Wild mostly apathetic in 4-1 loss to Chicago

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The wonderful thing about sports is how a single moment can define a team or personify its season.  Whether its a key at bat, a big catch on 3rd and forever or clutch shot those plays become part of a team’s lore and the play is retold for years afterward.  It can also work in reverse, where a botched routine grounder can flag you for the rest of your life like Bill Buckner, or how about the infamous touchdown run by San Francisco 49’ers quarterback Steve Young against the Minnesota Vikings in 1988 where he slipped through the martial arts trained hands of Minnesota safety Joey Browner not once but 3 times (funny how those broadcasters never mentioned is martial arts background ever again after that play) before stumbling over the goal line for the improbable touchdown.   That kind of ran through my head as I watched Saturday’s game between the Minnesota Wild and the Nashville Predators.  The play in question, Thomas Vanek does a nice job of stealing the puck near the blueline and races down the ice on a breakaway.  As he closes the distance on Pekka Rinne and with Shea Weber in pursuit he decides to not take the shot and tries to thread an improbable drop pass to Zach Parise.  The pass would be deflected off target and the team would not even register a shot on goal.  The sequence personified the Wild’s season to this point, where it seems to have something fantastic going for it only to throw it all away with a incredibly foolish decision and the team would fail in epic fashion what looked to be a terrific opportunity.

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Fans will not soon forget the decision made by Vanek to not take a chance at shooting the puck to either score out right or create a rebound but opting to make a low percentage pass instead.  Minnesota hockey fans have been around the game long enough to know the hockey gods are not kind to teams or players that pass up opportunities like that.  The Wild could’ve potentially had a lead but instead it watched Nashville score twice more in the 2nd to earn yet another loss at home.  So now the Wild will have to try to regroup and earn points on the road, starting tonight against Chicago.  Will the Wild be able to do on the road what it could not do at home just a few days ago?

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1st Period Thoughts:  The Wild started the game with some good puck support as Christian Folin won the battle along the boards and he send the pass back to his partner Jonas Brodin who then worked the puck up to Justin Fontaine who made a nice cross-ice pass to Charlie Coyle.  Coyle would motor with the puck down low and back out to the point to Jared Spurgeon and on across to Ryan Suter who drove a shot wide.  The Blackhawks would counter with some tremendous pressure that had Minnesota scrambling all around its own end as Niklas Backstrom started the sequence by juggling a weak wrist shot with his glove that just skittered wide.  Minnesota seem to be having problems making its reads as the Blackhawks were moving quickly and doubling back which was giving them all kinds of time and space and a bad pass by Jason Pominville was intercepted by Brent Seabrook who pushed a pass up to Jonathan Toews who skated in and on a delayed reaction by Pominville that allowed Toews to dangle a pass by an aggressive Backstrom who had left his crease for an easy tap in goal by Marian Hossa.  1-0 Blackhawks.  Way too easy with some poor defensive coverage that somehow allowed Jonathan Toews to be unaccounted for.  Minnesota tried to answer as Nino Niederreiter raced into the Chicago zone and then fired a wrist shot short side that was dismissed by Corey Crawford.  The poor defensive play continued as Patrick Kane took a puck and danced around Mikko Koivu as he fell to the ice before he fed a pass to Bryan Bickell who was left all alone near the blue paint for an easy tap in.  2-0 Chicago.  The Wild didn’t seem to have the energy or the desire to push back much after Bickell’s goal.  The Wild made their task that much more difficult as Erik Haula was sent to the box for a trip on Toews.  Chicago was looking to crush the Wild’s spirit and with great side-to-side puck movement that had Minnesota’s penalty killers run roughshod in their end as Toews lifted a shot off the cross bar and the Wild was able to clear the zone.  Minnesota would escape unscathed on the power play and then draw one of their own as Johnny Oduya would hook Jason Zucker.  The Wild would start with its veteran group and again they were slow and deliberate with their puck movement before Zach Parise took the initiative and just took it to the crease where he was denied by Crawford and the puck moved out towards the left faceoff dot where Koivu stepped into a slap shot that was also dismissed by the Blackhawks goalie.  The 2nd unit of youngsters got their chance with a little under a minute of power play time to work with and they did a nice job of moving the puck and Niederreiter and Coyle were denied on two nice chances.  The Blackhawks would counter as Toews would set up Hossa with a close chance that he slid a puck somehow beyond the outstretched leg of Backstrom and it fit between that and the left post only to be directed out harm’s way by an alert Wild defense.  Minnesota would go to work with its 3rd line of Niederreiter, Coyle and Fontaine and the line did a great job of battling along the wall and racing for the puck as they were causing the Blackhawks’ fits in their own end as they set up Nate Prosser for a quick shot that was stoned by Crawford.  Unfortunately with the Wild tilting the ice in their favor they’d take another penalty as Ryan Carter tripped up Oduya.  The Wild would go undamaged through a minute of Chicago power play time, but they still felt the pain of trailing 2-0 after period of play.  Minnesota out shot the Chicago 14-13 but there was certainly a big difference in the amount of quality chances which tilted heavily in the Blackhawks’ favor.

