Minnesota Wild (1-2)

2.00 Goals For (12th)

3.00 Goals Against (11th)

0.0% Power Play (16th)

88.9% Penalty Kill (5th)

Top 3 Scorers:

1. #7 Matt Cullen ~ 0G 3A = 3pts

2. #22 Cal Clutterbuck ~ 1G 1A = 2pts

3. #96 Pierre-Marc Bouchard ~ 1G 1A = 2pts

Top PIM's:

1. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 8 PIM's

Top TOI:

1. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 32:42

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #37 Josh Harding (1-2) 2.41GAA  .928%SP

Vs.

Chicago Blackhawks (2-1)

3.00 Goals For (6th)

2.00 Goals Against (6th)

11.1% Power Play (12th)

100% Penalty Kill (1st)

Top 3 Scorers:

1. #88 Patrick Kane ~ 0G 5A = 5pts

2. #10 Patrick Sharp ~ 2G 1A = 3pts

3. #2 Duncan Keith ~ 1G 2A = 3pts

Top PIM's:

1. #27 Johnny Oduya ~ 6 PIM's

Top TOI:

1. #2 Duncan Keith ~ 24:05

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #50 Corey Crawford (2-1)  1.81GAA  .935%SP

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"You've got a way to keep me on your side, you give me cause for love I can not hide, For you know I'd even try to turn the tide, because your mine, I walk the line" are the lyrics to Johnny Cash's famous song I Walk the Line.  Right now the Wild are walking a fine line between having a chance and playoff oblivion.  After their most recent loss, a 5-2 defeat on Friday night the Wild have dug for themselves a 2-0 series deficit against a team many experts believe are destined for a Stanley Cup showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Wild have to use the advantage of a home crowd to their full effect in order to stem the tide and turn this back in the series, let alone lift their flagging level of confidence.  Minnesota has struggled to win games at home in the 2nd half of the regular season and with a bit better performance at home with a few wins against opponents like Edmonton and Calgary the Wild could hace avoided having toplay Chicago in the first round altogether.  That is all water under the bridge now.  It may all come down to how tough the Wild make it on Chicago.  Defensively the Wild were more solid in Game 1 by the fact they did not give up the blueline real easy, as they confronted Chicago on their zone entries and causing the Blackhawks to go offsides numerous times.  

The Wild must find a way to make the power play count as they have yet to find the back of the net on the man advantage.  Back in 2003, it was the Wild's power play which punished Colorado and Vancouver consistently when they took penalties which made up for their struggles to score 5-on-5.  If Minnesota is to have a chance, the power play must be a strength and not the liability it has been so far (no goals, with one shorthanded goal for Chicago).  So will the Wild make a statement this afternoon with a victory over the Blackhawks or will they find themselves a little closer to that oblivion line I referred to earlier?  

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Minnesota Wild (0-2)

1.50 Goals For (13th)

3.50 Goals For (14th)

0% Power Play (16th)

85.7% Penalty Kill (8th)

Top 3 Scorers:

1. #7 Matt Cullen ~ 0G 2A = 2pts

2. #6 Marco Scandella ~ 1G 0A = 1pt

3. #10 Devin Setoguchi ~ 1G 0A = 1pt

Top PIM's:

1. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 8 PIM's

Top TOI:

1. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 35:52

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #37 Josh Harding (0-2)  2.65GAA  .929%SP

Vs.

Chicago Blackhawks (2-0)

3.50 Goals For (3rd)

1.50 Goals Against (4th)

14.3% Power Play (8th)

100% Penalty Kill (1st)

Top 3 Scorers:

1. #88 Patrick Kane ~ 0G 3A = 3pts

2. #10 Patrick Sharp ~ 2G 0A = 2pts

3. #29 Bryan Bickell ~ 2G 0A = 2pts

Top PIM's:

1. Six players tied with 2 PIM's

Top TOI:

1. #32 Michael Roszival ~ 23:42

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #50 Corey Crawford (2-0)  1.31GAA  .945%SP

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There is a saying that adversity reveals character.  Does a team crumble under it, does it let affect their play?  The Wild revealed a lot of character with the way the team rallied around backup goaltender Josh Harding after Niklas Backstrom hurt himself during pre-game warm ups just minutes before the team's first playoff game in 5 years.  The Wild made no excuses, despite the fact the Harding had played just 3 times in the regular season and hadn't had a start in a month.  The result was the fact the Wild came within one crossbar from winning Game One.  Yet close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.  No one is going to feel sorry for the Wild for its current rash of injury woes.  So another test stands before the team.  No Backstrom, No Jason Pominville, No Clayton Stoner.  No problem?  

The Chicago Blackhawks are hoping to tighten their grip on the series.  Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville seemed to almost chaffe at the question about the inability of his team to exploit the Wild's adversity in a bigger way even implying he felt his club was "too easy" on the Wild.  That will make for some good locker room fodder.  It is tough to believe the Wild have a realistic shot at coming back in this series if they don't win tonight.  So will the Wild rise to the occasion and even the series or will Chicago make the climb that much more difficult?

