Wild Game 2

Game 2 for the Wild, and what looked like a completely different team in the first period. Right away in the period the Wild came out with a more physical type of play that I don’t think the Canes were expecting from them. Scrums after play in the Canes zone where even Captain Koivu got involved and a few minutes later a fight that looked like Nystrom was going to lose yet came back with a solid punch to win (in my opinion) helped out a lot for the Wild.

Showing physical play in both the offensive and defensive zones is something this team needs to do consistently to be a quality team this year, seeing they are not going to out skate or out talent ¾ of the teams in the league this year and it opened the way for their first period goal for Andrew Brunette.

Ending the period the wild were up 1-0, out shooting the Canes 18-11

Intermissions are there for teams to rest and for the coaches to make adjustments to their teams play, and in this case the Canes did just that containing what seem like a tired Wild team. The physical play slowed and a bad play by Backstrom early in the second trying to beat a Carolina player to the puck and clear went wrong and he was not able to get back into position in time to stop the goal. It is plays like that where he needs to sit back in the net and be patient, he had a Wild player trailing and there is a good chance they don’t score on that play.

Throughout the period the wild we not without chances to take the lead, Drayson Bowman for the Canes got a double minor 10 minutes into the period followed by a slashing call from Eric Staal gave the Wild 5:30 minutes on the power play and a 5 on 3 for 30 seconds that they were unable to capitalize on. For a team that needs to capitalize on every opportunity, they had a hard time keeping the play in the Canes zone and creating quality shots. This is defiantly something that could be a major concern if continued into the season.

End of the 2^nd period Tied 1-1, Wild out shooting Canes 29-21

Throughout the third period both teams looked a little tired at times and played the type of Hockey that everyone hates in just a back and forth game, skate down shoot, skate down shoot. This is the time where your stars or key players need to step it up, though both teams had their chances but neither could capitalize.

Going into the 3^rd period the Canes were 0 for 2 with no shots on goal and the Wild would have to make a big stand. 12 minutes into the period Clayton Stoner was called for and interference call followed by a Greg Zannon hooking call giving the Canes a 5 on 3. Throughout the game the Wild penalty kill has looked great and this was not the time for it to fail, Backstrom making key saves and the Wild hustling to the puck killed off both calls.

Late in the Third the Wild had a chance to go up 2-1 on a Martin Havlat break away. Havlat took the pass around mid ice and skated in on Cam Ward, deeked to Wards left, and tried to bring it across to get around his right skate but missed wide. Seeing Havlat miss made me kind miss the all Gaborik break a ways that you could count on more times than not.

The Wild were both out shot (15-4) and out played in that period heading into overtime.

End of tree and the game still tied 1-1, Canes out shooting Wild 36-34

Thank the Hockey gods for overtime seeing that the Wild walk away with at least one point. I do have to say that seeing the Wild play the Canes at times that they are a much better 4 on 4 team and if they could play the season out like that I would have to move them up in my rankings, but unfortunately the overtime period ended with the game still tied at 1-1 and headed to a shootout. Prior to the period ending the Wild had a great chance to put the game away but Cam Ward came up with a great save and the Wild could not do much with the power play from a slashing call 7 seconds left

In the shootout Koivu, Burns, and Miettinen all miss and the Wild lose their both games in Finland and will come home with a 0-2 mark yet walk away with one point.

This trip brought up old and new question for the team that will need to be addressed when they get home but also should help with the team chemistry in building for this year. Although better then the last game, the Wild can’t lose the attitude that they had in the first period, they will need to push it through the whole game and feed off of it. You could clearly see the momentum in the game change along with the energy. Richards has quite a journey ahead of him if he is to make this team something special.