Its time to rekindle an old rivalry. Since news of the NHL Board of Governor’s approval of Commissioner Gary Bettman‘s plan to have 4 divisions (two 7-team divisions and two 8-team divisions) Wild fans have been relishing the return of the classic ‘Norris’ Division that includes old foes Chicago, St. Louis along with Winnipeg as it was back in 1981-82. Rivalries always bring about the best and worst in teams and their fans. Its just that much sweeter when you win and it that much more bitter when you lose. At the NHL Entry Draft, before they had even announced they’d be the Jets again, Winnipeg fans made their presence known with a raucous contingent that were the noisiest at the Xcel Energy Center. Their energy was a big announcement that Winnipeg was back in the NHL. It was cool to see, but as a Wild fan I knew that good cheer would soon be turned into vitriol once the puck was dropped between the Jets and Wild. I will make a small confession, at the draft I even wore my 1991 style Blue Winnipeg Jets jersey and my Atlanta Thrashers hat and was even interviewed by a few members of Canadian media who thought I was from Winnipeg. I didn’t mind impersonating a Jets fan for a few moments, but I think that’s the last time I’ll have to do that. Former Minnesota North Star fans remember the Jets with fondness and knew the team always created sparks when the two clubs got together as you can see in the YouTube clip below.
As you can see in this 1993 game between the two clubs (perhaps the last NHL meeting between Minnesota and Winnipeg) dropped the gloves a lot. The Jets feature Minnesota-born and raised Dustin Byfuglien who finds himself playing less than 100 miles from his hometown of Roseau was an instant fan favorite and the Jets have been up and down throughout most of the 2011-12 season thus far. Led by young phenom Evander Kane the Jets embrace a blue collar approach similar to the Wild. Minnesota is at the end of a 5-game road trip where so far you have to consider it an unmitigated success with the team having won 4 of those 5 so far. Can Minnesota complete a perfect road trip to add an explanation point to their season or will Winnipeg end the Wild’s road trip on a negative note?
Click on “Read More” for the rest of the article…
1st Period Thoughts: The Winnipeg fans were loud and rowdy to start the game, and their club had good energy at the start. The Jets were dumping it deep and keeping Minnesota bottled up in its own zone for the first minute of the game, but it wasn’t all that threatening as the Wild defense was quick to collapse and good active sticks kept the shots from reaching Niklas Backstrom. The crowd was serenading Backstrom with a chant in the early moments of the game. Minnesota was being patient and biding its time before pressing the attack. The Wild’s would get some energy going as Guillaume Latendresse and Cal Clutterbuck started to throw their bodies around on the forecheck as both returned from injury this evening. Minnesota started to find its legs around 6 minutes into the period as Colton Gillies led a rush into the offensive zone and he passed it back to Marco Scandella who wound up and rocketed a slap shot on goal that was steered to the corner by Ondrej Pavelec. A few moments later it was Casey Wellman turning on the afterburner to get a little space and he fired a snap shot that was stopped by Pavelec and it was Cody Almond pouncing on the rebound and the Jets’ goaltender was forced to make another save. Winnipeg would create some pressure of their own as Jim Slater stepped into a slap shot that was knocked up into the air by Backstrom and he would flail at the puck to knock it out of danger and as he was sprawling in his crease the biscuit would bounce back out to the high slot and Ron Hainsey drove a shot wide of the mark. Minnesota had another close call a few minutes later as Greg Zanon retreated into the Wild zone and inexplicably attempted a blind cross ice pass that went right to the stick of Evander Kane who ripped a wrist shot that rang off the crossbar. The Wild would look a little disjointed in its own end as Evander Kane had another great chance that was denied by a great stop by Backstrom. Minnesota would answer back, and nearly cash in on their own opportunity as a point shot by Scandella yielded a rebound that was swept up by Pierre-Marc Bouchard but he was unable to lift a puck over Pavelec and he was able to come up with a clutch save. The Wild got a good shift from a 4th line consisting of Darroll Powe, Brad Staubitz and Guillaume Latendresse that controlled the puck well along the wall beneath the Jets’ goal line but Latendresse would step in front of Zach Bogosian for an interference call giving Winnipeg the first power play of the game. Minnesota’s penalty kill would benefit from some great hustle by Kyle Brodziak who first dropped to block a huge shot by Dustin Byfuglien and then moments later hustles to seal off a Winnipeg defenseman from the puck and get a big clear of the zone to kill some more seconds from the Jets’ man advantage. The Jets’ best chance came off a nice little gifve and go by Byfuglien to former Blackhawks’ team mate Andrew Ladd who skated in and fired a snap shot that was knocked down by Backstrom and covered for a whistle. Minnesota would lucky out again as a slap shot by Bogosian that deflected off the stick of a Wild stick and the puck again found the pipe and stayed out as the State of Hockey got a big early penalty kill. The Winnipeg Jets really started to swarm and Niklas Backstrom would make two great stops from point-blank range, the first off the stick of Kyle Wellwood and then Ladd on the rebound but the Finn stood tall to keep the game knotted at 0-0. Minnesota would get a little lucky as Dustin Byfuglien would try to drive into the Wild zone but as he tried to fend off Marco Scandella he’d throw an elbow that stunned the Wild defenseman. The Wild’s power play would be short-lived as Kyle Brodziak would be tagged with a boarding call for a solid check he gave to Zach Bogosian. Brodziak protested but to no avail and the period would end with both clubs scoreless going into the 2nd period. Minnesota was being out shot 10-6. Not a great period for the Wild who were not moving their feet well enough and really had their goaltender (and two pipes) to thank for the fact they were still tied at this point in the game.
