Hockey Wilderness

Video of Wellman's Parents on Kiss Cam

2010-03-17T20:24:51Z

Video of Wellman's Parents on Kiss Cam

Wysh has video of Casey Wellman (sitting in the crowd???) and his parents, who ended up on the kiss cam at the game.

I wonder how many people realize who that kid was sitting right behind / in front of, next to...

Wilderness Walk for 3-17-2010

2010-03-17T15:50:15Z

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Or, as it is known in 99.9% of the world, Get Drunk for Absolutely No Reason Day. Of course, Timberwolves fans (all 12 of them) have a pretty good reason to drink today.

Pretty straight forward walk today. None of my information gathering sources resulted in anything overly different, useful, or fun today. Damn if that'll stop me, though.

Random Wild Picture of the Day:

I suspect all of you ran out and bought one of these, right? You can't possibly be a "real" fan if you didn't.

Gamers and More:

Centers at attention after latest acquisition | StarTribune.com - I would not want to be a center for the Wild not named Koivu today.

Wild 4, Edmonton Oilers 2; Wellman NHL debut on hold; Wild signs Hackett | StarTribune.com - Post game Rants from Russo. Good stuff, as always.

GM Fletcher is the difference-maker in landing Wellman | StarTribune.com - I haven't decided if we should all start calling him Mr. Fletcher or not. That really was the highlight of my night.

Wild stays on a roll with third straight win, 4-2 over Edmonton Oilers - TwinCities.com - Gamer form Bruce Brothers. Pretty dry stuff, but have at it.

KiPA's Korner:

Hitting The Post: NHL Recap 3-16-10: Bs win, dodge bullet - Kari Lehtonen had 45 saves? Huh. Well done.

No game today folks, and the next two are not televised unless you have Center Ice or Game Center Live. So, unless that is the case, enjoy watching the Timberwolves:

Minnesota Wild vs Edmonton Oilers: Game Re-cap

2010-03-17T02:57:02Z

More photos » Jim Mone - AP

1 day ago: Minnesota Wild's Andrew Ebbett, left, celebrates his goal off Edmonton Oilers goalie Jeff Deslauriers (38) as Oilers' Theo Peckham, right, looks on in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Browse more photos »

Minnesota Wild 4 - 2 Edmonton Oilers

For enemy reaction, please visit: The Copper & Blue

Well, for playing the worst team in the NHL, the Wild actually played hard. The forecheck was outstanding, the team defense was strong, and they were physical. Even Nick Schultz showed he had enough at one point and got physical in front of Harding, and then gave the ref what for. Passion, intensity, two things the team has lacked recently. If only all 82 games were against the Oilers.

James Sheppard played what could be the best game of his year, even his career. Of course, that's not saying much. With Casey Wellman watching from the press box, Sheppard had to feel the heat tonight. He still finished with no points and a -1, but had 11:30 TOI, which is better than normal. He missed the net on one shot in the third period, though in fairness, he may have been aiming for a net in International Falls, we just don't really know.

The only real, glaring issue is the Wild are still going into a Lemaire-like game when they have a lead, and especially in the third period. This is usually something teams do when trying to play for the playoffs, so maybe the Wild truly believe they have a shot, though they may be the only ones. You want proof of how the team plays with a lead? They out shot the Oilers 24-16 through two, and ended up being out shot 35-28.

Once again, if not for stellar play from Josh Harding, the Wild really do not win this game. Solid forechecking is back, now, if they could only learn to stay on the gas through 60 minutes.

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars:

1. Josh Harding (33 Saves)

2. Martin Havlat (1G, 1 A)

3. Andrew Ebbett (1G, 1A)

~~Five~~ Six Questions to Answer:

1. Harding looked bad in his first of four starts, and has since played well. Which Harding shows up tonight? The stellar one. If it were March 3rd tomorrow, Harding would have a new home in Philly.

2. The Oilers are the worst team in hockey. Can the Wild avoid another embarrassing loss? They sure can.

3. Will Casey Wellman or Justin Falk make their NHL debut, and if so, how will they look? Zanon played, so Falk sat. Probably a smart move to sit Wellman until he can at least get a practice in with the team.

4. It's no longer if Latendresse will score, but how many, so: How many goals will Guillaume Latendresse score tonight? None. What's up with that?

5. Will John Scott get to dance with Stortini, or does neither team really care any more? Well, they got into in the first, but no fight.

