Game #65: Minnesota Wild vs Florida Panthers, Tuesday March 9, 2010 at 7:00pm (CST), Xcel Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

I hate to break it to you, but tonight is one of those dangerous games.  The kind of game, that one should win and must win, but ends up losing.  It is just like Friday’s game against Edmonton and Sunday’s game against Calgary.  Now in past years, a game against Calgary isn’t a “should win” game, but this year the Wild’s record was in their favor.  Adding to that, the Wild had managed to keep Jarome Iginla out of the goal column.  I don’t believe I need to remind you how that turned out for Minnesota.

For tonight’s game, past history is in the Wild’s favor, as Minnesota has won the past ten meetings against the Panthers.  However, I’m not feeling confident.  Not even the fact that Florida will be without Nathan Horton due to a broken tibia, their second-best scorer, has me feeling confident.  Yes, the Wild have outscored the Panthers, in fact they have done so by more than 2 to 1.  But, when you compare the goaltending stats, it just adds an additional layer of dread to tonight’s game.  Looking at the numbers for Tomas Vokoun one has to think the Panthers are losing relatively low-scoring, one-goal games.  While the Panther’s aren’t winning games, Vokoun appears to be getting back to his form that he had in Nashville.

The buzz word in the Wild locker-room these days is “rally.”  At least that appears to be the case according to an article in today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune.  Wild head coach Todd Richard is looking back to some of the greatest rallies of the season, the first being the 3-goal deficit for the home opener against Anaheim and of course the amazing comeback against Chicago.  With those thoughts in the back of his head, Richards seems to think that there is still hope for a playoff bid, even though the hope is dimming with each game.  Right now, the playoff deficit is 7 points and five teams.  Is it possible?  Yes, but looking at the schedule for the month of March, I’m not holding my breath.  The Wild still have tough teams like St. Louis, San Jose, Los Angeles, Chicago, another game with Calgary, and not to mention two games in Detroit.  Making up those seven points and passing those five teams will be an uphill battle of epic proportions.

What needs to happen from here on out, is that the Wild’s top scorers need to show up in the scoring columns.  The past two games neither Mikko Koivu or Andrew Brunette have scored goals.  If one wants to make a legitimate run at the playoffs, one’s top scorers have to be part of that dream.  Instead, scoring has come from Guillaume Latendresse.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take goals from where ever they come, but the top line has to be part of that and on a regular basis.  Nor am I saying that the top line has to bear the sole responsibility for scoring.  Hockey is a team sport, and everyone needs to be involved at this point, or the team will fail in its bid.

While I suggest that fans tread lightly around this game and not tempt fate, the team itself needs to come out and play tonight (and every night) like that game is the deciding game.  There is no time left for a lackluster effort.  There’s no time left for anyone to take a night off.  There is no time for mistakes.

Now is here, and what happens now effects tomorrow.