2nd Period Thoughts: After nearly a minute of 4-on-4 to start the period, the Jets would have a short power play. Cal Clutterbuck would make a few nice plays on the penalty kill to eliminate about 7-8 seconds of it after hustle created a turnover in the Winnipeg zone. Winnipeg’s power play was able to create just one quality chance at the very end of the man advantage as a point shot by Hainsey was deflected by Bryan Little and nabbed out of the air by the glove of Backstrom. The Jets were still buzzing after their 2nd failed man advantage as Jim Slater had two quick scoring chances from near the crease that Backstrom stonewalled. Minnesota would finally earn a reprieve when Chris Thorburn was given an interference penalty. The Wild’s power play would try to set up Dany Heatley who was still getting boo’d every time he handled the puck. Bouchard would move the puck down low towards the half wall where he threaded as pass to Heatley who blasted a one-timer that just caught the shoulder of Pavelec. Minnesota earned another break when Wellman was tripped up in the neutral zone by Tanner Glass. It wasn’t much of a trip but the Wild were not going to complain. Right from the start, the Wild had a fantastic chance as Heatley blistered a shot from the point that struck the right post. Minnesota continued to work the 2-man advantage as Mikko Koivu worked a little trickery as he feinted on a shot as he exchanged places with Heatley who dished the puck back to Koivu instead of firing a slap shot but this would draw the defense towards the hard shooting winger. This freed up Koivu for an open slap shot of his own that Pavelec sprawled to stop but he’d give up a rebound that was an easy tap in goal for Latendresse. The Wild still had nearly 1:20 of power play time left to Thorburn’s tripping call but Minnesota was disorganized and unfocused and Backstrom nearly tied the game himself with a careless pass that was knocked down by Little that snuck right through his pads and trickled through the crease. The power play would end and the Jets were flying all over the Wild zone and in a crazy sequence Little had what looked like a goal, but a diving play by Scandella to knock a puck out of mid-air spared a goal. Yet Minnesota was unable to clear the zone despite a few attemtps and that would haunt the Wild as Zach Bogosian threaded a slap shot that beat Backstrom to tie the game at 1-1. The Wild tried to respond with some physical play as Cal Clutterbuck and Mikko Koivu started throwing their bodies around and Winnipeg tried to answer back as Glass erased Zanon with a big hit. The big hit drew the ire of Clayton Stoner who challenged Glass who dropped the gloves for the first tilt of the game. Stoner was just firing big hooks that were landing as Glass tried to counter with some hooks of his own which were not landing. The Wild defenseman would switch hands and his punches knocked the bucket off of Glass who was hanging in there, landing a few punches of his own before the officials moved in to break it up. A clear win for Stoner. The fight seemed to spark Minnesota a bit as Bouchard was sprung on a break away, but Pavelec would stack the pads as the diminutive Wild forward tried to slide a shot 5-hole but he was unable to sneak it through. Latendresse started to assert himself; first on a blazing slap shot that missed by inches, but a few moments later Latendresse used his frame to protect the puck and he’d dish it to Brodziak for a sharp angle shot that he fired on goal that was steered aside by Pavelec. A few minutes later the Jets thought they took the lead on a fine play by Wellwood to get the puck over to Byfuglien but just prior to ‘big Buff’s’ shot, Backstrom was knocked over by Kyle Wellwood and the goal was immediately waived off. With the boo’s raining down, the officials did not send anyone to the penalty box. NHL official Justin St. Pierre would earn a bronx cheer as a deflected shot struck him was perhaps a small level of payback for what Winnipeg fans believed to be a poor call. Minnesota’s energy line would try to will a goal late in the period as a good little play by Kyle Brodziak to win a battle would turn into a point shot for Stoner that was deflected on goal by Nick Johnson but the Wild were unable to poke it home. Right around a minute the Jets had an opportunity, and Wellwood was tripped up by Nick Schultz who would earn a trip to the sin bin. Minnesota would get lucky early on the penalty kill as a cross-ice pass was deflected on a diving effort by Zanon that would be steered wide by an alert Backstrom. The Wild were hustling well and good active sticks prevented the Jets from earning the go-head goal, and Minnesota had to feel a bit relieved. It wasn’t a bad counter punching period for Minnesota who out shot Winnipeg 15-9.
