WILD HOCKEY!

[scsavre]

The hit was dirty. Not vicous. Pmb can't turn like that, which he does all the time. Its part of a smll players game. The checker must stay in complete controll. There is no acception when yu hit someone hits from behind that hard. It being a crosscheck likely didn't help either. It was clearly rom behide, no angle, no spin after hit.

I'm guessing 3 game suspension. I didn't see an intent to injure to make it more.

I was expecting a tying goal, brodziak just missed.

Go wild, tonight will be a fast one too

[spearchucker]

Yeah...after seeing that hit last night, I was expecting to see the phrase "concussion-like symptoms" associated with his name for the next month or two.

That could still happen. They don't always show right away. Star Tribune says he has a broken nose. I wonder if he will have to wear a cage if he plays tonight. Also sounds like Zidlicky will play tonight (not sure if that is good or not).

[OnAFly]

There will be no supplemental discipline per Shanny. It was deemed that PMB caused the injury by turning into the boards.

[spearchucker]

There will be no supplemental discipline per Shanny. It was deemed that PMB caused the injury by turning into the boards.

Probably because PMB is considered a "repeat offender". I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, because I never thought PMD would get suspended for the high stick at the beginning of the year.

[OnAFly]

Oh well. Onto tonights game. It's gonna be a tough one having played back and forth wide open hockey last night. Word is Cullen will play, PMB won't. I guess we'll find out for sure in a couple hours.

[Matt S.]

Ok, so I'm wondering how that last shootout goal was allowed.

The puck was clearly moving backwards.

[cjac]

Funny, I asked the same thing of a hockey junkie friend of mine. Penalty shot rules are as long as the skater doesn't stop and restart, so I guess those baby steps count as forward progress. Pretty sick moves though, the kid is a stud.

Better question is how did Toews take a puck from behind the net and right down the goal line and split three guys for a wrister....at even strength.

[OnAFly]

Schultz and Lundin screwed that one up. Lundin let him out of the corner. Schultz stood there flailing is stick while Toews walked around him.

Forward momentum must be maintained. Kane kept moving forward. It was a sweet goal.

[spearchucker]

I would have liked to see a penalty called when Cullen was tripped on his breakaway. Fun game to watch, but the refs had both teams mad.

[RK]

Reffing wasn't exactly top shelf last night, but at least bad calls/non-calls went both ways for the most part. That having been said, the non-call on Keith then the unsportsmanlike on Cullen was a joke.

I know they lost in the SO, but given the context I was pretty impressed with the Wild last night. They came off a long road trip, 2nd night of a back to back, and 3 of their top 6 forwards are out... I like Powe a lot, and don't think he gets the credit he deserves for what he does, but he's not a 1st line NHL winger. They were banged up and worn out, got jobbed on a lousy, ticky-tack penalty, and are down 2-0 in a hurry. You almost could have forgiven them for packing it in at that point, but they fought back and salvaged a point.

Have to give some credit to Staubitz for picking a great time to drop the gloves and get his team fired up. Plus any day you see Dan Carcillo get pummeled is a good day, IMHO. Watching that guy try to fight is embarrassing. But the next shift it was like a different team hopped over the dashers. I thought Mikko was a beast most of the night last night too. Man he's been good lately.

Stinks that Lats is back on the shelf with a scrambled egg again. They could really use him.

[OnAFly]

RK - Totally agree. I didn't have high expectations for last night, but was very impressed with how the team responded to being down 2-0. I believe that right there is 100% coaching.

When the bench call came, I thought that someone had to have been yelling at the Ref from the time the whistle blew. I couldn't believe they gave Cullen 2 for just banging his stick. I don't think he even said anything. What made it worse was that Chicago was already on a PP in a tight 0-0 game. I hope that Ref gets a side discussion later on when to give warnings and when to give bench minors.

[scsavre]

I thought the D squad looked out of place most of the night. Not sure what they were doing on that shorty. Zidlicky is even worse then he was in the beginning of the year.

Not sure if anyone else was in the stands, over 19,000 attendance. that is the most fans in a very very long time. Too bad they didnt win to keep them coming.

Good game, but to win we need 3 periods of good hockey.

It hurts have so many guys out, seto, ltd, pmb, wellman....

[spearchucker]

]I thought the D squad looked out of place most of the night. Not sure what they were doing on that shorty. Zidlicky is even worse then he was in the beginning of the year.

I guess I thought the D looked good with the exception of Zidlicky. Only bad mistake was on the Toewes goal.

[RK]

I really hope they dangle Zids at the trade deadline. Kind of expect him to start slow after missing so many games, but to me he's just an adventure ever time he's on the ice. With Lundin back and playing well, and so many good young D, I think they'd live without him. I know he has a good point shot, but...have to use it to matter.