Bonus Buddha Question:

6. Do the Oilers want Taylor Hall, or Tyler Seguin? I would say Hall is still a better fit.

-Buddha

Minnesota Wild vs Edmonton Oilers: Game Thread

2010-03-16T23:00:28Z

VS.

Nathan is still MIA. Well, OK, he is in Orlando, but that may as well be MIA, right? So, you are left with a boring old game thread from me.

Enemy Blog:

The Copper & Blue

Fun facts:

The Wild have won 12 straight vs the Oilers at the X, tied for second longest streak in the NHL.

Wellman will be the first college free agent to sign and play for the Wild since North Dakota’s Travis Roche signed prior to the last game of the inaugural 2000-2001 season. (via Wild.com)

Injury Report:

Derek Boogaard, Brent Burns, Niklas Backstrom, Shane Hnidy, Pierre-Marc Bouchard all will be out for sure. Greg Zanon is a game time decision (Justin Falk would fill in). Wade Dubielwicz will back-up Josh Harding, in Harding's fourth straight start. Owen Nolan looks to be playing.

Five Questions to Answer:

1. Harding looked bad in his first of four starts, and has since played well. Which Harding shows up tonight?

2. The Oilers are the worst team in hockey. Can the Wild avoid another embarrassing loss?

3. Will Casey Wellman or Justin Falk make their NHL debut, and if so, how will they look?

4. It's no longer if Latendresse will score, but how many, so: How many goals will Guillaume Latendresse score tongiht?

5. Will John Scott get to dance with Stortini, or does neither team really care any more?

Bonus Buddha Question:

6. Do the Oilers want Taylor Hall, or Tyler Seguin?

Enjoy the game.

-Buddha

Wild Sign Matthew Hackett

2010-03-16T21:48:37Z

According to both Wild.com and Russo, the Wild have signed goalie prospect Matthew Hackett to a rookie contract. Russo has the term at three years, but I have not seen dollar figures. Hackett is the Wild's 3rd round pick from the 2009 draft, and was the top goalie available in that draft.

Hockeydb.com has his stats at:

That 33-18 record looks pretty good to me.The liklihood is that Hackett plays next year with the Houston Aeros, so I am certain we will hear plenty about him from Ms. Conduct. The question is, how does the goaltending situation play out within the organization?

Does Josh Harding now become a huge priority to off-load? Does Anton Khudobin become the default back-up for Backstrom? Does Wade Dubielewicz get a new contract with the Wild? Where does all of this leave Barry Brust?

Could it be Backstrom & Borat with the Wild, while Hackett & Brusty hold down the fort in Houston? That would likely be a dream come true for one of my favorite blog writers. Dream a little dream for me, H.

Congrats to Martin Skoula

2010-03-16T18:34:49Z

According to reports via Twitter, Martin Skoula's wife has been given the go ahead to bring home their latest addition to the family, a little boy named Vojech. He is the fourth member of the family, with older brother, two year old Matej.

Congrats to the family (no, really). The fun part is after the jump. An updated family photo.

To quote Larry the Cable Guy: "Lord, I apologize."

-Buddha

Wilderness Walk for 3-16-2010

2010-03-16T16:19:32Z

Some news right off the top (all via @RussoStrib):

Defenseman Justin Falk has been recalled by the Wild. Derek Boogaard and Brent Burns both missed the morning skate. Niklas Backstrom was taking shots from Shane Hnidy. Newly acquired Casey Wellman also skated in the morning skate, and is a game time decsion.

OK, on to the walk.

Random Wild Picture of the Day:

Wild News:

UMass center picks Wild over 21 other suitors | StarTribune.com - Hopefully, the first of many stories about Casey Wellman.

Excited, nervous Wellman on his way | StarTribune.com - Current Rants. Good stuff.

Minnesota Wild sign free agent from UMass - TwinCities.com - Turns out, the Pio noticed, too.

After flight home, Wild players need rest. Their equipment needs work. | StarTribune.com - A different kind of article from Brian Stensaas. Enjoy.

Head Shots:

NHL gets dizzy over head shots | StarTribune.com - In what is about as vocal an article as I have read from Russo, he gets in a couple good barbs.

Wild GM Chuck Fletcher says concussions part of game in the NHL - TwinCities.com - A little different twist from Bruce Brothers.

KiPA's Korner:

Hitting The Post: NHL Recap 3-15-10: Bad start dooms Bruins; Wings win showdown - Your daily wrap up.

Off the Trail:

Adversity part of the game for Lundmark family - Elliotte Friedman - Cool story about the effect trades and rumors have at the dead line. THe 30 thoughts at the end are pretty good, too.