3rd Period Thoughts: Winnipeg was working the forecheck early in the period, taking every opportunity to dump it deep as they attempted to put the Wild on their heels. Minnesota was counter punching with its energy line and a little play to break out of the Wild zone turned into a 2-on-2 rush and Nick Johnson floated a saucer pass that nearly connected with a crashing Kyle Brodziak. The Wild’s hustle was starting to make good things happen and Casey Wellman would out leg a Winnipeg defender for the biscuit and he’d fire a shot that was redirected on goal by Heatley. Wellman kept battling for the puck and as the Jets tried to leave their zone the puck was stolen away by Bouchard who had lots of speed as he flew into the offensive zone and he rifled a slap shot that was absorbed by Pavelec. The Jets were starting to look a bit winded as Minnesota’s forecheck began to frustrate Winnipeg a bit. Winnipeg would have another great chance as Wellwood dangled the puck a bit in the Wild zone setting up an opportunity for Tim Stapleton that was denied on a great toe save by Backstrom. Minnesota would answer back as Rochester’s Mark Stuart leveled a forechecking Nick Johnson but the puck would be picked up by Brodziak who drove to the crease for a weak shot that was denied by Pavelec. A minute or two later, Stuart would stymie a Wild rush as Brodziak seemed to have a step on him as Minnesota seemed to have a little more jump than the Jets at this point in the game. The Jets would finally get a small step on the Wild as Jim Slater motored his way around the Wild defense for a shot on goal that created a big rebound but at the last moment it was swept away by an alert play by Jared Spurgeon who got to it before a roving Tanner Glass could pounce on it. Minnesota would make a mental mistake with 7 minutes left as Clayton Stoner lifted a puck into the stands for a delay of game penalty. The Jets had a good chance initially as Hainsey fired a wrist shot that reached Backstrom who gave up a big rebound but the puck was cleared out of the zone by Darroll Powe. Minnesota’s penalty kill was blocking shots and keeping good active sticks to prevent the Jets from having much flow on the man advantage. During a stoppage, Jets bench boss Claude Noel decided to talk things over with his club as his team had 50 seconds remaining on the power play. The timeout worked, as the Jets were able to score on a bit of an accidental tic-tac-toe play as it was started by a diagonal pass by Blake Wheeler to Byfuglien who flubbed a shot but it ended up being the perfect pass to Little for an easy tap in goal that Backstrom had no chance on. Now trailing 2-1 with exactly 5 minutes left the Wild had their work cut out for them. Minnesota was struggling to get much going offensively, and with valuable seconds ticking away Dany Heatley tried to get things going with a big hit to Johnny Oduya. The hit seemed to get Minnesota moving a little faster and Darroll Powe made a nice play on the forecheck and his quick bid nearly caught Pavelec by the surprise but as he follwed up the first chance the Jets goalie was able to cover it for a whistle. Minnesota had another glorious chance off a nice backhand pass by Latendresse to Wellman who tried to jam a shot through but just couldn’t make it through. The Wild would pull Backstrom for an extra attacker and as the Wild tried to swarm Bogosian would hit Bouchard up high sending his face into the dasher that suffered some significant damage as Minnesota’s trainers helped him off the ice as he was bleeding profusely. It was an ugly hit and Heatley skated over to challenge Bogosian who was tossed for a boarding major and a game misconduct. With just 1:06 left, and the Wild still using an extra attacker and now possessing a 5 minute power play. Minnesota’s first chance on the power play was a good one as Heatley had the puck down low and he passed it out front to Brodziak who tried to finish but was stopped by a diving save by Pavelec. The Wild had a few token chances in the closing seconds but were unable to get it by Pavelec and they’d fall 2-1 as a fracas would break out behind the Jets’ goal.
Niklas Backstrom certainly cannot be blamed for this loss. He was outstanding, making 25 saves in the loss. Backstrom did all you can ask, and he gave the Wild a chance to win this game. Defensively the Wild were a bit meek along the wall, but they did support their goaltender pretty well, sweeping away loose pucks near his crease for most of the game as well as blocking shots. Its tough to really be too mad defensively.