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Minnesota Wild (0-1)

1.00 Goals For (10th)

2.00 Goals Against (12th)

0% Power Play (16th)

66.7% Penalty Kill (9th)

Top 2 Scorers:

1. #22 Cal Clutterbuck ~ 1G 0A = 1pt

2. #4 Clayton Stoner ~ 0G 1A = 1pt

Top PIM's:

3 players tied with 2 PIM's (Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Tom Gilbert)

TOI Leader:

#20 Ryan Suter ~ 41:08

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #37 Josh Harding (0-1)  1.56GAA  .946%SP

Vs.

Chicago Blackhawks (1-0)

2.00 Goals For (5th)

1.00 Goals Against (8th)

33.3% Power Play (3rd)

100% Penalty Kill (1st)

Top 2 Scorers:

1. #81 Marian Hossa ~ 1G 0A = 1pt

2. #29 Bryan Bickell ~ 1G 0A = 1pt

Top PIM's:

4 players tied with 2 PIM's (Johnny Oduya, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith, Michal Rozsival)

TOI Leader:

#32 Michal Rozsival ~ 27:11

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #50 Corey Crawford (1-0)  .78GAA  .963%SP

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"They tell you they love you, like a spider loves a fly, promise you that you're safe but never look you in the eye, manipulated, regulated, crippled and controlled, Remember this, you're not alone, you're not alone you're not alone, Come on, can you hear it?  The call of the Wild, Stand up now and fight back, Wipe off their plastic smiles.  Why listen to the losers who still treat you like a child, better find another station and tune in to the call of the Wild" are the lyrics to the German rock band Die Toten Hosen's song Call of the Wild.  This was sort of the unofficial anthem for the Wild back during the 2003 playoff run that took the team to the Western Conference Finals.  For the last few weeks the Wild have made commercials, highlighting some of the memorable moments of that run; Richard Park's Game 6 goal against Colorado and of course the Andrew Brunette goal in Game 7 that not only finished off Patrick Roy's career but vanquished the Avalanche as well.  The theme of the commercials is that its time to make some new playoff memories.  They're right.  It was a decade ago when that memorable playoff run occurred.  The experts are not expecting much from Minnesota, but who could blame them.  A bottom 1/3rd offense against a team that combines and overpowering offense and a stifling defense.  Sounds like a no brainer right?  

The Wild have to focus on their own game and not worry about the things that are beyond its control.  If last season taught NHL afficionados anything its not as much about what you did in the regular season, as it is about who gets hot during the playoffs.  The 8th seeded Kings not only won the Stanley Cup but they dominated their opponents.  Their 'quiet' bottom 1/3rd in the league offense caught fire and seemed to be more than enough to beat just about anyone.  Even some of the Blackhawks believe the Wild have it in them to surprise, including Patrick Kane who told reporters, "It's a dangerous team, you definitely have to be careful with them.  They're a team I've watched throughout the year, and it seems like one night that they look like the best team in the NHL and the next night they look like the don't want to be there."  Interesting observation and I think a fair amount of Wild fans would agree with Kane's assessment.  So it really comes down to which team shows up in this series let alone this game.  Which one will it be, the team that looks like the best in the NHL or the one that doesn't want to be there? 

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Back in 1991 there was Minnesota hockey team that just barely made the playoffs.  They were the North Stars and since they just barely made it they were 'lucky' enough to draw the top seeded team in the Campbell Conference in arch rival Chicago Blackhawks.  The Blackhawks were anchored by one of the best forwards in the NHL in Jeremy Roenick, as well as Steve Larmer, Dirk Graham and Michel Goulet.  On the blueline the Blackhawks had the league's top defenseman in Chris Chelios and Doug Wilson as well as one of the elite netminders of his day in Ed Belfour.  The Blackhawks were tough, fast, and possessed great depth.  No one gave Minnesota a chance, they were said to be overmatched and not nearly explosive enough to beat Chicago.  The North Stars were a team that was noted for its inconsistency in the regular season but that all changed in the playoffs as they used a wicked power play and some outstanding goaltending the toppled the mighty Blackhawks in just 6 games on route to a miraculous run to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Enjoy this little trip down memory lane.  

Much the same thing happened with a certain Minnesota Wild team back in 2003.  The 3rd year Wild surprised everyone by making the playoffs with a collection of 3rd liners and one budding star player in Marian Gaborik.  No expert felt the Wild who had one of the league's worst offenses had a chance against the ridiculously talented Colorado Avalanche who boasted Hall of Famers Joe Sakic, Rob Blake and goaltender Patrick Roy not to mention Milan Hejduk and Peter Forsberg.  When the Avalanche got out to a 3-1 series lead it was supposed to be all over.  Wild fans know what happened next.  The Wild rallied back and pulled off the improbable comeback.  The Wild were expected to be dominated by the Northwest Division champs, the Vancouver Canucks.  Minnesota used great goaltending from Dwayne Roloson and a lethal power play to power themselves to another comeback.  The main point is anything can happen in the playoffs.  Neither the 1991 North Stars or the 2003 version of the Wild won it all, but they all accomplished a lot more in the post-season than anyone thought possible at the time.  Just last year, an 8th seeded Los Angeles' Kings, a team that made the playoffs by one point managed to win it all.  Anything can happen.  Will the Wild create another great post-season memory or will be over as not much longer after it started?  

