Wild Escape With 3-2 Win Over Colorado

Cable / Satellite and Network bidding wars are pretty annoying.  Case in point, I have been NHL Center Ice subscriber for at least 15 years.  I did this so there would be no way I’d miss any games, or so I thought.  Leave that to a bidding war between Dish Network and Fox Sports Net-Wisconsin which has me more or less locked out from watching my favorite teams.  So I’ve had to subscribe to YouTube TV and FSN-Wisconsin only broadcasts some of the games instead of all of them like FSN-North did.  That may mean I might be listening to tonight’s game between the Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche.

The last time the Wild played Colorado they were overwhelmed by the Avalanche’s offense.  Minnesota has played better the last week or so, especially on home ice.  Can the Wild earn a big win over Colorado?

1st Period Impressions:  Since Dish Network / YouTube TV fiasco continues I will give you my impressions of the game (while listening to it on the radio) and the tweets that came across my Twitter feed.  So my impressions of the period are at the mercy of these fine folks as well as Bob Kurtz and Tom Reid.

[protected-iframe id=”707ea0f0ff11772dcf52604abe3a3b58-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”527921f636b93ebf8b9a1febaf8d1d41-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”37d0e284433d6434f48c3585be8c5537-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”45f086b1a6c87e680c4ef9bd54004433-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”8c7dfc9899af97a74d5366667cc53ca3-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”d1e0c6a5644410f5d1ae04ce7e33662a-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”31441e0df68b6301a15b19cdb0adaaeb-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”b140467f984d97909ef3f259e9158953-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”1a44a493a1915fac79955227199b6158-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

Based on the tweets and the radio broadcast, it sounds like the Wild did just about everything you could do right, but score.  The Joel Eriksson Ek, Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin line (aka the GEEK line) sounded like they were having a helluva game.  Alex Stalock had a huge save on Nazem Kadri but the Wild and Avalanche are still 0-0 after 1 period of play.

2nd Period Impressions:

[protected-iframe id=”08e9cf19789d1025c7ecd422adebc24b-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”cede16a6d4a016ed8f766941483989c0-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

1-0 Wild…

[protected-iframe id=”46f18e342e8c73eb13dec9b7fc600b8e-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

2-0 Wild…

[protected-iframe id=”109a5ee51c0e9328ba87286c40afa40d-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”2c7fcab906fb5f16f949740639a75541-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”260a415dcd00dccb2b37787b012026c1-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”a96fe33517abde9af8d0750d74ef2d1e-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

2-1 as Cale Makar scores for Colorado.

[protected-iframe id=”fbe897cad8a6bb0070a159e48f04cd12-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

2-2 as Makar continues to push himself closer to a Calder trophy.

[protected-iframe id=”2092e2465e3d50af9a32e084552d22b4-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”581de44f16132e3ee27d79be9a41485a-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”2bcc06a5e54343682653351114b64b6a-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”85bf5d4420b58ec4a7f70e72151eea99-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

The Wild had a great start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead early in the 2nd period on goals from Mats Zuccarello and Greenway.  Then it seemed to be all Avalanche as Minnesota would pay big time for being a little too picky with its shots in the middle of the period.  Then Colorado rookie Cale Makar demonstrated just how incredibly talented he is with two terrific goals to tie it up at 2-2 going into the 3rd.  I’m pretty sure the Wild were feeling pretty anxious and vulnerable going into the 2nd intermission.

3rd Period Impressions:

[protected-iframe id=”6710f64c4b28a8ec636139aeefdb9d6e-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”5e9b39071a1c08b4e7dea2b257e26672-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

Lazy penalty by Kevin Fiala.

[protected-iframe id=”9fa1a293298bfe5dc525eac7c7107392-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”080c14fb9502ab3c4448d2dcafd5a5ce-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”e5376e756fdfb173b580c445dabc4e0b-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

3-2 Wild on a goal by Jason Zucker.

[protected-iframe id=”7a81becc73c1875bca44f29444256440-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”22516ac7364019cc32f1ee2c3c6dd660-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

I am not sure if Michael Russo is referring to one of Electronic Arts‘ NHL games.  The best one was NHL ’94 which had no turbo feature, but I digress.

[protected-iframe id=”fc38e8225c1ad91c02914137b2f7f034-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”7ce87b3b9197e8dc2100bbcaee8e4edb-142507471-107882219″ info=”twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”] [protected-iframe id=”5e3a42e24c7be35a42ec01f2497cc0b7-142507471-107882219″ info=”hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” class=”twitter-tweet”]

Big win for the Wild where they managed to settle down after a rough 2nd period to re-focus and earn a big win against Colorado, its first win against a Central Division opponent this season.  Another solid start for Stalock too, making 25 saves in the victory.

Wild Notes:

~ The Wild roster tonight was as follows: Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, Eric Staal, Mats Zuccarello, Jason Zucker, Kevin Fiala, Joel Eriksson Ek, Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, Ryan Hartman, Ryan Donato, Victor Rask, Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Matt Dumba, Carson Soucy and Brad Hunt.  Kaapo Kahkonen backed up Alex Stalock.  Nick Seeler was the lone scratch.

~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Ryan Suter, 2nd Cale Makar, 3rd Star Joel Eriksson Ek

~ Attendance was 17,574 at Xcel Energy Center.

Iowa Wild Report:

Iowa 5, Milwaukee 6 SO

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0ZcsO5u58&w=560&h=315]

Wild Prospect Report:

D – Fedor Gordeev (Guelph, OHL) ~ the tall defenseman had an assist and 1 shot on goal in Guelph’s 5-1 win over Kitchener on Tuesday night.  Gordeev has no goals, 14 assists, 19 PIM’s and is a +3 in 19 games.

LW – Kirill Kaprizov (CSKA Moscow, KHL) ~ the skilled winger had CSKA’s lone goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to Severstal Cherepovets on Monday in 4 shots.  Kaprizov has 14 goals, 27 points, 4 PIM’s and is a +11 in 25 games.

G – Hunter Jones (Peterborough, OHL) ~ the Brantford, Ontario-native continues his hot start as he had 26 saves in Peterborough’s 4-3 win over Sarnia on Wednesday.  Jones’ record is 14-3, 2.79 goals against average and a .906%SP with 1 shutout this season.

LW – Adam Beckman (Spokane, WHL) ~ the skilled winger had an assist and an empty net goal on 3 shots in the Chiefs’ 5-1 win over Saskatoon.  Beckman has 10 goals, 32 points, 6 PIM’s and is a +19 in 20 games.