2nd Period Thoughts:  The Blackhawks would press the issue as they started the 2nd on the power play as Toews would hammer a slap shot from in close that was denied by Backstrom.  Minnesota would get the early kill, and they’d try to go back on the attack.  The Wild would try to counter with some hustle from its 2nd and 3rd lines but despite some great effort to win battles along the boards Minnesota was unable to get any shots directed on goal.  The Blackhawks were content to just work the puck deep and let the Wild come at them as they’d step up defensively through the neutral zone to force Minnesota to dump the puck in instead of entering their own end with speed.  A few minutes later, after a long shift where the Wild were really laboring they’d counter with Jason Zucker and Jason Pominville and it was the hardwork for the former Denver University star where he’d work the puck back out front that was dismissed Crawford.  The Wild would patiently move the puck around before Zucker threaded a cross-ice pass to Prosser for a quick shot that he rang off the left post.  A few minutes later the Wild’s 3rd line had another great chance as Coyle set up Fontaine on the door step and he turn and swung a shot that was directed aside by Crawford.  The Blackhawks would try to counter with some great effort by the Toews, Hossa, Brandon Saad line but Minnesota would scramble and keep them from extending their lead.  That would come on the very next shift as Patrick Kane moved down the slot and he fired a shot that was blocked off the shin pad of Prosser right to the stick of Brad Richards who rifled it by Backstrom to make it 3-0 Chicago.  It was an unfortunate bounce that could hardly be anticipated, but it was just another sign how the bounces were not going to be in favor of the Wild tonight.  The bodies started to fly a bit as the frustrated Wild started throwing its weight around.  The Wild seemed almost too tired, as Chicago would enter the zone with ease and fire a shot forcing Backstrom to make a save.  One player who did not seem tired was Jason Zucker who turned the afterburners and scooted by Niklas Hjalmarsson and he was tripped up by a desperate Oduya before he could’ve converted a breakaway which earned him a penalty shot.  On the penalty shot, Zucker turned on the jets moving down the middle of the ice where he tried to go backhand to forehand but he’d push the shot wide of the mark.  Zucker was really angry with himself with the outcome of the penalty shot showing his disgust on and near the Wild bench.  The Wild kept trying to press the attack as the 4th line had a solid scoring chance as Matt Cooke fired a shot on goal that was fought off by Crawford and Minnesota was able to gather up the loose puck and work it back out to the point where Prosser stepped into a slapper that was redirected by Cooke that Crawford absorbed.  The Wild were trying to do anything they could to get a goal, pinching with their defense and late in the period they’d get caught as Ryan Suter would be exposed as Chicago counter attacked with a 3-on-1.  Toews, Hossa and a trailing Oduya would bear in on Jared Spurgeon and as Toews sent a cross-ice pass it was partially stopped by Spurgeon but Oduya was there to jump on the loose puck and he’d fire a shot off Wild defenseman and by Backstrom.  4-0 Chicago.  The period would mercifully end even though the Wild had to feel as though they had some points where they dominated the play everywhere but on the scoreboard.

3rd Period Thoughts:  The Blackhawks were content to shadow the Wild all over the ice and work the puck deep into the Minnesota end, forcing the Wild to waste valuable time.  Chicago played keep away, tiring the mostly apathetic Wild out.  Minnesota seemed disinterested, and would often just dump the puck deep and change.  It almost felt like a running clock with how fast time was passing with little of note to report.  Minnesota was standing still and watching the Blackhawks control the zone and it resembled a power play far too often.  The Wild would finally light the lamp late in the period as a big point shot by Brodin that drew a big rebound that was finished by Cooke.  4-1 Chicago.  The Wild would get a late power play as David Rundblad would send a puck up into the stands for a delay of game call.  Minnesota would send out its veteran group which had spent so much of the 3rd sitting on the bench.  Predictably they’re execution was pretty atrocious.  Lots of halfhearted efforts to chase pucks into the corners as they’d fail to to hold the zone repeatedly.  The game would come to an end with the Blackhawks skating away with a 4-1 lead.

Niklas Backstrom looked pretty shaky, stopping 31 in the loss.  While that may seem harsh, I thought his lateral movement lacked smoothness and it was apparent he was guessing on pucks most of the time.  Still, Backstrom came up with some big saves, lucky or not, to keep Minnesota in the game far longer than it deserved to be.  The biggest issue was the poor defensive coverage.  Whether it was a turnover or just plain a lack of covering their assignments which left guys like Brad Richards, Jonathan Toews all alone.  That was completely unacceptable.