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A moment of tension deserves a little levity.  A well-timed joke can ease the nerves and focus the mind on the task at hand instead of just worrying about the possible outcome.  Any good locker room has a player or two that is capable of realizing that moment and then makes the correct remark to put the whole locker room in a more relaxed state.  The Wild probably could use a well-timed joke about now.  Maybe Zenon Konopka will be that guy to make his team laugh before they go in what will be the most tension-filled game they've dealt with thus far.  A scenario where the team must win if it wants to punch a ticket to the playoffs.  Its likely not going to be very easy as Colorado is going to want to do its best to spoil the Wild's hopes and after an embarassing 6-1 loss at home to lowly Edmonton the vultures have begun circling overhead.  Vultures of course only show up when they think someone is going to die, in this case its the post-season chances which seem to be in a pretty tenuous state right now.  So now for a little moment of macabre levity...

This of course is a scene from Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail where the residents of a medieval village are being asked to bring out their dead in an effort to reduce the spread of disease.  One resident has a near-dead person and would like a little help so he can add that person to the cart.  If the Wild were to lose this evening, they might be clearing the 'dead' throughout their organization and it could be swift and massive as they do so.  Will the Colorado Avalanche finish off the Wild's flagging playoff hopes or will the Wild step up and earn a  crucial victory that sends them to the post-season?

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Minnesota Wild (25-19-3)  53pts  2nd in the Northwest

2.45 Goals For (23rd)

2.64 Goals Against (16th)

17.6% Power Play (16th)

80.6% Penalty Kill (15th)

Top 5 Scorers:

1. #11 Zach Parise ~ 17G 20A = 37pts

2. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 11G 25A = 36pts

3. #29 Jason Pominville ~ 14G 20A = 34pts

4. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 4G 28A = 32pts

5. #10 Devin Setoguchi ~ 12G 14A = 26pts

Top 3 PIM's:

1. #28 Zenon Konopka ~ 117 PIM's

2. #27 Mike Rupp ~ 79 PIM's

3. #4 Clayton Stoner ~ 42 PIM's

Top Goaltender(s):

1. #32 Niklas Backstrom (23-15-3)  2.52GAA  .907%SP  2 SO

2. #37 Josh Harding (1-1-0)  3.24GAA  .863%SP  1 SO

Vs.

Colorado Avalanche (16-24-7)  39pts  5th in the Northwest

2.40 Goals For (25th)

3.13 Goals Against (27th)

15.1% Power Play (24th)

80.6% Penalty Kill (18th)

Top 5 Scorers:

1. #15 P.A. Parenteau ~ 18G 25A = 43pts

2. #9 Matt Duchene ~ 17G 26A = 43pts

3. #26 Paul Stastny ~ 9G 15A = 24pts

4. #11 Jamie McGinn ~ 11G 11A = 22pts

5. #7 John Mitchell ~ 10G 10A = 20pts

Top 3 PIM's:

1. #55 Cody McLeod ~ 83 PIM's

2. #58 Patrick Bordeleau ~ 68 PIM's

3. #5 Shane O'Brien ~ 58 PIM's

Top Goaltender(s):

1. # Semyon Varlamov (11-20-3)  3.05GAA  .902%SP  3 SO

2. #35 Jean-Sebastien Giguere (5-4-4)  2.84GAA  .908%SP  

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A few years ago, the motto for the football team I coach was "One Shot".  "One Shot" was meant to represent all of the times in a person's life where you get one chance to succeed.  A job interview, an important project, maybe a first date.  The lesson is you want to prepare yourself mentally, physically and emotionally to execute a plan and be successful because you may never get another chance to do so again.  I encourage my players and students to carry this mentality so they do what they can to get things right the first time.  I hope it instills an attention to details and creates a sense of urgency as well as importance on the tasks that are before them.  The Minnesota Wild have another game after tonight but they'd be smart to embrace a "One Shot" mentality against the Edmonton Oilers.  Not only is this the last time the two teams will face one another as divisional opponents but if the Wild prevail this evening they qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2008.  

Meanwhile, the Oilers have nothing to lose tonight.  And knowing full well of the Wild's situation makes them a dangerously and likely very motivated team.  Anyone who has played sports for any length of time and been on a team that wasn't going to make the playoffs understands how a coach will give their club a "let's take something away from them" kind of pep talk.  The OIler's will want this game to be their playoff game, where they prove they can take away something from a team that seems to be on the cusp of the post-season.  And the Oilers will will do their best to spoil the Wild's season in front of what should be a very spirited and anxious Xcel Energy crowd.  It is the biggest game the Wild have played in the last 5 years.  Can the Wild prove they've taken that next step by punching their ticket for the playoffs tonight or will the Oilers put those aspirations on hold? 

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