I remember when I was in 4th grade, and I was involved in a lot of different sports including basketball. I played in a simple house league in my hometown, and they had two tournaments with one in the middle of the season and one at the end. In the mid-season tournament where teams are paired effectively at random, my team which was pretty average got paired to play the top team in the league in the first round. It seemed like a distinct mismatch, but somehow we played well above ourselves and got the improbable victory. For a kid, it was absolute euphoria to win that game roughly the emotional equivalent of a small low-seeded college knocking off a major basketball powerhouse during the NCAA Basketball tournament. The next game we played a team we had beaten pretty soundly a few weeks prior and this time we did not play nearly as focused or intense and we lost. It was a tremendously disappointing loss after our previous upset. Not to make excuses, but sometimes after an upset or an improbable victory its hard to put that game behind you. You get wrapped up in the good feelings of that great victory you lose sight of your next challenge. I really hope that doesn’t happen tonight for the Wild. Minnesota is coming off an improbable road win over Philadelphia where they basically were dominated for much of the game only to steal it away on a last-minute goal.
Especially with the team starting its ‘Father-son’ road trip that many NHL clubs do these days you can see how that makes for a perfect recipe for a mental and emotional let down against the Lightning. The Lightning are that team that the Wild beat earlier in the season and will be focused to try to avenge that loss in front of their home fans. The Wild are doing what they can to maximize the games in hand they have on most of the rest of the Central Division. Can the Wild pull off another improbable road victory tonight or will the Lightning strike them down?
1st Period Thoughts: The Lightning had the Wild a little bit on its heels early as Tyler Johnson had a close range backhander that was stopped by the shoulder of Darcy Kuemper. The Wild were pinned in their own end early as the Lightning cycled the puck effectively and got decent puck support from their defense. Minnesota wasn’t helping their cause with little area passes and chipping the puck off the boards which made for a lot of turnovers. The Wild would finally sustain some zone time as the line of Jason Zucker, Charlie Coyle and Thomas Vanek but unfortunately this group was a little too unselfish and they didn’t manage to put any shots on goal. The Lightning were quick to back on the attack and Minnesota was just hoping to hold on. After a few minutes of chasing Tampa Bay all over the ice the Wild would draw the first power play of the game when former University of Nebraska-Omaha star Ondrej Sustr was called for high sticking. The Wild had reasonable puck movement, but not a lot of shots were being directed on goal. The best opportunity of the period came from Marco Scandella who fired a wrist shot that was redirected by Nino Niederreiter that was swept aside by Ben Bishop. Yet another power play with nothing to show for it. The power play did seem to get the Wild to move their feet more and they were no longer spending the balance of the period bottled up in its own end. The Wild were struggling against the long reach of the Lightning’s defenseman who denied time and space rather effectively. Minnesota started to give the Lightning more difficulties with its puck pressure and Mikael Granlund would intercept a pass just inside the Tampa Bay zone before setting up Zach Parise for a long range shot that was fought off by Bishop. The Lightning would try to counter as former Rosemount star motored into the Wild end and he sent a shot on goal that was knocked down by Kuemper and luckily for the Wild they were able to escort the puck out of danger. Moments after that the Wild had great chance by the top line as Jason Pominville set up Parise for a quick shot that Bishop managed to get in front of for a lucky save. The period would end with the Wild trailing 7-8 in shots on goal. I thought Scandella had a superb period at both ends of the ice. He was physical and really helped the Wild counter attack and reverse momentum in the period. On the other end of it, I thought Vanek looked weak and lost on the ice.