Game Day Enemy Perspective:

Edmonton Journal - Newspaper for the Edmonton area.

The Copper & Blue - SBN blog. In a related note, Derek is one point behind me in the SBN fantasy hockey league. Keep your fingers crossed that I can hold him off and keep the top seed going into the playoffs next week.

-Buddha

Meet Casey Wellman

2010-03-16T00:26:45Z

Russo broke the story today that the Minnesota Wild will sign UMass sophomore forward Casey Wellman to a two-year, $1.8 million contract. You can read all of the details in BR's post below or Russo's blog.

One big thing about Wellman is that he plays center. The Wild aren't exactly overflowing with centers. This gives Wellman a lot greater of an opportunity to come to the team and get more of a chance. At this point in the season, might as well see what the guy can do at the NHL level.

But really, who is Casey Wellman...

There's not a whole lot of information out there yet on Wellman past his stats, but here's a briefing on what we do know about the Wild's latest signing. Study up and get to know him a bit before his debut.

Age: 22

Hometown: Brentwood, California

Shoots: Right

Past teams: Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL), UMass

Strengths: Great shot, speed

Number: Wore #70 for most of his career but was #7 for UMass [Clayton Stoner currently wears #7 for the Wild]

- Helped lead his high school, Cranbrook Kingswood, to two State Championships

- Played on the power play for UMass

- Showed good chemistry on a top line with junior James Marcou

- Attended the Nashville Predators' development camp this past summer

- Intended major was Business

- Father, Brad, played Major League Baseball

Wild to Sign Casey Wellman

2010-03-15T23:24:55Z

When Chuck Fletcher arrived in Minnesota, he made it clear that one weakness he noticed with the organization was in the free agent college ranks. Today, he has made his first effort to correct that issue. According to Russo, Casey Wellman, of the University of Massachusetts will sign with the Wild for two years (the first being this year), at $900K per year.

The likelihood is that Wellman makes his NHL debut very quickly:

Wellman arrives Tuesday morning and it's unclear as of now if he could potentially make his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers. He will be eligible and he IS NOT going to Houston.

From reading Russo's blog, this looks to be a move to shore up the center position, which is an obvious weakness. Not sure if this is a move to put Wellman in the second line center position, or if that would still be an issue to be settled this summer.

Wellman tied for sixth in the nation in scoring with 23 goals this season. His U Mass profile is HERE.

Enjoy this, Wild fans. We have a GM that notices weaknesses and works to correct them. According to the Russo blog (seriously, just go read it) Wellman had interest from 22 teams, and chose the Wild. That, too, is a change.

-Buddha

Versus Back on DirecTV; Ovie Suspended, Downie? Not So Much

2010-03-15T21:02:29Z

One of the lengthiest battles I can remember in the media world is over. According to DirecTV on Twitter, Versus will return to the air this evening, on channel 603.

Only one remaining Wild game is scheduled to air on Versus, March 23rd at home vs the Sharks.

Enjoy the playoffs, everyone, the occasional NHL game is back on Versus.

Oh, in other news, Ovechkin was suspended 2 games for his hit against Brian Campbell last night. Steve Downie did not even get a hearing for his take down of Sidney Crosby. Discuss.

Wilderness Walk for 3-15-2010

2010-03-15T16:10:37Z

The time change thing? Stupidity at it's finest.

Anyways, make sure you check out the debate going in the previous thread. Some interesting comments, to be sure. As for today, we have our usual round up, plus one rather interesting article. Enjoy.

New feature!

Random Wild Picture of the Day:

Wild News:

For Minnesota Wild, it's Josh Harding who's hot in goal - TwinCities.com - One of very few players who have decided to show up in the past few games. This string of games should start to show my theory is sound. Given enough games, Harding can play with the best.

Wild win second straight to move into 11th place in West - TwinCities.com - WOOO! We're #11! We're #11! YES! Let's riot on seven corners!

Black-and-blue Wild beat the Blues | StarTribune.com - Stensaas with likely will be his last Wild gamer for the season. Sad.

Postgame: Wild 4, Blues 2 | StarTribune.com - Current Rants from Stensaas.

KiPA's Korner:

Hitting The Post: NHL Recap 3-14-10: Ovie-less Caps stun Chicago; Canucks hang on - Another one of those days in the NHL yesterday. Lots of action, lots of controversy. Hope to see some suspensions come across the wire today.

Interesting Reading:

Q&A with Mike Bolt, Stanley Cup protector | StarTribune.com - This has to be one of the greatest jobs of all time.

