All Star games are normally snooze-fests with lazy defensive efforts and lots of kissing up by broadcasters to the game’s participants. With the lone exception of Major League Baseball, the outcome of the game is ostensibly meaningless so its no big surprise that controversy rarely plays a part in the event. In all honesty, that’s the way it should be. Its an event for the fans, so its all about seeing the best players (in most cases) play against one another in a friendly exhibition game. It is a very rare moment where a player delivers a body check which is good otherwise we’d see another lame anti-physical contact column from the Hockey News‘ wimp in residence Ken Campbell. I can hear his pathetic rant already, as his weak crusade against the physical parts of hockey tells me he is out of touch with hockey fans all over the world let alone his home nation of Canada. The 2011-12 NHL All Star game was a complete non-story for Wild fans since the team did not have a real representative in the game after Mikko Koivu went down with a left shoulder injury (er, I mean an upper body injury). Either way, if Koivu had attended the game I doubt Wild fans really would’ve been buzzing about the All Star game. We at least sent Nick Johnson for the skills competition right? No offense to Nick, but he looked lost and disconnected out there. Unlike many of the other players, he didn’t seem to be involved into too many conversations and I wondered if a few players thought to themselves, “hey, who invited the AHL guy?” Either way, Johnson’s passes during the team skills event were not going over all that well with shooters like Steven Stamkos and Kris Letang. Considering Johnson is a key energy player, perhaps he can use the rest although I doubt he taxed himself too much threading a few bad passes during the skills competition. Yet if this was there just so Minnesota had a representative beyond just having Nordy in attendance would the Wild have been better served sending no one at all?
Would Minnesota had been better off having no one there at all?
Maybe its just me but I think the All Star break caught the Wild at a bad time. The team was starting to turn things around, the effort that was such a big part of its fast start was back only to be put on hiatus for about a week. The Wild must find that groove right away as they begin the home stretch over the last 32 games of the season. Minnesota has a tough challenge to start out with the Nashville Predators. The Wild will have to find that extra level of effort right away if it expects to be successful. So will they play with lots of energy like you’d expect from a well-rested team or will they look like a team with jet lag from wherever they traveled off to during their only long break they have in the middle of the season?
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1st Period Thoughts: Minnesota had the first quality chance of the game after a few minutes of grind it out type of play as Nick Johnson fed a pass to the top of the crease that was directed on goal by Kyle Brodziak but steered wide by Pekka Rinne. The Predators tried to answer back with a scoring chance of their own as Jordin Tootoo that skittered harmlessly through the slot. Nashville continued to swarm as Craig Smith won a battle along the boards and he fired a shot from near the left faceoff dot that was stopped by Josh Harding. Both clubs were not giving up much of anything in terms of time and space. The teams spent about 4 minutes just working the puck deep and not getting much accomplished offensively. Nashville would nearly strike off the rush as Patric Hornqvist fired a shot that hit the side of the net as Minnesota’s defense was caught a little flatfooted. After the initial failed chance Hornqvist would gather up the puck and drive to the net where he tried to backhand a shot by Harding who was strong in the blue paint and David Legwand narrowly missed as he lifted a shot up and over the Wild goal. Minnesota would be patient and they would light the lamp as Nick Johnson made a nice play along the wall down beneath the goal line and he delivered a perfect pass out towards the slot where Dany Heatley buried it on a nice one-timer to give the Wild a 1-0 lead. The goal seemed to add a little more jump to Minnesota’s game as they’re 3rd line of Darroll Powe, Warren Peters and Carson McMillan dumped the puck deep and out worked the Predators in their own zone as Powe flung a shot on goal. Nashville tried to answer back and it was Craig Smith the former Wisconsin Badger using his feet to draw a weak hooking call. On the power play the Predators moved the puck well enough but Minnesota was able to keep Nashville to the perimeter for the most part. They were able to work a play near the top of the crease but Hornqvist was denied on a nice stop by Harding. Minnesota’s penalty killers was not giving the Predators’ power play much to look at, and they were able to get the big kill. As the penalty expired, Clayton Stoner did a nice job to use his body to seal off a Predators’ forward and then push it up to Kyle Brodziak who just kept moving his feet and in the process drawing a penalty. On the delayed penalty Brodziak put a wrist shot on goal that was stopped by Rinne and the Wild were pouring it on before Weber was finally able to earn a whistle. Minnesota would make Nashville pay for its mistake. The Wild worked the puck down low and a bad decision by Kevin Klein not to clear the zone when he had the chance, turned into Matt Cullen chipping a pass off the shoulder of Klein and the puck fluttered to right in front of the crease where it was batted perfectly out of the air by Heatley to lift Minnesota to a 2-0 lead. With the crowd still roaring from Heatley’s 2nd goal of the game, the Wild nearly added another as Heatley and the top line nearly cashed in again only to be stymied by the leg pad of the Rinne. A few moments later, Rinne had to come up with another big save on a slapper by Nick Johnson that had the 6’5″ stretching to make the stop with Heatley prowling about near the Predators’ crease. The Wild started to raise their physical game as Clayton Stoner blew up Craig Smith and if he forgot that big check just seconds later it was Matt Kassian who erased Smith along the boards. Nashville tried to answer back and Colin Wilson dropped his shoulder to make a nice backhand pass to Hornqvist who fired a shot that was stopped by Harding and out of frustration the Predators forward shoved the Wild goalie into his own net and a pushing and shoving match ensued as Justin Falk and Nate Prosser moved in to protect their goalie. Smith seemed to be the only Predator that had the jump in his skates to create space for himself and he’d pick up a puck in the neutral zone and fly into the Wild zone before unleashing a wrister that was juggled a bit by Harding before he was able to make the save and draw a whistle. The Predators tried one last time to score late in the period as Matt Halischuk tried to backhand a shot near the post that Harding stopped and as Nashville jammed away at it to no avail. The Wild had to feel pretty good going into their 1st intermission up 2-0, out shooting the Preds 11-10. It was good to see the Wild respond with good shifts after the goal to apply some serious pressure on Nashville, something we haven’t seen in quite a while. Its a good sign.
