Minnesota Wild (24-17-3) 51pts 2nd in the Northwest
2.52 Goals For (19th)
2.57 Goals Against (15th)
18.3% Power Play (15th)
82.0% Penalty Kill (12th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #11 Zach Parise ~ 16G 19A = 35pts
2. #29 Jason Pominville ~ 14G 20A = 34pts
3. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 10G 24A = 34pts
4. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 4G 28A = 32pts
5. #7 Matt Cullen ~ 7G 19A = 26pts
Top 3 PIM's:
1. #28 Zenon Konopka ~ 100 PIM's
2. #27 Mike Rupp ~ 67 PIM's
3. #44 Justin Falk ~ 40 PIM's
Top Goaltender(s):
1. #32 Niklas Backstrom (22-13-3) 2.49GAA .909%SP 2SO
2. #35 Darcy Kuemper (1-2-0) 2.08GAA .916%SP
3. #37 Josh Harding (1-1-0) 2.92GAA .885%SP 1SO
Vs.
Calgary Flames (18-22-4) 40pts 4th in the Northwest
2.70 Goals For (12th)
3.30 Goals Against (29th)
19.0% Power Play (14th)
81.2% Penalty Kill (17th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #13 Mike Cammalleri ~ 12G 18A = 30pts
2. #22 Lee Stempniak ~ 9G 21A = 30pts
3. #40 Alex Tanguay ~ 11G 16A = 27pts
4. #20 Curtis Glencross ~ 15G 11A = 26pts
5. #24 Jiri Hudler ~ 9G 16A = 25pts
Top 3 PIM's:
1. #15 Tim Jackman ~ 57 PIM's
2. #16 Brian McGrattan ~ 39 PIM's
3. #5 Mark Giordano ~ 36 PIM's
Top Goaltender(s):
1. #34 Miikka Kiprusoff (8-13-2) 3.41GAA .882%SP
2. #35 Joey MacDonald (7-7-1) 2.91GAA .900%SP
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It's April 21st. Spring is missing in action. Teams that are normally expected to be in the playoffs are currently outside of the playoff picture. And I'm having weird dreams of Minnesota Wild players being traded after the trade deadline. Let's face it, between the crazy weather here in the Upper Midwest and the way this season was compacted after the lockout, I'm starting to feel like I don't know which way is up. First off, let's talk weather. For those of you in the Twin Cities, you got 9+ inches of snow dumped on you. We here in southern Wisconsin got mostly rain and the occasional flake. This morning, I go outside to walk the dog, and here comes more snow. Yesterday was such a nice day, and I started to think that Spring was finally here. I'm sorry I even uttered the words "I think Spring is finally here." Considering the weather right now, I hereby rename the season Sprinter, as you never know what weather pattern you're going to get. So, Happy Sprinter to you!
Then there are the upcoming playoffs. With normal NHL seasons, we'd be in the middle of the first round of the post-season at this time. The fact that they haven't started yet has thrown my internal calendar off. Since the Minnesota Wild haven't made the playoffs since 2008, it just feels off that we're currently playing right now. I have to keep reminding myself that it's still the regular season. I also have to keep reminding myself that the Wild are actually in the playoff picture right now, but just. The seventh place spot, in a very tight race is not exactly a comfortable spot. Columbus is but one spot behind Minnesota, and there are teams, especially teams like Detroit and Dallas, that are in the ninth and tenth spots that could (and will try) still claw their way back in. Including tonight, the Wild have four games remaining. They absolutely must win tonight as well as the games against Edmonton and Colorado that finish the season. Personally, I have no hope for the game against Los Angeles. But let me say this, it makes my heart do a happy dance to see Detroit on the outside looking in for once. I hope Minnesota, Columbus and every team that Detroit faces, does everything it can to keep them in that position. Unfortunately, Vancouver did no one any favors last night for giving Detroit a point last night. Is it too much to ask for the Canucks to win in regulation for once? I rarely ask Vancouver for anything, yet it's almost as if they want to spite us.
This season has also messed with my sleep patterns. In a normal season, those late night West Coast games get spread out a bit more. This season, to help with travel concerns, they get bunched up. That's all fine and dandy, but the lack of quality sleep is starting to catch up with me. Not only am I waking up feeling sluggish, but the dreams related to this team are crazy. Just the other night, I had a dream that the night before the Wild started the playoffs, they traded Devin Setoguchi and Matt Cullen. I don't remember who we traded them to or who we got in return, but even my dreamstate me was flabbergasted. I think in my dream, Doug Risebrough was once again the General Manager, which means we probably got a horrible return, and most likely "future considerations." I remember that the me in my dreams kept saying "they can't be traded, it's after the trade deadline." I'm just hoping that once we hit the playoffs will help my sleep patterns just a bit. However for that happen, it means we'd have to slip to the eighth spot and play Chicago in the first round. Now while that will be good for not having to stay up past midnight on a regular basis, it doesn't help much for continuing past the first round. In fact, none of the possible opponents for the Wild bode well for a lengthy playoff life, but then that's what the experts said back in 2003.
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