Game #20: Minnesota Wild vs Philadelphia Flyers, Wednesday November 24, 2010 at 7:00pm CST, Xcel Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you’re like me, you’re getting yourself packed and ready to go.  By about 3:30 this afternoon, we should be on the road and heading toward the Twin Cities.  Some of you are heading to an airport in order to spend the holiday with loved ones.  For those of us in the Upper Midwest, we get the added “joy” of dealing with winter weather.  If it was just snow, I wouldn’t mind so much.  However, the forcast is not so nice.  Freezing rain and for those in the western part of Minnesota and on into the Dakotas, they’re possibly facing blizzard conditions.  Yes the weather can make things a bit more stressful, that stress often melts away when you’re sitting around the table with family, eating was is probably one of the best meals of the year. 

While we’re reuniting with family that we might not have seen in a while, it seems that idea isn’t far from the minds of Minnesota fans.  Yesterday, as many of us were starting to dream of turkey and all the fixings, the Minnesota (re)acquired Patrick O’Sullivan off of waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes.  In a normal world, it’s not unusual to pick up a play off of waivers.  However what is weird about the situation is that O’Sullivan was the Wild’s 2nd round pick in the 2003 Entry Draft.  Since that time, he’s had his struggles to find a home.  Since he was drafted, he has spent time with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, and of course the Hurricanes.  I have to admit, I’m kind of ambivalent about the signing.  It’s clear that the Wild had to do something since Guillaume Latendresse will undergo two surgeries today and we’re still without the services of Pierre-Marc Bouchard.  Many fans have argued that this is a low-risk acquisition.  Who knows he could be this season’s version of last season’s Latendresse.  What is good to see, is O’Sullivan’s positive outlook on coming back to the team that drafted him.

The Wild find themselves facing another Atlantic Division opponent in the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Flyers have been one of those opponents that the Wild have been a bit more hit and miss when it comes to success.  The Wild have won the past two games against the Flyers, however I’m not holding my breath for a third win.  Right now, the Flyers are the best team in the entire league.  However, that #1 spot is based on some tie-breaking calculations.  Both the Flyers and Washington Capitals have 30 points.  The Flyers win the spot by the fact that they scored four more goals than the Capitals.  For the Wild, they’re going to have to find a way to counteract the second best scoring team in the league.  While the Wild have one of the best “goals against per game” stats in the league, their struggles scoring goals could be their worst enemy.

So while some of you will be heading to Xcel Energy Center, we here at The State of Hockey News wish you happy, and safe travels to and from the game as well as to your holiday gathering(s).  Enjoy your time off and.  Enjoy those favorite holiday treats.  But most importantly, enjoy your time with friends and family.  Be thankful for what you have and not bitter over what you don’t have.

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