| Record | Pts | Div. Rank | G/G | GA/G | PP% | PK% | |
| Minnesota Wild | (6-4-2) | 14 | 2nd NW | 2.42 (27) | 2.17 (5) | 25.4%(3) |
85.5% (11) |
| Columbus Blue Jackets |
(8-4-0) | 16 | 3rd Central | 2.42 (26) | 3.42 (9) | 12.5% (25) | 84.9% (14) |
| Minnesota Wild | |||
| Top 5 Scorers: | G | A | Pts |
| 1. #9 Mikko Koivu | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| 2. #7 Matt Cullen | 3 | 8 | 11 |
| 3. #15 Andrew Brunette | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 4. #24 Martin Havlat | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 5. #8 Brent Burns | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Top 3 Penalty Minutes: | PIM | ||
| 1. #16 Brad Staubitz | 27 | ||
| 2. #9 Mikko Koivu | 14 | ||
| 3. #8 Brent Burns | 12 | ||
| Goaltenders: | GAA | SV% | |
| 1. #32 Niklas Backstrom (6-3-2) | 1.80 | .941 | |
| 2. #60 Jose Theodore (0-1-0) | 5.00 | .857 | |
| Columbus Blue Jackets |
|||
| Top 5 Scorers: | G | A | Pts |
| 1. #16 Derek Brassard | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 2. #61 Rick Nash | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 3. #93 Jakub Voracek | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| 4. #18 R.J. Umberger | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 5. #3 Marc Methot | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Top 3 Penalty Minutes: | PIM | ||
| 1. #15 Derek Dorsett | 25 | ||
| 2. #40 Jared Boll | 21 | ||
| 3. #26 Sami Pahlsson | 10 | ||
| Goaltenders: | GAA | SV% | |
| 1. #32 Mathieu Garon (4-0-0) | 0.89 | .966 | |
| 2. #1 Steve Mason (4-4-0) | 3.30 | .894 | |
Welcome to life on the road.
Looking at this upcoming roadtrip starting with tonight’s game in Columbus will most likely be very telling. After a fairly successful five-games played within the friendly confines of Xcel Energy center, this could be the first test to see just how good this team is. In past years, you could typically say a road trip that includes the three remaining the Wild haven’t played in the Southeastern Conference would be a cakewalk. However, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are playing very well this season. Normally I wouldn’t be so nervous about this roadtrip, I just don’t like where this roadtrip starts.
A game against Columbus shouldn’t be so anxiety causing. With the exception of their trip to the playoffs in the 2008-09 season, they haven’t exactly been the team that one should fear. However, I don’t know if it’s because the Wild are eternally connected with this team because they both entered the league or what, but they’ve always been a tough opponent. The aggravation levels associated with playing Columbus greatly increase when playing the Blue Jackets in their barn. Minnesota’s record when playing at Nationwide Arena is an ugly 4-10-3.
Reading the proposed goaltender lineups for tonight’s game aren’t making me feel confident in a change of fortune. For the Wild, it appears that Jose Theodore will be starting for the second time this season. This is most likely because Niklas Backstrom played last night, and had moments where you still wonder how he stopped 33 of 34 shots he faced. With back-to-back games, you almost need to give Backstrom a rest, especially now when you’re on the road. To say Theodore had a rough go in Vancouver last month is an understatement. It will be interesting to see how he plays tonight. Of course, a goaltender is only as strong sometimes as his players in front of him. Wild skaters are going to have to give Theodore excellent support. My guess is that if Theodore gets that help, he’ll make the saves that come his way.
Also working against the Wild is the thought of Mathieu Garon in Columbus’ goal. Currently, Garon is boasting a 0.89 GAA and a save percentage of .966%. We all know that the Wild haven’t been known for taking many shots on goal, but if ever there was a game where it was imperative to shoot at will, tonight would be the night. I don’t care if there’s a low probability of that goal going in on a shot, it’s more the idea of generating a activity in front of Garon. We’ve all seen goals where the goal didn’t come from the original shot, but from the subsequent attempts on rebounds. Tonight, the Wild are going to have to be tough and gritty in front of the net, in the corners, and as well as Andrew Brunette’s territory behind the net. Yes, it’s physically and mentally draining, but there will need to be sacrifices made.
I have to admit, I’m feeling nervous. I don’t like starting roadtrips in Columbus, and I can’t imagine that anyone on the roster or front office do either. It is up to those directly involved to set the tone for this current road trip. Hopefully we’ll see a team that’s finally figured that they want to compete game in and game out.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
