Game #61: Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings, Thursday February 24, 2011 at 9:30pm CST, Staples Center [GAME PREVIEW]

  
Part of being in any relationship is occasionally having to give in and watch the TV shows you absolutely loathe.  As much as my partner in crime likes to tell everyone how much I dominate the remote control she occasionally steals it away and inevitably I end up watching some show that drives me beserk; especially staged ‘reality contest’ shows like Iron Chef, Ace of Cakes, Ghosthunters, Project Runway and perhaps most annoying of all is TLC’s What Not to Wear.  As much as you try to tune it out, like a good car wreck in any NASCAR race you just can’t look away the entire time.  To those of you not familiar with the show, it simply features a person whose peers believe they are a fashion nightmare.  It may be that they wear clothes that are simply way out of style or that they may be ill-fitting as well as being inappropriate for their occupation.  The only fashion that matters to me is a good hockey sweater.  Yet we all know a person who may wear ill-fitting clothes that makes you shake your head in disgust or cause you to chuckle a bit.  I know I’ve seen students like that where you wonder at what point they thought, yea, wearing this T-shirt that is way too small IS a good idea.  Since we’re talking about things being tight (and not in a good way) the Western Conference is the equivalent of a bigger girl trying to stuff herself into a pair of skinny jeans especially when you get to 5th, where the Wild are currently stationed.  Check it out for yourself.

1.  Vancouver Canucks – 61GP  (38-14-9) ~ 85pts
2.  Detroit Red Wings – 60GP  (37-17-6) ~ 80pts
3.  San Jose Sharks – 62GP  (35-21-6) ~ 76pts
4.  Phoenix Coyotes ~ 62GP  (33-20-9) ~ 75pts
5.  Minnesota Wild ~ 60GP  (32-22-6) ~ 70pts
6.  Los Angeles Kings ~ 60GP  (33-23-4)  ~ 70pts
7.  Nashville Predators ~ 60GP  (31-21-8) ~ 70pts
8.  Calgary Flames ~ 62GP  (31-23-8) ~ 70pts
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9.  Chicago Blackhawks ~ 60GP  (31-23-6) ~ 68pts
10. Dallas Stars ~ 60GP (31-23-6) ~ 68pts
11. Anaheim Ducks ~ 61GP (32-25-4) ~ 68pts
12. Columbus Blue Jackets ~ 59GP (30-23-6) ~ 66pts
13. St. Louis Blues ~ 59GP (27-23-9) ~ 63pts

Its ridiculously close and one win or one loss can have you on the outside looking in.  Only Detroit and Vancouver find themselves comfortably in the lead of their respective divisions while San Jose Sharks has all of its in-division opponents nipping at its heels.  It makes for some very exciting, playoff-style hockey but it also makes fans feel as though they are bi-polar where a win can make you feel tremendously great and a loss can bring on instant depression.  The Minnesota Wild used to have a decisive advantage in the amount of games in hand it had on most of the rest of the Western Conference but that edge has more or less completely evaporated and so the margin of error is now non-existent. 

With the Wild missing its captain Mikko Koivu; who is out of the lineup with a broken finger and is expected to be gone for at least another 2 weeks Minnesota fans could be forgiven for having a feeling of trepidation.  After all its the 2nd leading scorer who is out of the lineup on a team that has a very modest offense.  Fortunately for the Wild, it has found more diversity in its attack than its had since its earliest seasons.  Kyle Brodziak who has had a great season, is not making the trip for tonight’s game due to illness.  There is a possibility that he will be out West for tomorrow’s game against Anaheim.  Because of absences, the Wild called up Jed Ortmeyer and Nate Prosser from the Houston Aeros.  What also has been a bit downplayed in the team’s latest string of success has been the much improved defensive play, especially on the penalty kill which has been lights out (knock on wood) due large in part to the stellar play between the pipes by Niklas Backstrom (knock on wood). 

With a virtually identical record, the Wild travel to Los Angeles to face the Kings who find themselves clawing for a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.  Last night the Kings won 3-2 over their Orange County rival Anaheim Ducks.  Both teams need the two points and expect a bitterly fought contest that may resemble the fight between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.  Except it will probably be Kyle Clifford uttering “I must break you” before he drops the gloves with the Wild’s Brad Staubitz.  No matter how well Staubitz does in the fight, I can assure you the Staples Center crowd will not be cheering “Let’s Go Wild” when its all said and done.  The Wild have their own back-to-back tilt as they will play the Ducks tomorrow night but they cannot afford to overlook the Kings who a right in their rear-view mirror.  Earning a regulation victory will be ideal but any point(s) are huge.  These are 4-point games and each victory pushes you forward as well as pushes your competitors backwards. 

The Wild chose to dress all of its blueliners last game and chose to sit down Chuck Kobasew.  I personally hope Kobasew is back in this game, and feel his value has to at least be greater than Cam Barker who has just struggled so far this season.  No matter the decision, the outcome of these next two games will likely determine if the Wild are a buyer or a seller at the deadline.  I still think the most likely outcome is that the team will stand pat.  Hopefully it can take care of business and keep moving forward.    
  

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