Minnesota Wild (20-16-5) 45pts 5th in the Central
2.22 Goals For (29th)
2.51 Goals Against (12th)
19.4% Power Play (11th)
78.8% Penalty Kill (26th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 8G 22A = 30pts
2. #29 Jason Pominville ~ 17G 11A = 28pts
3. #11 Zach Parise ~ 15G 12A = 27pts
4. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 1G 22A = 23pts
5. #22 Nino Niederreiter ~ 7G 12A = 19pts
Top 3 PIM's:
1. #28 Zenon Konopka ~ 55 PIM's
2. #4 Clayton Stoner ~ 35 PIM's
3. #2 Keith Ballard ~ 31 PIM's
Top Goaltenders:
1. #37 Josh Harding (18-6-3) 1.64GAA .934%SP 3SO
2. #32 Niklas Backstrom (2-9-2) 3.32GAA .893%SP
Vs.
St. Louis Blues (26-7-5) 57pts 2nd in the Central
3.50 Goals For (2nd)
2.37 Goals Against (7th)
23.2% Power Play (4th)
83.7% Penalty Kill (9th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #20 Alex Steen ~ 24G 14A = 38pts
2. #74 T.J. Oshie ~ 5G 27A = 32pts
3. #42 David Backes ~ 16G 14A = 30pts
4. #9 Jaden Schwartz ~ 13G 15A = 28pts
5. #22 Kevin Shattenkirk ~ 6G 22A = 28pts
Top 3 PIM's:
1. #25 Chris Stewart ~ 73 PIM's
2. #42 David Backes ~ 70 PIM's
3. #75 Ryan Reaves ~ 65 PIM's
Top Goaltenders:
1. #41 Jaroslav Halak (17-6-3) 2.40GAA .907%SP 2SO
2. #1 Brian Elliott (9-1-2) 2.04GAA .919%SP 2SO
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Well, it's official. I really, really hate being a Minnesota Wild blogger these days. It's gotten to the point, that I actually dread game days. I hate having to think of what to write, or at least make the same rant sound somewhat different from the previous time. Even worse, I don't want to watch the game, especially if I have to see a repeat of Sunday's epic fail against the New York Islanders. Part of me was hoping that Ashton Kutcher was going to show up and tell Wild fans that they've just been Punk'd instead of the Wild having their ass handed to them by the flippin' Islanders. Minnesota sports fans saw one of their coaches fired today in Vikings' Head Coach Leslie Frazier, which of course has Wild fans wondering if our coach is next. And trust me, there is a growing, vocal contingency of fans that want that to happen sooner rather than later.
Tonight is New Year's Eve. The night, where we look back and reflect on the past year. We're supposed to use that reflection as a way to improve ourselves in the new year. Many of us make resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, or to try and be a better person. When it comes to sports, we'd like to see our teams win the championship of their respective sport. As Wild fans, I think once again we can toss out any hope for a serious playoff run. Heck, at this point it would be a miracle if the Wild even made the playoffs. And consindering how things have gone as of late, the Minnesota Wild absolutely do not deserve a playoff appearance. Even if they somehow manage to turn things completely around, I honestly don't want them in the playoffs. To make the post-season, it simply gives a false impression that everything is a great, when in reality it's nothing more than a band-aid. Just like we should have never made the playoffs last season nudging out the Columbus Blue Jackets due to the fact they had less regulation victories than we did.
I was sitting here trying to think of where things truly went sour this season. Clearly, Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo is oblivious to what ills this team. He's even said as much in post-game press conferences. Thank goodness we have the St. Louis Blues' head coach, Ken Hitchcock to point us in the right direction. He knows, because he was there the night that the wheels came off the proverbial bus. In preparation for tonight's game, Hitchcock has been watching the Blues-Wild game from November 25th. Between Zach Parise blocking a shot, which now has him sidelined once again, and the bogus disallowed Parise goal, this is when the Wild started to fall apart. Even Hitchcock believed it was a goal and should have been allowed. The Wild were the dominant team in that game, but didn't have the mental toughness to fight back. And that my dear readers is probably the biggest problem the Minnesota Wild faces. We are no longer able to claw our way back into games like we were able to do earlier in the season. Now we just find ways to throw them away. I bet we all wish Ken Hitchcock was the head coach these days.
So Happy New Year. Tonight officially marks the end of the first half of the Wild's season. I'd like to say we might be able to turn things around, but at this point, I just don't see it happening. Yes, I realize I'm channeling a little leftover Ebeneezer Scrooge, but that's how I'm feeling. Until the Minnesota Wild give me something to be happy and hopeful about, I see no reason to try and sugarcoat anything.
Bah Humbug.
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