Offensively the Wild got absolutely nothing from its veterans tonight.  The only line that consistently impressed was the 3rd line of Niederreiter, Coyle and Fontaine which was pesky and hardworking most of the night.  The other player was Jason Zucker whose motor was relentless once again.  He used his speed to create conflict and while he wasn’t able to convert on the penalty shot it doesn’t take away the initiative and wheels he demonstrated to draw the opportunity.  Thomas Vanek had no shots on a goal and was a -1 and completely disinterested.  Mikko Koivu wasn’t much better, with one shot on goal and a -2.

Another mostly non-effort from the team which is more troubling than the 4-1 loss itself.  Defenseman Ryan Suter told Minneapolis Star Tribune‘s Michael Russo after the game, “It’s not good. It’s not fun to be a part of. It’s not fun to play. I don’t know what’s going on.”  Really?  I can understand the first parts of this statement but the last part?  I don’t know what is going on?  Then I question how much he’s been paying attention.  The team isn’t working nearly as hard nor is it being as conscientious with the puck in its own zone, using the glass and boards way too often making for lots of turnovers which is why their puck possession game has taken a nose dive.  The Wild’s prospects for a victory don’t get much better when they travel to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins on Tuesday.  Hopefully they can figure something out because the heat is cranking up on this team in a hurry.

Wild Notes:

~ The Wild roster was as follows: Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville, Zach Parise, Jason Zucker, Justin Fontaine, Thomas Vanek, Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Carter, Matt Cooke, Kyle Brodziak, Erik Haula, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, Jonathon Blum, Christian Folin and Nate Prosser.  John Curry backed up Niklas Backstrom.  Jordan Schroeder and Justin Falk were the scratches.

~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Marian Hossa, 2nd Star Bryan Bickell, 3rd Star Corey Crawford

~ Attendance was 21,809 at United Center.

Iowa Wild Report:

Recent Score:  Iowa 3, San Antonio 8

Iowa would jump out to an early lead, as Zack Mitchell scoring just 48 seconds into the game.  The Rampage would answer back a few minutes later Josh McFadden bombed a point shot that beat Johan Gustafsson.  San Antonio would take the lead a few minutes later as former Canucks forward Mark Mancari banged home a rebound.  Iowa would tie the game up with just under a minute left as Mathew Dumba blistered a slap shot home on the power play that beat Dan Ellis cleanly.  Marc Hagel would find the back of the net with 17 seconds left in the 1st to give Iowa a 3-2 lead going into the 2nd period.  Unfortunately the wheels were about to fall off for the Wild, as Rampage would tie the game halfway through the 2nd as Connor Brickley rifled a wrist shot by Gustafsson.  San Antonio would bury the go-ahead goal a few minutes later as Garrett Wilson scored off the rush to give the Rampage a 4-3 lead going into the 3rd.  The floodgates would open in the 3rd period, as the Rampage struck 4 times as Jesse Blacker, Logan Shaw, Steven Kampfer, and Brett Olson.  Gustafsson had 37 saves before getting swapped out for Parker Milner.

Wild Prospect Report:

C – Adam Gilmour (Boston College, H-East) ~ The lanky center continues to be a hot hand for the Eagles as he had a goal and an assist in Boston College’s 4-2 win over Northeastern.  Gilmour is Boston College’s leading scorer has 6 goals, 17 points, 14 PIM’s and is a +8 in 21 games.

C – Pavel Jenys (Sudbury, OHL) ~ The Wolves’ season of struggle continues, losing 4-3 to Barrie.  The Czech-born center chipped in an assist in the loss.  The 6’2″ forward has 8 goals, 27 points, 28 PIM’s and is a -21 in 35 games.

D – Dylan Labbe (Shawinigan, QMJHL) ~ The Cataractes used a 5-goal, 3rd period to earn a 7-5 win over Victoriaville.  Labbe did his part to spark the comeback by registering 3 assists.  The St. Benjamin, Quebec-native has 10 goals, 29 points, 21 PIM’s and is a +2 in 38 games this season.

D – Louie Belpedio (Miami, NCHC) ~ The Miami Redhawks have enjoyed a resurgence this season, but this weekend they were swept by St. Cloud State.  The former U.S. National Development Program defenseman contributed an assist in the Redhawks’ 3-2 loss Saturday night.  Belpedio has 3 goals, 9 points, 14 PIM’s and a +12 in 22 games.

LW – Mario Lucia (Notre Dame, H-East) ~ The Fighting Irish’s struggles continued as they were swept by Western Michigan.  The winger had a goal and an assist in their 4-3 loss on Saturday night.  Lucia is Notre Dame’s top scorer with 13 goals, 19 points, 12 PIM’s and is a +8 in 22 games.