Minnesota Wild (0-1)
3.00 Goals For (11th)
3.12 Goals Against (12th)
12.5% Power Play (10th)
82.8% Penalty Kill (9th)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #11 Zach Parise ~ 3G 8A = 11pts
2. #21 Kyle Brodziak ~ 3G 3A = 6pts
3. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 1G 5A = 6pts
4. #29 Jason Pominville ~ 1G 5A = 6pts
5. #15 Dany Heatley ~ 1G 5A = 6pts
Top 3 PIM’s:
1. #4 Clayton Stoner ~ 20 PIM’s
2. #8 Cody McCormick ~ 14 PIM’s
3. #39 Nate Prosser ~ 12 PIM’s
Top Goaltender:
1. #35 Darcy Kuemper (3-1) 2.03GAA .913SV%
2. #30 Ilya Bryzgalov (1-3) 4.16GAA .821SV%
Vs.
Chicago Blackhawks (1-0)
3.57 Goals For (3rd)
2.29 Goals Against (3rd)
20.8% Power Play (8th)
93.8% Penalty Kill (1st)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #88 Patrick Kane ~ 5G 3A = 8pts
2. #19 Jonathan Toews ~ 3G 5A = 8pts
3. #7 Brent Seabrook ~ 2G 6A = 8pts
4. #2 Duncan Keith ~ 2G 5A = 7pts
5. #29 Bryan Bickell ~ 4G 1A = 5pts
Top 3 PIM’s:
1. #7 Brent Seabrook ~ 15 PIM’s
2. #52 Brandon Bollig ~ 12 PIM’s
3. #88 Patrick Kane ~ 8 PIM’s
Top Goaltenders:
1. #50 Corey Crawford (5-2) 1.98GAA .935SV%
Normally when I write my previews, I have most of the morning to come up with a topic. And considering the start times Minnesota Wild fans, players and coaches have had to endure so far in the playoffs, I also have a good chunk of the afternoon to work with as well. Today, not so much. While I appreciate the fact that I won’t be up until at least midnight, this 2:00 start time is messing with me. Right now I feel like I’m rushing (perhaps I should have taken my own advice and written this last night). The game will be over and it will be time to make dinner. Yes, major confusion. But considering who our opponent is, it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. The first round that Chicago and St. Louis played, they definitely got preferential start times. Their games started at 7:00 or 7:30, plus they had two matinee games. Yes, I realize that a difference in time zone effected our start times in Denver, but the home games should have had a 7:00 or 7:30 start time not the 8:00 or 8:30 we were given. So if there’s any benefit to facing the Chicago Blackhawks in Round Two, it’s that we most likely won’t be staying up until midnight, unless there’s some major overtime involved.
Another thing I really like about this series, is that we get to hear quality renditions of our national anthem. Last round, it was beyond painful to hear Jake Schroeder belt out what he and his fans in Denver consider a tasteful performance. It was scratchy, lacked tonal focus, and there’s no way a person could sing along if they wanted to. I hate what most performers do to national anthems at sporting events. They swoop around the composed note, add notes and syllables that do not exist, and there’s absolutely no way you could sing along if you wanted to. It’s sad really. Last I looked, the anthem belonged to the people (and yes, this goes for Canada and their anthem as well), and not the pop-diva hired to perform. Today, we get to hear the rendition by Jim Cornelison, who has been the Blackhawks’ anthem singer for seven season. It’s amazing what happens with the anthem when performed by a classically trained musician. Cornelison has worked with several anthem companies not only here in the States, but around the world as well. Cornelison is a bit over the top for my taste, but at least I can sing along if I want and he sings in tune. Hear that Jake Schroeder? And then there’s the Minnesota Wild anthem singer, James Bohn. Bohn has been active in the fantastic music scene in the Twin Cities for years, in particular VocalEssence. Like Cornelison, is classically trained. And when Bohn is on the ice with active members of the Minnesota National Guard, know that he’s been in their combat boots. He is an infantry combat veteran of Vietnam. Call me a homer, but I prefer Bohn’s rendition over Cornelison. And here’s a little hockey tidbit for your Sunday morning. Unlike most sports, most teams in the National Hockey League have a permanent anthem singer on their payroll. According to an article dated April 15, 2014 in the Wall Street Journal, 26 of the 30 teams use the same singer every night. Of course my favorite anthem singer is Lyndon Slewidge who’s rendition of O Canada in Ottawa is absolutely amazing. And the fact that he does a pretty good Star-Spangled Banner as well, you just have to love him as much as his Ontario Provincial Police uniform. Stunning.
This afternoon, Minnesota needs to find a way to maintain the physical presence they demonstrated in Game 1, yet find a way to get more of their shots in the net. I know that sounds overly simplistic, but it’s true. Jason Pominville absolutely must find a way to find his own game. He had a decent enough regular season, but feels almost invisible in the post-season. If Pominville could heat up, it just might be what tips this round in the Wild’s favor. When you’re playing the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs, you need to find each and every way to turn things in your favor. Sure, we may have won the regular season series 3-1-1, but that was the regular season. Perhaps, they need to go back and watch some of the tape from those five games and find out what worked and what didn’t work in those games. Compare it to what Chicago did in Round One against St. Louis (who had our number all season) and what happened in Game 1. Chicago is not invincible. They can be beaten. Minnesota just needs to find out what the chink is in their armor. The Wild did get the two goals on Corey Crawford in Game 1. They felt great. There is definitely a way to do more of that, yet I realize this is the Minnesota Wild I’m speaking about. We’ve never been known as an offensive juggernaut. Just finding a little more offense will ultimately go a long way. Not to mention, finding more of a solid, almost Lemaire-esque defensive game to shut Chicago down. And for the love of everything good in hockey, stop giving Patrick Kane those kinds of chances at the net.
So here we go. Round 2 Game 2. I just hope we get a solid game from Minnesota, because I can’t handle being upset for the rest of my day over a game.
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