2nd Period Thoughts: Minnesota was hustling well to start the 2nd period, and their effort would be repaid with a goal early in the period. Kevin Klein inexplicably let Cal Clutterbuck motor right around him for a shot on goal that was initially stopped by Rinne’s stick but the puck stuck the big goalie’s skate and then trickled in 5-hole to give Minnesota a commanding 3-0 lead. It was a soft defensive play by Klein and a soft goal by Rinne who gave up 3 goals for the first time in 10 starts. The Wild continued to move its feet well and the effort continued to lead to good things as the Predators Shea Weber tried to wait for an icing call that never came and as Heatley got to him on the forecheck Weber tried to chip it along the boards that was stolen by Nick Johnson who flung a wrister that was just directed up into the netting by the shoulder save of Rinne. The solid effort was infectious as the 4th line had a chance of their own as Jed Ortmeyer out hustled the Predators for a puck and he drove a shot on goal that Rinne steered wide and the top line had a good opportunity of its own just moments later as Brodziak set up Heatley for a quick shot that was held onto by the struggling Nashville goalie. Jordin Tootoo tried to get his club energized by trying to start something with Minnesota’s agitator Cal Clutterbuck and both would sit in the box and exchange words with one another in the penalty box as they both were tagged with minors for slashing and roughing respectively. With the ice a bit more open 4-on-4 the Wild had a great opportunity as Kyle Brodziak tried to work a 2-on-1 with Jared Spurgeon who had joined the rush and Brodziak’s chance was knocked down by the blocker of Rinne and Spurgeon just wasn’t able to get enough of the rebound. A few minutes after some sloppy play in their own end, the Predators would cut the Wild lead to two, as the failure to control the puck in their own zone turned into a point shot for Kevin Klein that was perfectly redirected by Halischuk by a stunned Harding to make it 3-1. Nashville was continuing to try to claw their way back into the game and a nice play by Martin Erat to feed Mike Fisher for a one-timer that was stonewalled by Harding and a few seconds later they’d have another chance as Tootoo hammered a shot that was blocked away by the Minnesota netminder. Minnesota would settle things down and the top line would try to put Nashville back on the defensive as Nick Johnson made a nice play down low to work the puck back out to the point to Stoner who thought about it before passing it to Brodziak for a one-timer that was absorbed by Rinne. A few moments later the top line nearly set Heatley up for a hat trick as Brodziak gave him a pass that Heatley blasted high and wide of the mark. Minnesota would take control of the game with more hustle, winning the races for the loose pucks and keeping Nashville worried about keeping the Wild from extending its lead. Yet the Wild came very close to doing so as Devin Setoguchi got a little space and he nearly was able to backhand a shot by Rinne who was just able to keep the puck from crossing the goal line before the whistle blew. It was a not bad recovery after Minnesota’s small lapse in effort that cost them a Predators’ goal.
