Minnesota Wild (7-7-0) 14pts 6th in the Central
2.64 Goals For (16th)
2.23 Goals Against (8th)
4.6% Power Play (29th)
86.4% Penalty Kill (7th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #26 Thomas Vanek ~ 1G 8A = 9pts
2. #29 Jason Pominville ~ 4G 4A = 8pts
3. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 1G 7A = 8pts
4. #16 Jason Zucker ~ 5G 2A = 7pts
5. #22 Nino Niederreiter ~ 4G 2A = 6pts
Top 3 PIM’s:
1. #6 Marco Scandella ~ 30 PIM’s
2. #3 Charlie Coyle ~ 16 PIM’s
3. #18 Ryan Carter ~ 14 PIM’s
Top Goaltenders:
1. #35 Darcy Kuemper (6-5-0) 1.99GAA .915%SP 3SO
2. #32 Niklas Backstrom (1-2-0) 2.68GAA .869%SP
Vs.
Buffalo Sabres (3-11-2) 8pts 8th in the Atlantic
1.12 Goals For (30th)
3.47 Goals Against (29th)
5.7% Power Play (29th)
78.8% Penalty Kill (20th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #21 Drew Stafford ~ 3G 5A = 8pts
2. #63 Tyler Ennis ~ 4G 3A = 7pts
3. #28 Zemgus Girgensons ~ 3G 3A = 6pts
4. #82 Marcus Foligno ~ 2G 1A = 3pts
5. #26 Matt Moulson ~ 1G 2A = 3pts
Top 3 PIM’s:
1. #21 Drew Stafford ~ 27 PIM’s
2. #57 Tyler Myers ~ 27 PIM’s
3. #6 Mike Weber ~ 20 PIM’s
Top Goaltenders:
1. #34 Michal Neuvirth (2-4-1) 2.66GAA .929%SP
2. #1 Jhonas Enroth (1-7-1) 3.63GAA .901%SP
I will start this with a bit of a confession, I am a big fan of KFAN’s Common Man Progrum, and while I don’t live in the Twin Cities anymore I listen to his show from time to time via I Heart Radio when my work schedule allows it. The Common Man (Dan Cole) is pretty irreverent but his observations are often quite apt about sports, driving etiquette and life in general. He and along with the show’s producer and co-host Brandon Mileski are one of the few shows that talk about hockey honestly. Paul Allen will put on the talking head’s from Fox Sports Net so you can hear the key talking points the Wild’s PR department wants you to hear but if you want an honest appraisal of the Wild’s season from a guy who knows the game as a former player and high school coach (Robbinsdale Cooper, Coon Rapids) then Mileski is the guy you want to pay attention to. His Beyond the Pond show he hosts on Saturday mornings is perhaps the best Minnesota hockey focused radio / webcast program available anywhere. But as you read this game preview please utilize Common Man’s Jingle bank here. I do this in homage to the Progrum’s subtle yet clever humor to enhance this game preview. Afterall, for any of us Wild fans out there we can use all the levity we can get these days.
The internet is a funny thing, you win and everyone tells you how good you are, and if you lose everyone tells you how bad you are. (cue: I always love that one) As a Wild.com poster once said, the Wild win 3 games in a row and its contract extensions for everyone and plan the parade route and a 3 game (or more) losing streak its fire the coach and trade everybody. You could say that’s the case with any Minnesota professional sports team these days. (cue: Waa Waa Waa) The Wild’s current 4-game losing streak has a fanbase highly irritated and sharpening their pitchforks. Almost every fan has their popular fall guy to pin the Wild’s woes to. For many it has been Thomas Vanek, the high-priced free agent that has underwhelmed after scoring just one goal through the first 14 games. (cue: you gotta be kidding me) Vanek was hailed by many as a proven power play scorer, but as we all know the team’s play with the man advantage has been as disappointing or worse. The Fox Sports Net talking heads are going to try to say the fans are being too tough on Vanek, saying he’s the team’s 2nd leading scorer and still getting used to his linemates and the Wild’s system. (cue: I always love that one) Most fans don’t buy it. They see a player who floats around the ice and who appears to be content to pass the puck instead of shooting it.
There is some irony to the Wild playing the Buffalo Sabres in the midst of its struggles. It was a little over a year ago that the Wild were flush with injuries to many of its key players and the losses were piling up. Owner Craig Leipold and General Manager Chuck Fletcher were attending team practices and it appeared if the axe was going to fall on Head Coach Mike Yeo. Enter the sad sack Sabres team and the team wins the game and their fortunes turn for the better. The Sabres are still atrocious, and the Wild are desperate for a victory, is this the perfect solution to Minnesota’s woes? Or is it? (cue: Dun Dun Dun)
While I would admit on the outside the Sabres probably represent the weakest opponent the Wild have faced this season. (cue: Oh Boy!) It also is the makings of the perfect ‘trap’ game. The Wild are desperate but still probably feeling that they’re the better team. Especially after the way the Wild played on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils who coming into that game having lost 4 straight and having played the night before (and lost on the road) it was Minnesota that looked like the tired club as they lost 3-1. (cue: Negatrometer) The Sabres know they are playing against a team that is struggling with its confidence and if the Wild let Buffalo hang around it could be a recipe for disaster. The Wild have been good for about a goal per game lately which will give Buffalo hope they can keep it close.
The Wild made some roster moves on Wednesday, sending Jonathon Blum and Stephane Veilleux to Iowa and calling up Jordan Schroeder and Stu Bickel as some people are also hopeful of a return of Jared Spurgeon to the blueline. (cue: Yea Baby!) Spurgeon has been dearly missed as his puck movement and offensive instincts have been a big part of the success the team had with its puck possession game. Officially, he’ll be a gameday decision. One player who will not be back Thursday night is Zach Parise who is still battling with concussion symptoms. That might open an opportunity to impress for the former Golden Gopher Schroeder who is Iowa’s leading scorer. Oh and about that power play (cue: Intermission Music) nevermind, its not worth talking about the Sabres 5.7% effective power play unless it is to note it is far more effective than the Wild’s 4.6% power play. (cue: I always love that one)
Since we’re talking about returns (cue: Rimshot) former Wild wingers Matt Moulson, Cody McCormick and Torrey Mitchell come back to play at Xcel Energy Center. Moulson has received a lot of criticism from Sabres fans over the fact he has just one goal on the season. The Wild are just the opponent who would want to help their old winger out. (cue: Doh kay) That might seem mean but the Wild appear to be in more of a ‘giving’ mood these days. Goaltenders give up soft goals, the team gives up leads, the team has been giving plenty of excuses why two of its highly paid forwards have less goals combined (3) then Nino Niederreiter (4). (cue: Waa Waa Waa)
So to all Wild fans of age out there, grab a cold beverage and just relax and hopefully the Wild surprise us with a great effort at home. (cue: IALTO Alert) As Minnesotans love to say, “it can always be worse” and we’ll find out today if that is true. (cue: I always love that one)
UPDATE: News has been received that the Wild will be without Marco Scandella and Jonas Brodin for symptoms similar to the mumps that took Keith Ballard out of the lineup. It is believed that its the same virus that has kept Anaheim’s Francois Beauchemin and Corey Perry on a team-mandated quarantine. The Wild now believe that virus may be in their locker room. Yikes! Only silver lining is that Jared Spurgeon should be back for tonight’s game.
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