[OnAFly]

At 4Mil for on more year, I don't think we'll find any takers for Zids. The best we might be able to do is put him on waivers and then buy him out. That is if they want to get rid of him and still pay.

BTW, we are paying Barker 357K this year, 541K next year and Parrish is getting 927K the next three years.

[Bear55]

Man Parrish seems like forever ago, it's not a ton of $$$ but it sure sucks.

[OnAFly]

The Wild have ~7.5M in cap space. Without the buyouts, they would have ~12% more. But, for us right now, you're right. It's not that big of a deal. we aren't in a position to go out an sign any big free agents to longer term deals with the amount of young guys we'll have to sign in a few years.

BTW, Koivu is now hurt. Sounds like a leg strain of some sort. I would like to see the man-games lost stat per team. We have to be around the top.

[Bryce]

Think the number I heard was 117. Chicago was right around the 20 mark.

[RK]

Hiya -

True on Zids salary making him hard to move, unless a team really needed a power play point specialist... Although, depending on how long PMB is on the shelf after getting his mug remodeled...that describes the Wild more or less.

Thinking about it, I think the D who becomes trade bait is probably Greg Zanon. Love the guy's effort and shot blocking, but not the most mobile for a system that really relies on D men being quick to get the puck out.

Bryce - your numbers are on. Wild have lost 117 man games to injury this year, Chicago 21. Really, REALLY points out how valuable guys like Powe and Johnson are to this team. They started out as a 4th line center/PK specialist and a waiver wire pick-up, and both have started on the first line this year. Johnson was a freaking steal off waivers.

Just hope to heck Koivu isn't out long. You can rightly point to them being where they are due to a total team effort, but to me Koivu is definitely still the straw that stirs the drink.

[OnAFly]

Zanon is trade bait at the dealine. He's valuable to someone, just not us with out depth of young D.

[schmitty3]

BTW, Koivu is now hurt. Sounds like a leg strain of some sort. I would like to see the man-games lost stat per team. We have to be around the top.

Where did you hear this? I can't find anything

[schmitty3]

Nevermind just found it...

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/135664648.html

Hopefully nothing too serious

[Musky Buck]

You got it RK, Koivu is no fun to play against, it's good to see him get some props it's like you want a Brett Hull score 50, do absolutely nothing else for the team or score maybe 30 and do the intangibles better than most. Keep rocking wild ! Anyone remember Brent Burns, John Madden, Eric Nystrom,Martin Havlat, buried in my memory.

[RK]

Sounds like Koivu is out at least for the Isles game and maybe beyond. That REALLY hurts. If PMB is still out, that makes 4 of our top 6 forwards missing.

Other news - apparently Wild prospect Charlie Coyle is leaving Boston U to go play for the St John's Sea Dogs in the QMJ. He'll join fellow Wild prospect Zach Phillips I believe.

[Bear55]

Just saw that about Coyle, sound like maybe academic issues. Nothing official yet but if this goes down it might be good for Coyle and Phillips to get some extra playing time together.

[scsavre]

Pertaining to Coyle, sounds like there are a few issues in BU, maybe he is separating himself - not saying he is in any trouble, just saying I wouldnt blame him for getting out of there.

When saying the D looked shaky last game. it jsut seemed like they were constantly a few feet off. Too many times I saw guys between the net and our d man. Also, looked a little off on the offensive points, except for scandella.

I think Zid and Zannon could be moved at the deadline. They both can be perfect for the right team. I am more worried about Harding. I would love to make the playoffs and have 2 good goalies plus Hackett. But, we need to get something for Harding while we can. He will not be here next year as no one wants Backstron. We could pick up a solid offensive d man and a top 4 forward for him.

I am not a trade deadline fan, but we might have to do something with Harding. Lets just grab Parise

[OnAFly]

I wish the NHL would review games in which players are diving. Burrows is the biggest joke in the NHL. I don't understand how this reflects any less poorly on the NHL than Rome flipping off the crowd last year or a coach throwing sticks onto the ice.

[Bear55]

We need to get healthy! Tough to hang with the better teams with a partial AHL roster.

[OnAFly]

So is it safe to say that Koivu is the true leader to this team? Every time he's out we fall apart. We got one good period and then the Burrows thing happens as we lose it.

[Musky Buck]

Koivu is so solid really, Yeo went to Finland to talk to him and Backstrom to get their angle on the team etc once hired. In a bit of a funk, but it's not like the other teams are full of clowns, we got a target on us and teams are responding, we'll be ok.