3rd Period Thoughts: Minnesota got out to another great start in the 3rd period as Nick Johnson drove to the net where he stuffed a shot that snuck through the leg pads of Rinne and as the puck moved to the goal line it was finished off by Kyle Brodziak to give the Wild a 4-1 lead. The Wild went back on the forcheck with its 3rd line of Peters, Powe and McMillan that kept Nashville bottled up in its own end for nearly another 45 seconds. Minnesota was playing with a little swagger, as the 4th line tried to be a little fancy as Jed Ortmeyer tried to connect on a diagonal pass off the rush to a crashing Matt Kassian that just failed to click. Nashville tried to answer back with some hustle of its own, but an open shot from the slot by Nick Spaling missed wide. After a few minutes of sort of aimless hockey the Predators tried to pour it on with its big-bodied line of Wilson, Legwand and Hornqvist but Minnesota was poised and circled the wagons around Josh Harding and kept the Predators to the wall although former White Bear Lake star Jack Hillen was stopped by the Wild goaltender who reached back to make the stop. Nashville continued to swarm and it was Matt Halischuk driving the puck to the crease where he managed to swing a shot from the blue paint that Harding didn’t not really stop but the puck appeared to cross the line as the officials whistle blew. The replay seemed to indicate Halischuk scored (although the goal was later given to Brandon Yip), but after a lengthy review veteran NHL referee Don VanMassenhoven pointed to center ice saying it was a good goal, 4-2 Wild. The goal seemed to give Nashville a boost, as they started to go on the attack. Shea Weber fired a few times that nearly found the back of the net, and Minnesota was scrambling a bit in its own zone. The Predators were continuing to move well, and Martin Erat fired a dangerous shot from the point that nearly ping-ponged off traffic but was somehow steered to the corner as Harding struggled to see the shot. Minnesota was trying to play defense by stepping up offensively and Clutterbuck and Cullen worked a 2-on-1 where Cullen was denied on a great save by Rinne. The Predators kept battling and their big line of Wilson and Legwand would cause Minnesota problems as Colin Wilson just drove to the net and kept poking and pushing until the puck trickled in to cut Minnesota’s lead to one, 4-3. Nashville would not have to wait long for the equalizer, and some great passing by Wilson who actually fanned on the pass that went between the legs of a Wild defender for an easy tap in goal for Fisher just 21 seconds after Hornqvist’s tally. Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo called a timeout to talk things over. With the game tied at 4-4, the game had a more cautious feel to it as both clubs hoped to avoid making the crucial mistake to give up the go-ahead goal. The Wild were a bit guilty defensively of standing around as the Predators were moving their feet well and Craig Smith nearly snapped home the game winner. The game seemed to be destined for overtime, but the Predators kept battling along the boards and it was Fisher who fired a shot from the wall that fooled Harding to give Nashville a 5-4 lead with just 20.8 seconds left. The Predators called a timeout to talk things over defensively as they knew the Wild would try one last rush for the equalizer. Minnesota would get its chance as Matt Cullen won the draw and Kyle Brodziak skated into the zone and fired a shot towards the crease but unfortunately no one was able to get a stick on the puck to do anything with the opportunity and the Wild would lose to a serenade of boo’s 5-4.
Josh Harding was good for about 55 minutes of this game, where he gave up two goals through the first 50 minutes but three goals in the final 3:21 to kill the Wild. Defensively, Minnesota wasn’t too bad for most of this game as well. Falk, Prosser, Zanon and Stoner were feisty and physical early but towards the end of the game they were resorting to stick checks and the Predators’ forwards were able to go to the crease and make the plays they needed to win the game. I am still very glad (no matter the outcome) the team chose to sit Mike Lundin and Marek Zidlicky, neither of them would’ve helped Minnesota in this game and certainly not down the crucial stretch that cost them the game. Zidlicky should keep his mouth shut and watch his games and if he doesn’t think he was the worst player on the ice throughout most of those games he’s either delusional or in denial (he can take his pick).
Offensively, the Wild had great production from its top line which combined for 3 goals, two from Heatley and then got another from the 2nd line in Cal Clutterbuck and it should’ve been enough to win this game. The team was at its best on the attack and forechecking, which really caused the smallish defense of the Predators to struggle. The 3rd and 4th lines need to shoot the puck a bit more than they did, but other than that I thought they provided decent hustle in most of their shifts. It was good to see Heatley being assertive early but he was largely invisible after a great 1st period. Yet overall its pretty tough to say the offense didn’t do enough.
I have to admit I was a bit disturbed by the “what can you do” attitude of Nick Johnson after what was a colossal collapse tonight. This was the type of loss that should’ve led someone to smash up the locker room, it was an epic failure. This game was determined by a team that wanted it more versus another team thinking the game was already over. The Wild must learn it can not take any game for granted no matter what sort of lead it may have. Harding at least seemed a bit more realistic albeit useless words when he told Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune “No way in a 100 years should we have lost that game.” Ya think? Yet what would the Wild Head Coach have to say after the State of Hockey’s biggest choke in quite a while? “You ever been punched in the stomach real hard? That’s what that felt like. It didn’t feel like there was a sense of panic on the bench, but we looked completely out of gas, but its no excuse.” He talked about how there was a lack of pressure in the defensive zone and said fatigue was the reason for the loss. Perhaps Yeo’s best summary was “It seemed like two different games, you saw what happens when we execute as we can and then you saw (phew) its tough, really tough.” No question, and the Wild have only themselves to blame.
