It's intriguing how the past two Minnesota winters seem to reseble the ones in Southern Finland. Last winter we were buried in snow, and now the temperature stays comfortably above 0 degrees celsius. It's all dark, rainy, wet and depressing.
After sleeping on it, still can't get over just how bad that interference call was. Not to mention Terhaar not realizing Khabi wasn't in goal any longer for much of third period. Someday we'll get to listen to a real PbP guy. Someday...
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After Meaningless Win - 3/29/12 - Game 77 | SoH-"Who knows, that could have cost us a Cup tonight." | Dooohkay
Someday we'll get to listen to a real PbP guy. Someday...
My girlfriend's mom meets with Gary Thorne weekly at conventions around the Philly area. Been asking her to tell him to take his talents to Minnesota. As far as I know, she has said is our announce crew is bad and Minnesota would love to hear him call Wild games. Seed planted. Someday... *crosses fingers
I think the Wild must have heard my *****ing and moaning about scoring yesterday.
It was nice to see the team not pack it in after giving up a goal in the first minute. Would have been easy. Yeo's clearly got control of this team still.
It was also nice to see the return of the forecheck, and of skating. Haven't seen that for a while. I'm not sure how much of that was due to Eddy's "defense" or the Wild being pumped up.
I also watched pretty much the whole game trying to see how often they "passed up" shooting opportunities. I think I counted one or two. One was at the left circle where the player had a clear shot on goal yet he drop passed behind him and toward the boards for absolutely no reason. I think it was a minor leaguer.
More importantly, look at the Wild's first two goals:
Koivu dangles through two Eddy defenders to cut to the middle of the slot and fires. Any time you can move from the circle to the middle of the slot with the puck on your forehand it's an extremely high scoring chance, possibly the highest outside of a one timer from a pass through the slot. That is a playmaker's move right there and a hell of a shot.
Palmer, getting the puck on a 2-on-1 from a great takeaway by Brodziak on the boards, drags the puck about two feet before sniping his goal. Brodziak gets huge credit for getting the puck to Palmer and creating the odd man rush but Palmer does a great job of changing the angle on the goalie and placing the shot. I really have liked everything I've seen from Palmer so far. He plays like a goal scorer. That pull move is something a goal scorer does. He takes his shots, knowing that he's going to miss the net half the time, but he keeps at it.
Butch and Heatley goals were more on Eddy's terrible defense. Koivu maybe to a point although he had a deadly move.
I liked that Brodziak's line went back to playing third line and not trying to be the scoring line. Cullen was pretty invisible again.
Our defense was not great tonight. First goal was Palmer not tying up his man on the backcheck. Second goal Staubitz is not paying attention to his guy and lets him sneak right in for a tap in. Third goal Schultz and Scandy are trying to play the same guy then just abandon him like he's radioactive. Very strange.
Loved the physical play. I had been wanting to see Kassian since Spurgeon got ran and he made a big statement game. Staubitz did a great job of standing up to Peckham too. Peckham specifically but a lot of the Oilers have been going after the Wild ever since Boogaard left, and it's a team that needs to be stood up to.
One was at the left circle where the player had a clear shot on goal yet he drop passed behind him and toward the boards for absolutely no reason. I think it was a minor leaguer.
It was Cullen, I believe. Even Russo made a comment about Cullen's lack of confidence.
My girlfriend's mom meets with Gary Thorne weekly at conventions around the Philly area. Been asking her to tell him to take his talents to Minnesota. As far as I know, she has said is our announce crew is bad and Minnesota would love to hear him call Wild games. Seed planted. Someday... *crosses fingers
After sleeping on it, still can't get over just how bad that interference call was. Not to mention Terhaar not realizing Khabi wasn't in goal any longer for much of third period. Someday we'll get to listen to a real PbP guy. Someday...
Well the Oilers PbP guys didn't notice it was Dubnyk for the first ~5 minutes of the 3rd either(have no clue how they missed the ~half-foot height difference).
Also, watching the highlights from last night, Zidlicky created two of our goals by himself. Great to see him getting back in form. It would be nice to have a couple all-stars on the team... Not just Heatley.
This morning, I realized something. I'm gonna miss having Eddy in our division/conference. Over the last few years, they've been really fun to beat, and to beat up.
This morning, I realized something. I'm gonna miss having Eddy in our division/conference. Over the last few years, they've been really fun to beat, and to beat up.
but but but...none of our five wins this year have been in a convincing fashion, that means we're the worst team in the league!
Still it's good to see a win.