Wild Looking to Improve National Presence - This article is a different take, which is always nice to see. A bit on the business side of things.

Alright, no game today, so no enemies to discuss. Unless something strikes me, this may be the only time you hear from me. Nathan is still in Florida with his "real" job, so he is likely out as well. Why do I tell you this? Because Paul Kukla over at Kukla's Korner insists on letting everyone know if he is going to be away from his computer for more than thirty seconds, so I figured there must be some people out there who just can't live without constant updates.

To those folks, I apologize. Please, do not go into convulsions. If something happens, we will let you know. Promise.

-Buddha

Boogaard vs King: A Strange Debate

2010-03-15T03:45:24Z

More photos » Jim Mone - AP

Browse more photos »

Alright, I watched this game. I did not watch the whole thing, as I mentioned in the gamer, but I watched the vast majority of it, including the entire first period. At the 3:58 mark, DJ King and Derek Boogaard dropped the gloves in the corner. It was expected, and even mentioned several times on Twitter that this would be a likely match.

I saw it. I thought it was a pretty good fight. I've seen much better, and I have seen much worse. Boogey landed several good punches, including the one featured in the gamer, and on this post, that sent King's helmet flying. King landed what looks like one good punch that bloodied Boogaard's nose, and Boogaard did not return to the game. There is no reason given as of yet.

Then, I spent the rest of my day reading about how Boogaard is disrespectful and got "pummeled" by King. I'm not sure what fight everyone else was watching, but they didn't see what I saw. Make the jump, and let's take a look.

First, here is the video, from the Saint Louis feed:

Notice how the camera stays in the corner while Boogaard and King skate off frame. What happened next seems to me lost on many people, at least from the comments I have seen coming from across the web.

Here is the Minnesota feed:

So, King wants to draw Boogaard out to center ice for some reason. I wish that some reporter would ask him why, but Boogaard just squared off and basically gave him the "Bring it" look. Then, King finally made his way back to the fight he picked, and Boogaard landed several punches. Toward the end of the fight, you will see Boogaard's nose is bleeding, and the blood is all over after being allowed to flow freely while continuing to fight.

Before I go much further, I would like to introduce a couple quotes to the mix:

From Cam Janssen, oh he of the utmost respect for his fellow hockey players, had this to say (via Stensaas and the Saint Louis Dispatch):

"I give him all the respect in the world . . . he's a big guy and he's one of the toughest in the league by far," Janssen said. "But he doesn't have much respect for anybody else, the way he squares off. He showboats himself. I don't think he gave 'Kinger' the respect that he needed. Kinger caught him with a good one and now Boogaard is rearranging his face tonight . . . that's what he gets for not having any respect."

I'll get to this in just a second, but here is a the line from Rotoworld, a fantasy sports site:

Derek Boogaard left Sunday's game after being pummeled by St. Louis's D.J. King.

Pummeled? King got in one lucky punch. One. He did not pummel Boogaard. I've seen pummelings, this wasn't one. I've even seen Boogaard get beat, but he did not get beat today. DJ King got a evening snack of Boogey fists, and King landed the luckiest shot of his life.

Now, let's get back to Jansen's comments. Some video to tell you a little bit about just who Cam Jansen is:

Oh, he was hit with a five game suspension for that one. But wait, there's more. Because we all know the level of respect it takes to plow over a goalie.

Yeah, Cam. You're the utmost expert on respect, right? Boogaard dropped with King and King skated to center ice. He was either one, trying to run away, or two, trying to showboat by trying to fight at center ice. Or perhaps King wanted to fight on the Wild logo, Terrell Owens style? We'll never know, but Boogaard is the showboat in this? Because he wasn't going to chase King all over the ice?

As for Boogaard rearranging his face, you, sir, do not know the extent of the injury, do you? I'm guessing if the Star Trib doesn't that Cam Jansen doesn't. Maybe Boogaard was taken out of the game, but that likely wasn't his choice. Maybe he broke his hand punching King's helmet. The point is, Jansen doesn't know, but hey, why not spout off like Matt Cooke?

If my quick search is correct, Mr. Jansen, you have yet to square off with Boogaard. Why don't you reserve comment until you do?

As for you rotoworld? Why don't you stick to reporting the starting the goalies and leave the commentary to people who actually watched the game? Thanks.

What say you, Wilderness?

-Buddha

Poll

In your completely scientific and unbiased (HA!) opinion, who won this fight?