Offensively I liked the variety of scoring chances, but Minnesota wasn’t able to capitalize on the close in opportunities the way they have throughout most of the season. Bouchard’s close in chance in the 1st, and Brodziak’s opportunity in the closing seconds were the kind of plays Minnesota capitalized so well on. This time the pucks didn’t get up in the air and Pavelec delivered some huge saves. Dany Heatley and Mikko Koivu continue to look more and more hungry. Yet, one player who I felt had a tremendous game was Pierre-Marc Bouchard. He was all over the place and was a constant scoring threat and that’s why the nasty hit he took from Bogosian is very concerning. He may not be Minnesota’s top scorer but he’s an important skill player on the top two lines and power play. Bouchard has really been assertive and when he’s shooting the puck he’s at his best. Hopefully the injury he sustained was not serious but only time will tell. I would suspect that Bogosian is due for at least a few games (3-4) suspension by the NHL Safety Department but who knows, Brendan Shanahan may just give him a fine. Check it out for yourself and tell me what you think.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0KLdV0sm8&w=425&h=350]I thought Latendresse looked ok for his first game back, but it was clear Minnesota was missing the speed of Matt Cullen. Wellman also is showing more confidence and he too is taking his opportunites to shoot and that’s a good sign.
This looks like it could be one intense rivalry like the Saint Paul Saints and Minnesota North Stars used to have with the Jets. I like the determined effort the Wild had, but the fortunate bounces just didn’t go there way. The Wild had won games in part due to its good discipline where they allowed their opponents to make the crucial physical / mental mistake but Minnesota had that error when Clayton Stoner lifted that puck into the stands. It happens, and it will be interesting to see just what the Wild have left in the tank when they return home tomorrow for a game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks have a ton of firepower, so hopefully Minnesota get some quality rest because they’ll need it. As NHL.com gratuitously promotes the Wild’s defeat (can you get the feeling they just may be rooting against you?) its time for Minnesota to respond and shut the league up with an improbable victory tomorrow.
Wild Notes:
~ Wild roster tonight is as follows: Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley, Guillaume Latendresse, Cal Clutterbuck, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Casey Wellman, Brad Staubitz, Cody Almond, Colton Gillies, Darroll Powe, Nick Johnson, Kyle Brodziak, Nick Schultz, Mike Lundin, Clayton Stoner, Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella. Matt Hackett backed up Niklas Backstrom. Josh Harding, Nate Prosser and Matt Cullen were the healthy scratches.
~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Ondrej Pavelec, 2nd Star Niklas Backstrom, 3rd Star Blake Wheeler
~ Attendance was 15,004 at MTS Centre.
Where are they now?
Every now and then we profile former Wild players as we try to see what they’re doing now. Some are playing hockey, while others have hung up the skates for other jobs.
F – Steve McKenna (HC Alleghe, Italy) ~ He did not play a full season with the Minnesota Wild during its inaugural season and until he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Roman Simicek. The 6’8″ forward had 1 goal and an assist in 20 games for the Wild. McKenna played another 4 seasons in the NHL before the lockout arrived and his North American playing days came to an abrupt end. The Toronto-native was well traveled as he attempted to prolong his professional hockey career with stints in England, Australia, Italy, South Korea, China before ending his playing days in Russia. In 2007, McKenna made news for becoming the head coach of Team Australia. He would eventually serve as a playing coach in China and is currently bench boss for HC Alleghe in the Italian league.
F – Alexandre Daigle (SC Langnau Tigres, Switzerland) ~ Many Wild fans chuckled when the team brought the former 1st Overall pick out of a hiatus. The lesser told story of his time with the Wild was that Daigle was a solid contributor as he put up 25 goals, 54 assists in over 150 games with Minnesota. After the Wild parted ways with Daigle failed to stick with the Los Angeles’ AHL affiliate in Manchester, so he took his game to Switzerland. Daigle had reasonable success with HC Davos but he finally stopped playing after the 2008-09 season, hanging up the axe for good.
D – Andrei Zyuzin (HC Biel, Switzerland) ~ The Wild picked Andrei Zyuzin off waivers in 2002 from the New Jersey Devils. Zyuzin played for the Wild for parts of 3 seasons where he scored 19 goals and 36 assists in over 160 games for the Wild. After the 2nd Overall pick left the Wild he bounced around the NHL a bit with stops in Calgary and Chicago but his North American days were over as of 2007-08 and he returned to his native Russia where he spent most of his time with SKA St. Petersburg. This season, he’s playing in Switzerland with HC Biel where he has two assists in 10 games.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
