Game #41: Minnesota Wild at Pittsburgh Penguins, Saturday January 8, 2011 at 6:00pm CST, Consol Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

So here I am looking at the numbers for tonight’s matchup and I have to say, I notice something rather peculiar.  I dare you to look closely at the goals against per game and the penalty kill rankings for the Penguins.  Notice anything?  Perhaps that they’re second in goals against and have the best penalty kill in the league?  I don’t know about you, but when I see numbers like that, they immediately make me think one thing.  Neutral Zone Trap.  Now I’m not about to accuse them of “ruining the game of hockey” quiet yet.  Not at least until I see them guilty of what the Penguins and their fans have accused the Wild of since Year One.  I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be there for all to see, especially since they’re without their poster child, Sidney Crosby tonight.  Pot meet kettle.

I was about to thank my lucky stars that at least this wasn’t a nationally televised game (either on VS or NHL Network), but then I looked at the Wild’s TV schedule.  I don’t think I could handle the drooling and fawning over Crosby that we hear continually.  Of course the Wild broadcast pair of Dan Terhaar and Mike Greenlay most likely will do their best to talk incessantly over how much having Crosby out of the lineup hurts the Pens.  However, since I live in Wisconsin, I will be relying on NHL Center Ice to watch tonight’s game, because the Minnesota feed is courtesy of KSTP-Channel 45.  There’s a small chance that I’ll get the Minnesota feed, but I have a strong feeling that I’ll be stuck with the Pittsburgh feed featuring the “pitching and mooning” of Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey.  If so, I’m sure they’ll be repeating Crosby’s sentiments that his concussion is the result of two direct hits to the head, one by David Steckel in the Winter Classic the other from Victor Hedman of Tampa Bay.  Lucky me.

On a Wild note, goaltender Niklas Backstrom has been sidelined by a groin injury that he sustained on the Harvard University ice, when they were in Boston.  He will be heading out to Vail, Colorado early this week to see his hip specialist, Dr. Marc Phillipon.  Backstrom is unsure if the injury is the same one that Dr. Phillipon repaired previously or how serious it is.  We should know shortly enough.  Because of that injury, Jose Theodore will be starting again tonight in Pittsburgh.  Thankfully, Theodore has found success against the Penguins.  Hopefully he can continue that trend, but more importantly he gets support from the players in front of him.  Serving as back-up will be Anton Khudobin who was called up from the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.  It is unlikely that Khudobin will merely be called up just sit on the bench.  With the Wild playing an early game tomorrow back at home against Dallas, it is expected that Khudobin will get the start, as the Wild also have a game on Tuesday in Nashville and Theodore will need a break in action.  Fingers are crossed that he plays as well as he did during his brief stint last season.

Supposedly, the Wild have finally found their game.  At least that is what is being said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as well as by the players and coaches themselves.  However, I choose to exercise extreme caution.  We’ve all seen previous attempts at a turn around of fortune, only to find ourselves once again disappointed.  Until the Wild can continue the success at home as well on the road, and play three consistent periods of hockey every game, I won’t believe it.  There’s been a marked lack of consistency this season, and until that changes, I will remain a bit pessimistic.  No, I’m not asking for a huge win streak (although that would be nice).  Let’s face it, with the roster we have, the Wild are going to lose games.  However, a loss in a consistent effort where they got a bad bounce or two, those are more acceptable than many of the losses we’ve seen this season. 

I really hope that the team we’ve seen since the home game against Phoenix on January 2nd continues.  I know I for one would like to silence the crowd in the Steel City.  Of course if they lose, and I can hear it now, it’s because they were without their shining star.  Prepare yourselves for the mourning of Crosby’s absence however you watch or listen to tonight’s game.  It should be interesting, as well as a bit nauseating.

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