Wild Regular Season 2017-18

[bear555]

Wow the avs just own us this season, getting a taste of what it felt like to kick their butts all those years. Thankfully we are done with them for the season. Spurgeon going down with what looked like a serious injury could hurt us bad the rest of the way. We still have some depth back there but we will need a lot of Seeler, Olofson & Prosser the rest of the way. Hopefully Zucker is ok too, man what a train wreck of a game, Dubs looked terrible as well.

[bear555]

Spurgie out minimum of 4 weeks with a partial hamstring tear, sort of good news but still terrible news. We have that murphy kid who looked ok with brogan earlier this year. Lets hope he and the others are up for the challenge. 

[knoppers]

here comes the tough games, vegas tonight, whom we beat at home, and the tougher game against a last place coyotes tomorrow who we are 0-1-1 against the year. I will say it again, we need 3 points this weekend, all the teams on our tail are winning.

[knoppers]

I work nights, so don't see any weekday games, but of the weekend games I have seen, tonight was the best of the year.

[bear555]

Yep nice to win a couple on the road, nice 5 point cushion on the Stars and Kings who are fighting for that last playoff spot. Still need to keep getting points and we should be fine even with an average record. 

[bear555]

Standings are shaking out nice, right now it looks like Calgary is done along with Dallas and the Blues on the outside looking in. We have a nice 6 point cushion on Dallas so stay ahead of them and the Blues and we are in. We also play Dallas twice so even splitting would be fine. 

[hoppe56307]

Hopefully they come out and make a statement on Saturday against the Preds.

[bear555]

They should be well rested. 

[bbfenatic]

I think these next 2 games....even though they are at home...will give us a glimpse on how they will fair come playoff time.  A little too inconsistent for me to be hopeful they can make a deep run...and quite frankly I think Stalock is more stable in the net than Dubs and how the tending goes so goes the team....especially in the playoffs.

[bear555]

In a strange way we have been very consistent all year, no really big hot or cold streaks which is very unusual for us and maybe a good thing. After the slow start and injuries we have been just as good as Winnepeg and close to Nashville before they went on their insane hot streak. I kind of have a better feeling about this year than last year when we ended the year trying to get out of a slump. 

[bear555]

Well should be a very interesting run into the end of the season. Preds, Bruins, Preds, Stars, Stars, Oil, Ducks, Kings, Sharks. The only positives I see are Dallas is in a free fall and pretty much done, Oilers have been playing better and beating us lately so that is no easy game. I think 8 points should be plenty to get us in but it would still be better to end the season in a comfortable position. Have to keep an eye on the Blues too, they have been winning again and just past up Dallas. Some tough back to backs too, Pred/Bruins and Ducks/Kings. Fun time of year!!!
 

[bear555]

Man wish this kid was playing for us right now, he could easily replace Ennis in the top 9. Scored the gold medal winner and out scored Kovalchuk in the process. Sound like he is coming over, just wish it was sooner. Don't know if he will be a star but certainly a 5th round gem of a draft pick. http://www.eliteprospects.com/article.php?id=291

[bear555]

Well nothing wrong with 3 of 4 points against the Preds and Bruins, still the Preds are in a mini slump and Bruins missing 5 starters. Just keep getting points any way possible. 

[hoppe56307]

Happy with 3 out of 4 as well.  They had some chances but man Rask is large presence in the net, almost have to get him in the crappie flop to get one by him, like Koivu did.

[bbfenatic]

Agree...it was a good weekend...and now with Greenway coming on board we may get to move Ennis to the stands.

[hoppe56307]

Excited what Greenway can bring to this team.  Hopefully he gets put on the same line as Cullen and Coyle.  

[bear555]

Sound like he will be with Coyle and Cullen, I'd like to think he can't be worse than Ennis but you never know who can jump in and be ready vs needing a few years. Still should be fun to see what he can do, Greenway and the way Coyle has been playing lately could be a heck of a duo crashing around the ice. 

Ek might be fun between those guys too but our 4th line has kind of been playing really well lately. 

[bear555]

Suter broken leg, Spurgie still down and 4 games to the playoffs. Adversity yada yada yada... Step up time yada yada... 

One win should kind of get us in but man this was the year of the injury bug kicking our butts. 

[bear555]

Avs lost varlamov for the season so that might ease any chance they had to catch us in the last 4 games. 

[bear555]

Well we clinched and may have also locked ourselves in with the Jets. Saw on another site we are like 96% odds to face them in the first round, we would have to lose all games in regulation and a bunch of other stuff would have to happen for us to drop to the 1st wildcard. 

[bbfenatic]

With or without Suter I don't like our chances against the Jets....unless Dubs stands on his head...1st goal in these games is crucial.

[bear555]

Ya not looking good, we certainly don't want to get into a shootout with them but they are still a little weak on the back end. Dubs has looked good lately, he will need to steal some games. If we can get Spurgeon back and get Murphy on the bench we have a little more hope but we will still need Seeler, Prosser and maybe Soucy to play out of their minds. I have not liked Murphy at all lately. At least the kids on D have a few games to prepare. 

[bear555]

Looks like we are locked in with the Jets for round one. Call me crazy but despite Suter going down I think we might just pull off the upset, no clue how that's exactly going to happen but it's just a feeling. Dubs is playing well, team has been great 2nd half of the year but still flying under the radar. Time to embrace the underdog role & maybe get some puck luck along the way. 

[bbfenatic]

Jets in 6

[bear555]

More than likely bb they are just too good up front and we have big questions on the back end. Still every playoffs has their upsets, no one thought the sharks or preds were going on cup runs the last couple of years so you just never know when things are going to click for us. Dubs will have to find a level of play we have maybe seen once or twice before, not to mention others stepping up.