Minnesota Wild (27-19-5) 59pts 4th in the Central
2.33 Goals For (26th)
2.37 Goals Against (6th)
18.4% Power Play (17th)
79.5% Penalty Kill (24th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #29 Jason Pominville ~ 19G 14A = 33pts
2. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 6G 25A = 31pts
3. #22 Nino Niederreiter ~ 9G 17A = 26pts
4. #24 Matt Cooke ~ 6G 14A = 20pts
5. #64 Mikael Granlund ~ 3G 17A = 20pts
Top 3 PIM's:
1. #4 Clayton Stoner ~ 48 PIM's
2. #24 Matt Cooke ~ 32 PIM's
3. #2 Keith Ballard ~ 31 PIM's
Top Goaltenders:
1. #37 Josh Harding (18-7-3) 1.65GAA .933%SP 3SO
2. #32 Niklas Backstrom (5-10-2) 3.02GAA .899%SP
3. #35 Darcy Kuemper (4-2-0) 2.13GAA .922%SP 1SO
Vs.
Dallas Stars (21-20-8) 50pts 6th in the Central
2.74 Goals For (13th)
3.02 Goals Against (26th)
13.9% Power Play (27th)
80.1% Penalty Kill (18th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #91 Tyler Seguin ~ 21G 24A = 45pts
2. #14 Jamie Benn ~ 17G 23A = 40pts
3. #12 Alex Chiasson ~ 9G 15A = 24pts
4. #72 Erik Cole ~ 13G 10A = 23pts
5. #20 Cody Eakin ~ 11G 12A = 23pts
Top 3 PIM's:
1. #21 Antoine Roussel ~ 116 PIM's
2. #4 Brendan Dillon ~ 58 PIM's
3. #16 Ryan Garbutt ~ 55 PIM's
Top Goaltenders:
1. #32 Kari Lehtonen (17-14-8) 2.68GAA .913%SP 1SO
2. #30 Dan Ellis (4-5-0) 3.25GAA .898%SP
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It's often been said that there's a fine line between a dream and a nightmare. That fine line exists in both our real lives and our sleep state. On the occasions that I wake up and I remember my dreams, I find the ones that are the most disturbing are those that went from pleasant to scary. Same goes for real life. In a not so dramatic way, just this past weekend was Hockey Day Minnesota in my husband's hometown of Elk River, Minnesota. We have been looking forward to this for a long time, and we were counting down the days. So imagine my disappointment when I wake very early Saturday morning with a nasty stomach bug. So while my husband and his family were outside at the historic Handke Pit watching outdoor high school hockey, I was curled up on the couch with Ginger Ale. Even worse, I only remember the first and last goals in the Elk River-Stillwater game as I slept most of the day. I slept so much during the high school and Gopher game, that I did manage to stay awake for the Minnesota Wild game, that capped off the Hockey Day Minnesota festivities. And that too, demonstrated that same fine line.
By the time the Wild game started Saturday night, everyone was feeling pretty good. The two high school teams in the boys' games that I wanted to win, did, as did the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. We wanted that dream to continue and end on a high note. For a while during the game, it seemed that the Wild just might pull it off. However, when they were spending as much time as they were in their own end, you really start to get nervous. Add that into the blatant and uncalled interference by the Dallas Stars, and you begin to feel that the nightmare may soon become a reality. When the game went into overtime, I was almost feeling sicker than I had been all day. Of course the sick feeling even got worse when Jamie Benn elbowed Matt Cooke and yet again, the officials turned a blind eye. It's stuff like that, when you get that pit in your stomach that makes you feel like everyone is against you. You know that if Cooke had thrown his elbow at Benn, not only would it have been called, but Cooke most likely would be facing an in-person hearing with the league. Thankfully, the dream turned nightmare once again became a dream. And it was a dream that even Hollywood couldn't have written better. The dream ended with a game-winning, overtime goal by none other than Elk River, Minnesota-native, Nate Prosser.
So tonight, we once again have the chance for a dream. Minnesota is playing the second half of this home and home series in Dallas tonight. American Airlines Center has been one of those venues that has not been kind to the Wild. The Wild cannot afford to even give the Stars a fraction of an inch. The Stars need to catch up, and we're one of the teams they need to catch up to. Currently, Minnesota is sitting in that coveted eighth spot in the Western Conference. Of course by coveted, I mean only by those who are just sitting outside of the playoff picture. Personally, I don't like the eighth spot. I would be much happier that if the Wild were to make the playoffs, they'd get in with the sixth spot, but considering the teams in the fifth through seventh spots, I don't see Minnesota moving up that far. If Minnesota makes the playoffs, we'll have to be happy with eighth. But Dallas would much rather be in our place than quibbling over being higher in the standings in the post-season. And with that in mind, the Stars are going to do everything they can to get in to that spot. And if they have to interfere and elbow people to get there, they're going to it. All I hope for tonight, is that Minnesota plays competitively and that their heads are on a continual swivel, because I don't trust Dallas, especially after what I saw Saturday night.
So here's to more happy dreams tonight. As Wild fans, we've certainly had enough nightmares so far this season.
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