2nd Period Thoughts: The Wild had a monster shift early in the 2nd by Charlie Coyle who motored by the Lightning defense for a backhander that Bishop directed wide as he chased down the puck leveling a Tampa Bay defender in the process. Minnesota would strike first as Parise found a little space and he’d find Thomas Vanek who was all alone and he’d patiently draw Bishop’s attention before threading a pass back to Parise and he’d bury it into an open net. 1-0 Wild. The goal seemed to take a little energy out of the Lightning. Both clubs seemed to be cautious of making another mistake and the game would sort of turn into a chess match. The Wild’s top line would cause a little trouble as Parise entered the Lightning zone with speed as he set up Pominville for a quick shot that he fired off the back of Bishop. Moments after that great chance a bad pass by Sustr was intercepted by Coyle for a great chance as he dished it to Zucker who passed it back to Coyle who fed it to Vanek who decided to try one more pass instead of pulling the trigger and the result was a failure to put a shot on goal. Frustrating. The Lightning were now the team struggling to have any kind of push back, as Kuemper made a great glove save on Nikita Kucherov. Ryan Carter would trip up Anton Stralman to give the Lightning their first power play of the game. The Lightning would set up Steven Stamkos for a blast from the point that was deflected up into the netting to get a whistle. The Wild had good puck pressure along the wall, forcing the Lightning to the perimeter. Overall it was a pretty good penalty kill, but in the waning seconds Stamkos would rip a wrist shot by a well-screened Kuemper to tie the game at 1-1. Kuemper had no clue where the puck was. The goal deflated the Wild a bit as the Lightning started to win more of the races to the loose pucks as Mark Barbiero skated in and rifled a slap shot that was knocked down and covered up by Kuemper. The Wild were back chasing Tampa Bay in its own end and they’d get the go-ahead goal as a shot from the high slot by Stralman deflected off Jared Spurgeon for a goal. 2-1 Lightning. Former Harvard star Alex Killorn would get credit for the goal. The Wild’s Ryan Suter would get called for cross checking Stamkos moments after Stamkos did the same thing to him as it gave the Lightning another power play. Minnesota was very aggressive on the penalty kill and they’d escape any further damage in the period. The Wild eased up just a bit and the Lightning took full advantage of it. The power play goal was more a matter of it being at the end of long penalty killing shift than the team relaxing its posture. However after that the Wild did sit on its heels for a bit which allowed Tampa Bay to take control of the game.
3rd Period Thoughts: The Wild started the 3rd period on the penalty kill and again they were quiet aggressive and they were able to disrupt the remainder of the Lightning’s power play. Minnesota was exhibiting a good sense of urgency, as they were taking every opportunity to go on the attack. Minnesota’s defenseman were stepping up and carrying the puck deep into the offensive zone as Ryan Suter swung a backhand on goal that Bishop blocked away and he gathered up his rebound before setting up Scandella for a one timer at the point that Bishop just managed to deflect wide. The Lightning were not real happy and Brian Boyle tried to grind Scandella into board dust and he’d earn a 2-minute trip to the sin bin. On the power play the Wild moved the puck well, as they tried to set up a deflection from the slot by Vanek. The strategy nearly worked, as a deflection opportunity set up Niederreiter for a point-blank range chance that was stopped by Bishop who had fallen to his backside and unfortunately he wasn’t able to tap home his own rebound. Minnesota came up empty on the power play but they had to like the momentum they create with it. The Wild would continue to apply pressure on the Lightning as they were winning the races to the majority of the loose pucks, but Tampa Bay was still working hard and they did a good job at tying up Wild forwards from having a chance at rebounds. Ryan Suter would even try an end-to-end rush where he pulled the trigger on a snap shot that was stopped by Bishop and then had to make a stop on Suter’s rebound bid. As the period kept going the Wild seemed to be a bit fatigued down the stretch as it tried to get the equalizer. The fatigue-factor started to lead to the Lightning having some scoring chances as Ondrej Palat had a hard shot that was held onto by Kuemper. The Wild found themselves wasting valuable time trying to defend in their own end. Minnesota seemed to want to set up the perfect shot instead of just taking their chances wherever they materialized instead. The Lightning started to raise the physical tone of the game and they started to run Wild players and the result was bad turnovers in the offensive zone. Minnesota kept battling back and Niederrieter had a grand chance late as Bishop sprawled in his crease. The Lightning were doing all they could to contest every Wild shot so not many clean shots were reaching Bishop. The Wild would pull Kuemper with a minute and half left and they’d draw a holding penalty on Tyler Johnson. on the delayed whistle the Wild set up Scandella for a point shot that was corralled and shot off the side of the Lightning goal as he was crosschecked by Radko Gudas to no call. Yet with extra attacker the Wild had a 6-on-4 power play. Minnesota would move the puck around but that’s about all they did as very few shots were directed on goal. Other than a few point shot attempts by Suter no one seemed interested in shooting the puck and time would expire and the Wild lose 2-1.
You can’t blame Kuemper for the loss as he stopped 26 shots tonight. He played well enough for the Wild to have had a chance to win the game. Early in the game he was looking sharp and seeing the puck well through traffic. Defensively the Wild were not too bad, limiting an explosive Lightning attack to just two goals. I thought Scandella, Spurgeon and Suter played well this evening. Scandella was punishing in the defensive zone and assertive in the offensive zone.
