MNWild: Growing Pains on the Road Wild Vs Avalanche Gameday

The Minnesota Wild 18 – 11 – 5 (41 points) will finish their current three game road trip with a matchup versus the Colorado Avalanche 21 – 9 – 0 (42 points) at the Pepsi Center. Both of these teams of struggled in the last 5 games with identical (2-3) records but over the last ten game the Avalanche are (6-4-0) in comparison the Wild has been sliding with a record of (3-6-1). Also critical to tonight’s matchup is that the Avalanche are (17-0-0) when scoring first and they are (8-0-1) when leading after the 1st period. No secret here, if the Wild doesn’t find the back of the net first tonight the end result will be almost certainly another loss.

The Avalanche have defeated the Wild twice this year once in regulation and the other coming in overtime. The Avalanche has proven too much for the Wild to handle on the rush as they have a speed combination that has created scoring opportunities and production for their new look roster. The trio of Matt Duchene, Nathan Mackinnon, and Gabriel Ladeskog is powering Colorado to victories. Maybe the most impressive difference between last season into this current one for Colorado is the play of their defensive corps. I remember how little effort and energy the defensemen for the Avalanche played with last season especially against the Wild.

The Colorado goalie tandem of Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere has been nearly lights out with a combined record of 21-9 and both having a goals against average under 3. It is just honestly a tough matchup for a team that is not known for lighting the lamp and currently has been doing some serious soul searching. The Wild lines will be shuffled again tonight but it will be all for not should they not break through will a goal or two early on against the Avalanche. Possibly the key to getting that first goal tonight will be drawing a power play, although it seems hard to believe the Wild’s ranked 8th in the NHL with the man advantage.

After just one game in his latest callup to the Wild, Jason Zucker became a healthy scratch and then was returned to Iowa in favor of Erik Haula. Yeo has delivered mixed messages in my opinion with regard to Zucker and what is expected of him by the Wild coaching staff. At current Zucker is definitely better served by stay in Iowa because I don’t believe he has been given a fair shot by Yeo or the Wild coaching staff and they are almost certainly damaging Zucker’s confidence and trust in their leadership. I definitely think just based on needs and skillsets that Haula is a better fit to fill in the second line center position right now. I definitely think Yeo losses credibility in my mind grandstanding about the young players stepping up while Dany Heatley is giving ZERO effort on a nightly basis with next no accountability or repercussion from the coaching staff.

Individual Leaders
Minnesota Wild Colorado Avalanche
Points: Z. PARISE (26),M. KOIVU (25),J. POMINVILLE (22) M. DUCHENE (24),G. LANDESKOG (22),R. O’REILLY (19)
Goals: J. POMINVILLE (15),Z. PARISE (14),M. KOIVU (7) M. DUCHENE (14),R. O’REILLY (10),P. PARENTEAU (9)
Assists: M. KOIVU (18),R. SUTER (17),Z. PARISE (12) G. LANDESKOG (13),N. MACKINNON (12),A. BENOIT (10)
PP Goals: Z. PARISE (7),J. POMINVILLE (5),D. HEATLEY (3) M. DUCHENE (3),P. STASTNY (2),R. O’REILLY (2)
SH Goals: Z. PARISE (1) A. TANGUAY (1)
GW Goals: J. POMINVILLE (4),M. KOIVU (3),M. COOKE (2) M. DUCHENE (3),N. MACKINNON (3),P. STASTNY (2)
3+ Goals:
PIM: Z. KONOPKA (43),C. STONER (35),M. COOKE (20) C. MCLEOD (69),P. BORDELEAU (48),C. SARICH (26)
Shots: Z. PARISE (133),J. POMINVILLE (93),M. KOIVU (74) N. MACKINNON (88),R. O’REILLY (86),G. LANDESKOG (85)
+/-: M. SCANDELLA (+9),M. COOKE (+7),Z. PARISE (+6) E. JOHNSON (+18),J. HEJDA (+17),A. TANGUAY (+8)

Just My Take,
Tony Dean
@TonyDean1204