Game #8: Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings, Monday October 25, 2010 at 7:00pm (CDT), Xcel Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

Welcome to five games in the friendly confines of Xcel Energy Center.  As fans, we generally prefer our games at home, especially when the games are against West Coast opponents like tonight’s Los Angeles Kings.  However, this could be the home-stand that makes or breaks the Wild.  All one has to do is take a look at the lineup and at the very least mentally cringe if not physically as well.  Of the five opponents we face in these five games, all but Calgary made the playoffs last year.  While the Flames were out of the postseason along with the Wild, they are typically a difficult opponent for Minnesota.  The other four all made the playoffs, and three of them were their respective division champs.  If you wanted to know what the 2010-11 Minnesota Wild were really made of, now is the time to check them out.

Probably the most important thing the Wild need to work on is staying out of the penalty box.  Against Edmonton on Thursday night, they gave the Oilers ten opportunities with the extra man.  I don’t know know about you, but that has to be the least effective way to try and win a game.  Minnesota is extremely lucky that they only gave up two power play goals that night.  They seem to have gotten the message about too many penalties, as they only gave the Canucks six sessions with the extra man.  Somehow they managed to kill all six penalties, however they still gave up five even strength goals.  According to head coach Todd Richards his penalty killers were so tired after killing so many penalties in Edmonton that there was little left in the proverbial tank for the next night in Vancouver.  Just like any nutritionist says, everything in fine, but in moderation.  Moderation when it comes to taking penalties could be one of the Wild’s mantras this season.

It’s feels like it’s been ages since I last talked about the state of health of one Pierre-Marc Bouchard.  I find it hard to remember that he’s even on the team, that I have those “ah-ha” moments whenever I see his name mentioned in the press.  This morning was one of those moments.  As I’m reading the Wild news in the Minneapolis Star Tribune I see that Bouchard is continually making strides towards his return.  While it seems that the talented forwards still has a long way to go until he’s game ready, he’s getting there.  As reported in the Twin Cities press, he skated in his first full-contact scrimmage on Saturday.  According to the report, the drills in that scrimmage didn’t allow for any of the typical big hits forwards face in a game, it is still a step in the right direction.  We’re still a long way to seeing him back on the ice, but I doubt even his return is enough to get the Wild closer to making the playoffs.

If the Wild can work more on scoring, less on making it easier for their opponents to score (meaning taking excessive penalties), they just might stand half a chance on this tough home-stand.  It all gets down to effort and keeping their heads in the game.  We know they can do it.  We saw the Wild play the kind of game they have to play during the first game against Vancouver.  They just need to pull themselves together and hopefully find a way to get their super talented opponents off their respective games.  It’s a tall order, but it can be done.