Offensively the Wild tried to be too fancy, especially down the stretch. Way too many passes, especially from Koivu, Granlund and Vanek who only wants to pass these days. Give the Lightning credit for getting in front of a lot of shots, but all the more reason not to pass up on open shots which they did a fair amount tonight as well. I like the Wild are using the point men to shoot the puck, but they need more shots from in close. Hopefully they take a simpler approach against the Florida Panthers on Monday.
Sadly, this was a winnable game. They had a decent game from Kuemper who kept it low scoring and the Wild had its chances to net the equalizer. Wild head coach Mike Yeo told reporters after the game, “The difference tonight was being -1 in special teams, you can’t score 1 goal and expect to win.” Yeo did admit he wasn’t happy about the lack of initiative in shooting the puck on the man advantage saying “we’ve got to get it to the net.” The Lightning are a decent team, one with a lot of height and reach but at times the Wild stopped hustling and the result was getting pinned in their own end which is what ultimately led to Tampa Bay goals. I know its fun having dads, brothers or mentors along but the team right now but it needs to keep its eye on the prize and consider Monday’s game a win they need to have.
Wild Notes:
~ The Wild roster tonight was as follows: Mikko Koivu, Nino Niederreiter, Justin Fontaine, Ryan Carter, Kyle Brodziak, Charlie Coyle, Jason Zucker, Erik Haula, Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund, Jason Pominville, Ryan Suter, Marco Scandella, Jared Spurgeon, Nate Prosser, Keith Ballard and Mathew Dumba. Niklas Backstrom backed up Darcy Kuemper. Stu Bickel was the Wild’s lone healthy scratch.
~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Ryan Callahan, 2nd Star Alex Killorn, 3rd Star Zach Parise
~ Attendance was 19,204 at Amalie Arena.
~ The State of Hockey News would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family of the Minnesota Wild’s majority owner Craig Leipold on the unexpected loss of his mother Betty Jo Leipold. Our thoughts are with him and the Leipold family.
Iowa Wild Report:
Recent Score: Iowa 3, Rockford 4 OT
Iowa got out to a fast start on Friday in Rockford as Tyler Graovac scored on the power play just 1:37 into the 1st period to give the Wild a 1-0 lead which would hold for the rest of the period. The lead did not last long in the 2nd as the Ice Hogs answered back just 3 minutes in as Ryan Schnell beat Johan Gustafsson. The Wild would take back the lead Justin Falk blasted home his first goal of the season. Rockford’s Viktor Svedberg would tie the game again a minute later. Iowa would reclaim the lead just 22 seconds after Svedberg’s tally as Kurtis Gabriel buried a chance from in close. Unfortunately the Wild’s lead would not stand as Ryan Hartman buried the equalizer midway through the 3rd, and then was able to score the game winner in overtime. Gustafsson had another solid outing making 37 saves in the loss. The Iowa Wild have a 4-11-1 record.
Wild Prospect Report:
LW – Mario Lucia (Notre Dame, H-East) ~ The former Penticton Vees scoring machine buried his 9th goal of the season in the Fighting Irish’s 2-2 tie with UMass-Lowell. In addition to his 9 goals, Lucia has 11 points and 12 PIM’s in 14 games this year.
C – Adam Gilmour (Boston College, H-East) ~ The lanky center helped the Eagles earn a 5-3 win over Massachusetts on Friday night by adding an assist and added two more helpers on Saturday in a win against Maine. Gilmour has 2 goals, 9 points and 10 PIM’s in 12 games this season.
D – Louie Belpedio (Miami, NCHC) ~ The solidly build defenseman provided a helper in the Redhawks’ 1-0 win over Western Michigan on Friday. Belpedio has 3 goals, 5 points and 4 PIM’s in 13 games.
G – Stephen Michalek (Harvard, ECAC) ~ The former New England prep school star had 28 saves in the Crimson’s 5-1 victory over Bentley. The victory improves Michalek’s record to 5-1-2, with a stingy 1.47GAA and a .951% save percentage in 8 starts.
C – Reid Duke (Brandon, WHL) ~ The Calgary-native is enjoying the bliss from playing on a talented Brandon team as he did his part with 2 assists in their 7-4 victory over Edmonton on Friday. Duke has 6 goals, 19 points, along with 24 points and a +12 in 18 games.
C – Pavel Jenys (Sudbury, OHL) ~ Sudbury keeps losing, but he keeps scoring as he had an assist in the Wolves 2-1 loss to North Bay. Jenys has 5 goals, 17 points, 18 PIM’s and a -9 in 23 games.
RW – Alex Tuch (Boston College, H-East) ~ The big power forward had a goal in the Eagles 5-1 win over Maine tonight. Tuch has 4 goals, 9 points in 12 games this season.
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