Minnesota Wild vs Saint Louis Blues: Game Re-Cap

2010-03-15T00:48:51Z

More photos » Jim Mone - AP

3 days ago: Minnesota Wild's Derek Boogaard, right, knocks the helmet off St. Louis Blues' D.J. King during a fight in the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, March 14, 2010 in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Browse more photos »

For enemy perspective, visit St. Louis Game Time.

Just under four minutes into this game, the Wild had a one - zero lead, and Derek Boogaard had 4:49 seconds more of penalty minutes than TOI. Boogey left the ice with a bloody nose to end all bloody noses, and it looked like it could be a really good game. Then the Wild scored again, a second goal through Chris Mason's gaping five hole, and things were shaping up to be a barn burner. To really get the fans worked into a lather, the Wild scored yet another to end the period up 3-0.

To start the second, Chris Mason was gone, Ty Conklin was in, and the Wild had all of the momentum. Of course, this was the second period, so it was, of course, time to call it a game until the final four minutes of the game. The Wild added one more goal from the top line, and continued the march to the penalty box. They were out shot 18-5 in the period, and yet somehow, likely due to Harding being sharp yet again, the Wild held a 4-0 lead until Patrik Berglund broke the shut out to close out the second period.

In the third, Todd Richards apparently was unavailable to coach, and Jacques Lemaire's ghost was behind the bench the rest of the game. The forecheck stopped. They clogged the neutral zone, and no one seemed interested in carrying the puck, let alone trying to score. To top off the night, they gave up another 13 SOG for Harding, and gave up a goal to Paul Kariya around the six minute mark, allowing the Blues to crawl back into the game.

The Wild took eight penalties this evening. They took just 20 shots, and gave up 38. If not for Josh Harding, the Wild would not have won this game. They have lost the killer instinct, and even in victory still look to have mailed it in. It is frustrating to watch, but I guess a win's a win. Enjoy it if you can.

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars:

1. Josh Harding (36 saves)

2. Guillaume Latendresse (1G, +1, 4SOG, 16:05 TOI)

3. Paul Kariya (1G, +1)

Five Questions to Answer:

1. Can I help my wife write a budget for work and watch hockey at the same time? Well, on top of that, we decided to feed the kids, too, so no, I couldn't.

2. Can the Wild play hard despite the fact that their season is all but mathematically over? They did for one period, and then gave up.

3. How will Harding look in his third straight game? Harding was stellar. Simple as that.

4. How many fights will there be? Just the one, but it made Boogey bleed. No word on how bad it was, but it must have been bad, because he did not return.

5. If a game is played in Saint Paul, and nobody cares, does it still count? Well, I checked the standings before and after the game, and it did indeed count. Although, I'm not sure anyone cares.

Wild vs Blues Game Thread

2010-03-14T22:30:15Z

Nathan is at Disney World, I forgot to make a game thread. Sorry.

Hopefully Nathan doesn't fire me.

Five Questions to Answer:

1. Can I help my wife write a budget for work and watch hockey at the same time?

2. Can the Wild play hard despite the fact that their season is all but mathematically over?

3. How will Harding look in his third straight game?

4. How many fights will there be?

5. If a game is played in Saint Paul, and nobody cares, does it still count?

Game Thread Upcoming

2010-03-14T22:24:59Z

I have a game thread in the system, but it will not post until 5:30. Apologies for the delay.

Until then, talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic:

The price of oil has become stagnant. Should I move my millions into pork futures or sterling silver bullion?

-Buddha

Minnesota Wild @ Buffalo Sabres: Game Recap

2010-03-13T04:23:44Z

More photos » David Duprey - AP

5 days ago: Minnesota Wild's Antti Miettinen (20) of Finland, celebrates a goal by Wild's Andrew Brunette (15) on Buffalo Sabres goalie Patrick Lalime during the second period of the NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, March 12, 2010. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

Browse more photos »

Minnesota Wild 3-2 Buffalo Sabres

No, I don't understand this team either. They put up 30 shots and three goals when for the last week they have looked like a pee wee team offensively. Sure, the defensive game left something to be desired, giving up 45 shots, but Josh Harding was fabulous tonight, keeping all but Thomas Vanek at bay, but not many teams in the NHL can do that.

Nice to see the veteran leadership show up in a big way tonight. A goal for Andrew Brunette, in typical Bruno fashion, on a tip-in. And Owen Nolan showed Steve Montador what happens when he messes with the Irish God of War. Not only did Nolan give Montador a healthy beatdown, but he embarrassed the Buffalo d-man, tearing his name plate right off his sweater, showing Montador that he just doesn't belong in the same league.

