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/12/05/thomas-vanek-extortion-bookie/19945173/

[CaptainMusky]

Im sure that has to be weighing on him a bit. Rumblings of this had to be leaking out his way FAR before it ever became public info. Perhaps this is why his performance in the playoffs last year were lackluster?

I personally dont see that much of a problem with his game. Skating wise he is everything I expected. People who are disappointed obviously have never watched him play. This is how he played for the Gophers, Buffalo, Islanders and Montreal before coming here.

That is his style of play.

Now scoring wise I did expect more, but I think being jostled around so much isnt helping.

Say the team was 20% on the PP. I can pretty much guarantee his numbers (especially goals) would be considerably higher. The ineptitude there is what is making more out of this whole controversay if you want to call it that.

If the team was clipping along at 20% on the PP then there wouldnt be a word said about Vanek I am sure.

He's not a grinder, he will never be mentioned in the same breath as someone like Parise because that is not his style, but what he can do with the puck and the vision passing is what separates him. Much of that requires chemistry with the players around you. To this point he hasnt had much. Actually some of the best chemistry he had with Brodziak and Zucker. That was an interesting line combo. Not one I would initially thought but it worked.

[bobberineyes]

Well look on the bright side, he hasn't put the puck in his own net yet, or has he. Let's just hope he's able to keep up with parise and grandlund.

[OnAFly]

I think this will be a tough game. These Isles don't seem to be the same East Coast Punching Bags they have recently been.

Vanek on the top line? He's been there before this year hasn't he? So Pommer on line 2 then? Pommer was getting in trouble getting ahead of the play recently. How's Koivu's lack of speed gonna mesh with that. We'll see how long this lasts.

Also, why the heII is Prosser playing over Folin? Every time Prosser is on the ice I cringe.

[OnAFly]

Prosser literally just passed to an Islander who was right behind out net with no one within 5 feet of him.

Good call on Prosser, Yeo.

We look flat out there.

[CaptainMusky]

Fly I spit out half my beer when I saw that prosser pass! That was so terrible and telegraphed.

Ballard is going to be out a while. His brain is scrambled.

The islanders are surely not the push over they used to be but the wild have looked terrible.

[toughguy]

What a comeback last night. Glad I kept watching through the third. The Ballard hit got the boys riled up.

[CaptainMusky]

Koivu was an absolute beast last night. Best game I've seen him play in years. Solid all around.

[OnAFly]

His goal was vintage Koivu. Strong on the puck, find space in a crowd and gets a shot off. 22 for 30 at the dot too. He was impressive last night.

Good to see Vanek getting a goal and plenty of chances out there. His 1 on 1 with the goalie should have been a goal. He had it but it rolled off his stick. He was good last night for sure.

I've got to be honest, I was surprised the 4th Isles goal at the end of the second didn't completely demotivate the guys for the third. It was a good response to come out and pot 4.

On Ballard's injury, I think the hit was pretty late and needless, but at the same time I think Ballard turned in an awkward way and contributed to the situation. It was just a bad situation all around. I was honestly wondering if he was going to come to before they got him to the hospital. Seeing him move around was a big relief.

[BartmanMN]

Great comeback win last night. All goals but Koivu's, were gritty, dirty, hard work goals. I thought that really showed a lot.

I hope Ballard gets better, however with his concussion history, he will likely be out a very long time.

[CaptainMusky]

On Ballard's injury, I think the hit was pretty late and needless, but at the same time I think Ballard turned in an awkward way and contributed to the situation. It was just a bad situation all around. I was honestly wondering if he was going to come to before they got him to the hospital. Seeing him move around was a big relief.

Agreed 100%. The hit was late, but the injury was caused by how Ballard turned his body. The hit itself wasnt the problem (other than it be terribly late).

I am sure he will be out for a while with that one. He was out cold and with a history of concussions, not a good mix.

[bbfenatic]

Grinding it out and knowing it will take tons of goals with the shaky tending lately is the key. Another character win and huge step in the right direction. Thurs against Sharks will either propel them into the playoff mix or be a step back...if we could go in there and steal one from them on the road it would be back to back big wins and give us the momentum we really need. Huge cred to every player and Brodz stepping in to challenge Martin with the odds of getting beat to a pulp was the turning point IMO.

[Bear55]

Yep need to get the goalies fixed, was hoping Harding would come back on fire and take over but sounds like he had a little setback in the AHL so we will see there.

Hopefully that big comeback win fires them up, time to see what we are made of during this little 3 game road trip.

[mr_jman]

Well what does everyone think of the reffing for the Blackhawks game tonight. Pretty weak and poorly timed hooking call if you ask me.

4 minutes left you let the players decide the game!

[lungdeflator]

I agree on the call, like the commentators said, theres 50 plays like that every single game. It was one of those penalties that you knew they were going to score on.

But again, the Wild shouldn't be putting themselves in this postition game after game. What have they gave up, 15 goals in the last 4-5 games? Comebacks are exciting and fun to watch as a fan, but no way to sustain a winning season and any kind of momentum.

Sounds like the Hawks have a good competition between their backup goalies right now with Crawford down. Maybe they will be willing to part with one haha

[OnAFly]

That was a terrible call and I hope O'Rourke knows it. Like said above, that happens all the time in a game and it's not a penalty at any time.

[PierBridge]

I rarely complain about the officiating but that was a horrible.

The 2nd period killed but thats going to happen against the best team in the league in their house.

Nino goal was sick!

[CaptainMusky]

Nino is a beast. The kid simply amazes me almost every game.

By the book that's a penalty but I agree if they actually called it that tight there would be dozens through the course of the game.

It would be nice to have all our our d corp together for our first 31 games like the hawks have. I think its been only 3 games for wild or something crazy like that.

[blue_healer_guy]

Pretty sick of excuses from within with this team, finish games.

[BuckSutherland]

Pretty sick of excuses from within with this team, finish games.

Agree 100%.

Yeo needs to go and they need to get a goalie in here for the next 10 years. Seems like we give up 1 goal and you can be sure the next one is only a couple mins behind. They are gonna be lucky to make the playoffs, and that is pretty freakin sad.

[schmitty3]

Tough one tonight, puck just didn't go our way. Had to of hit the post at least 4 or 5 times. That said the puck was in our own zone the entire ot period, it was just a matter of time before Boston put one in.

Vanek seems to play hard when he wants, it's pathetic watching him out there sometimes. Almost as pathetic as watching our goalies give up soft goals game after game after game.

[broodwich]

Agree 100%.

Yeo needs to go and they need to get a goalie in here for the next 10 years. Seems like we give up 1 goal and you can be sure the next one is only a couple mins behind. They are gonna be lucky to make the playoffs, and that is pretty freakin sad.

I know right! Finding a franchise goalie is easy! And hiring a legendary coach is even easier!

[bbfenatic]

Tough one tonight, puck just didn't go our way. Had to of hit the post at least 4 or 5 times. That said the puck was in our own zone the entire ot period, it was just a matter of time before Boston put one in.

Vanek seems to play hard when he wants, it's pathetic watching him out there sometimes. Almost as pathetic as watching our goalies give up soft goals game after game after game.

I totally agree on Vanek...I swear sometimes he looks more like he is just in the way out there, looks overweight and slow. As far as posts being hit that is no excuse IMO, we had many opportunities (many more than Boston) and could not find the back of the net. It seems like our better chances are when the D moves in and gets more involved offensively instead of guarding the blue line so we should do more of that IMO and the PP is almost laughable. Tough to win on the road so losing at home is very concerning.