Wild Notes:
~ Wild roster tonight is as follows: Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi, Nick Johnson, Matt Cullen, Cal Clutterbuck, Jed Orymeyer, Warren Peters, Chad Rau, Kyle Brodziak, Darroll Powe, Carson McMillan, Matt Kassian, Nick Schultz, Greg Zanon, Clayton Stoner, Justin Falk, Nate Prosser and Jared Spurgeon. Niklas Backstrom backed up Josh Harding. Mike Lundin, Marek Zidlicky and Brad Staubitz were the healthy scratches.
~ The 3 Stars of the Game as selected by the fans were: 1st Star Dany Heatley, 2nd Star Mike Fisher, 3rd Star Cal Clutterbuck
~ Attendance was 17,235 at Xcel Energy Center.
He did what?
This is a short feature on a Wild prospect or player doing something no one thought he was capable of. This is Casey Wellman dropping the gloves against Florida prospect Michael Repik last Saturday night. Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olou6cZBaUM&w=425&h=350]Wild Prospect Report:
Minnesota’s Erik Haula
F – Erik Haula (Minnesota, WCHA) ~ It was a huge weekend for the Golden Gophers and the Pori, Finland-native scored a huge goal on Saturday night as Minnesota swept the series after a 3-2 victory. Haula had a strong game, showcasing his ability as a sniper as well as being a gifted playmaker too chipping in an assist on Friday night. Haula is 2nd on the Gophers in scoring with 11 goals and 30 points in 29 games.
LW – Jason Zucker (Denver, WCHA) ~ Last year Zucker was named the WCHA’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ and after a slow start Zucker has been raising his game, being a regular contributor on the score sheet. This weekend against Alaska-Anchorage was no different as Zucker had 3 points in the two-game series; 1 goal and 2 assists. The speedy forward has 14 goals, 32 points in just 22 games.
G – Stephen Michalek (Harvard, ECAC) ~ Harvard versus Yale is your ultimate Ivy League match up. The games these schools have are for the pride that goes beyond its impressive list of graduates. Enter Wild prospect and freshman Crimson goaltender Stephen Michalek who made 19 stops in dramatic 4-3 win for Harvard Friday night against the Bulldogs and then stopped 24 shots in a 3-1 win over fellow Ivy league squad Brown on Saturday. Michalek has 6-5-7 record, and while his numbers may not be eye popping he’s playing very well as a freshman in a decent college hockey conference with a 2.98 goals against average and a .900% save percentage.
F – Mario Lucia (Penticton, BCHL) ~ Maybe its a bit presumptuous of me, but perhaps the BCHL just ought to give the league championship to Penticton already. The Penticton Vees are obliterating their opponents routinely in 1980’s Edmonton Oilers’-like fashion. With so many weapons, many of whom hail from Minnesota the Vees crushed the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 8-1 Saturday night. Lucia got things rolling for the Vees, potting the first goal of the rout. The former Wayzata star’s numbers are very impressive with 30 goals and 72 points in just 41 games!
Muskegon’s Nick Seeler
D – Nick Seeler (Muskegon, USHL) ~ Nick Seeler has certainly been challenged playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. Seeler has found points far tougher to come by but he is trying to be a factor on the score sheet, as he buried a power play goal Saturday in Muskegon’s 5-3 loss to Indiana. The former Eden Prarie star has 3 goals and 15 points in 31 games for the Lumberjacks.
C – Zack Phillips (Saint John, QMJHL) ~ Phillips banged home his 26th goal of the season to help lift the Sea Dogs to a 6-3 win over Blainville-Boisbriand on Sunday afternoon. The Fredericton, New Brunswick-native was very strong on his draws going 10-for-13 (76.9%), and his goal brings him up to 65 points in 44 games.
RW – Charlie Coyle (Saint John, QMJHL) ~ While Phillips buried a goal, Coyle was helping setting them up as he contributed two helpers in the 6-3 victory. So far Coyle has 5 goals and 3 assists in 6 games played in the ‘Q’ thus far.
Wild Tryout Camp Spotlight:
Norwich’s Kyle Thomas
F – Kyle Thomas (Norwich, ECAC-Div.III) ~ Thomas’ tremendous speed and hustle made him a standout at the Wild’s prospect camp this summer. So if he impressed at a tryout camp he should be dominant playing at Division III Norwich right? The Waltham, Massachusetts-native is 3rd on the Cadets in scoring with 11 goals and 25 points in just 15 games.
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