Ok, so, it doesn't really matter at this point, but it's good to see the Wild look solid and get a nice win against really good team in the Buffalo Sabres. Again, makes you wonder how good the Wild would be if they were in the East.

Please visit Die By The Blade for the enemy perspective.

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars:

Josh Harding (43 saves, 1 A)
Thomas Vanek (2 G)
Guillaume Latendresse (1 G)

Five Questions to Answer:

Will anyone else get a little misty watching Thomas Vanek and remember the days when the Gophers were awesome? From our dear friend schleske: "to answer question # 1, I flipped to see the gopher’s score.. and then saw vanek score. Siiigh."
Can the Wild get to Patrick Lalime? Would the Wild have won if Ryan Miller were in net? Who cares?
Will Guillaume Latendresse be able to go full-speed tonight, or will he show signs of the injury last night? Nice goal on only 13:52 TOI. He took advantage of his time. I love, love, love watching this kid play, and it was nice to see him score again. I can't wait to see him locked up for a nice long-term contract (please Fletch?)
Did the Wild even get tired enough last night to have an effect tonight? I don't know if they were tired or not, but they certainly stemmed the tide of an impressive offensive onslaught by Buffalo.
Should the Wild just go ahead and put Niklas Backstrom to pasture for the rest of the season? I really think they should. No need to risk anything at all with Nik.

Minnesota Wild @ Buffalo Sabres: Game 67

2010-03-12T23:30:20Z

Minnesota Wild (31-30-5) @ Buffalo Sabres (36-20-9)

HSBC Arena @ 6:30 CST

Television: FS-N(HD)
Radio: BOB 106.1 FM and KBGY 107.5 FM, or online at Wild.com

For the Buffalo perspective, check out Die By The Blade

Wild.com Game Preview

Minnesota Wild

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards
Andrew Brunette - Mikko Koivu - Antti Miettinen
Owen Nolan - James Sheppard - Chuck Kobasew
Guillaume Latendresse - Andrew Ebbett - Martin Havlat
Cal Clutterbuck - Kyle Brodziak - Derek Boogaard

Defense
Greg Zanon - Marek Zidlicky
Cam Barker - John Scott
Jaime Sifers - Nick Schultz

Goalies
Josh Harding
Wade Dubielewicz

Forwards
Thomas Vanek - Derek Roy - Drew Stafford
Jochen Hecht - Tim Connolly - Jason Pominville
Raffi Torres - Tim Kennedy - Patrick Kaleta
Matt Ellis - Adam Mair - Mike Grier

Defense
Henrik Tallinder - Tyler Myers
Chris Butler - Craig Rivet
Toni Lydman - Andrej Sekera

Goalies
Patrick Lalime
Ryan Miller

Questions to Answer

Will anyone else get a little misty watching Thomas Vanek and remember the days when the Gophers were awesome?
Can the Wild get to Patrick Lalime?
Will Guillaume Latendresse be able to go full-speed tonight, or will he show signs of the injury last night?
Did the Wild even get tired enough last night to have an effect tonight?
Should the Wild just go ahead and put Niklas Backstrom to pasture for the rest of the season?

Where Are They Now: Quick Links

2010-03-12T20:17:52Z

I tweeted to Russo about our little series, and got ten emails in about thirty seconds wanting links to them. So, rather than send out individual links, here is a quick list, with links. Enjoy them. Comment if you haven't already.

(Links after the jump)

Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament Game Thread: Day 3

2010-03-12T18:31:35Z

Sorry for the delay, folks. My bad.

Games today look like this:

Class A Semis:

#2 Mahtomedi vs #3 Hermantown 11AM

#1 Breck vs # Warroad 1PM

Class AA Semis:

#2 Edina vs Apple Valley 6PM

#1 Minnetonka vs #4 Hill Murray 8PM

Webcast is HERE

Injury Updates

2010-03-12T18:25:51Z

From @ChipScoggins:

Wild update: Backstrom (groin) is out and Dubielewicz has been called and is expected to arrive in Buffalo this afternoon.

Todd Richards also said that Brent Burns will not play again because of hip injury. Richards said Boogaard will be in the lineup.

Talked to Latendresse. Said Rafalski hit him just below his helmet in back of neck. He said his neck is stiff and sore but he will play.

Should be another fun one. According to Die By The Blade, Ryan Miller gets the night off. So, you don't even get that. In your face! (Sigh)