Congrats, Wild Killer
by BReynolds on Feb 8, 2010 7:22 PM CST
0 comments
We need to take a break from our regularly scheduled hatred for our Northwest Division Rivals.
According to the Calgary Flames website, the great Jarome Iginla played his 1000th NHL game last Friday night, and Daymond Langkow did so the following night. While Langkow is a great player, and we would love to see him in a Wild sweater as much as the next perennial 20-30 goal scorer, Iginla holds a special place in the hearts and minds of those of us in Minnesota.
After all, he is the Wild Killer.
Make the jump and we'll take a look at the numbers.
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Twin Cities NHL Tweetup/Hockey Wilderness gathering: When and Where?
by nathaneide on Feb 8, 2010 2:21 PM CST
in News
9 comments
Hey there Wilderness;
We're planning on sponsoring the Twin Cities version of NHL Tweetup and pairing it with a Hockey Wilderness viewing party. Check out the site for more information on NHL Tweetup.
We've heard from many who would prefer it be on a night where the Wild are on the road, and we're working with some bars and restaurants around the X who would love to have a decent sized gathering on a non-game night. Also, we want to avoid the state tourney, so that week is out.
So, what we need from all of you is a vote for the night of the event, and if you have a suggestion for location, let us know in the comments.
EDIT: We may need to get out of the Xcel Energy Center area in order to have this in March and avoid tourney traffic.
Thanks!
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Wilderness Walk for 2-8-2010
by BReynolds on Feb 8, 2010 8:45 AM CST
9 comments
There are some older links in today's walk. I figured everyone was distracted by the Super Bowl yesterday. In case you are unaware of what the Super Bowl is, it is some kind of football game at the end of which a champion is crowned. At least, that's what they tell me, because I watched it, and they gave the "trophy" to the owner of the team first, not the captain, and it was a really small, weird looking thing anyway.
Ah well, to each his own, I guess. Here we go:
First Things First:
In His Memory - Pension Plan Puppets If you are looking for a way to honour Brendan Burke's memory a donation to PFLAG - Great idea from Wrap Around Curl. SBN raised a ton of money for Haiti, we can do the same for this great organization. Check it out, donate if you can.
Wild News (Old & New):
Bouchard comes back home after more concussion tests | StarTribune.com - Good info on still missing Butch.
Quirky quotient amps up with four goalies in room | StarTribune.com - It seems to be a fun locker room to be in right now.
Khudobin comes close to letter-perfect in victory | StarTribune.com - Some news about Khobby's first start.
WHO-Dobin wins first career start as Wild knocks off Philly | StarTribune.com - Some more about Khudobin.
Khudos to the goalie: Wild hold off Flyers - TwinCities.com - The Pio weighs in with their take.
KiPA's Korner:
Hitting The Post: NHL Recap 2-7-10: Ovie one-ups Sid; Bs end skid - Wrap up of the only two games yesterday.
Off the Trail:
Michael Russo's Sunday Insider: A hockey titan mourns | StarTribune.com - Russo spoke with Brian Burke, but it was before the terrible tragedy. Interesting article.
Guide to Surviving a Visiting Red Wings Fan - Some pure awesomeness from Matt over at The View From My Seats.
Yep. Two full days, and that's all I can come up with. Your home work assignment for today is to list as many reasons as possible describing why the Stanley Cup is better than any other trophy, specifically the Lombardi trophy.
-Buddha
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Minnesota Wild vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Game Recap
by nathaneide on Feb 7, 2010 1:34 AM CST
in Events
3 comments
Minnesota Wild 2-1 Philadelphia Flyers
To say the Wild were outplayed, outworked and outhustled in the first period would be putting it lightly. Were it not for very solid goaltending by Anton Khudobin in his first NHL start, Minnesota could have easily found themselves down big, early. The Flyers led in shots 14-3 at one point, and ended the first period 17-7. Luckily Khudobin was there to stem the tide, and the defense really came to his aide. It was a solid defensive period, though the breakout lacked, in a big way. Scoring started when Cal Clutterbuck took a pass from Owen Nolan and wristed it past Michael Leighton. Somehow, Nolan wasn't credited with the assist, but he made the play happen. Unfortunately, the Wild really let up immediately following, and the Flyers tied the game at 1, just 16 seconds later as Dan Carcillo (I know, right?) took the pass and beat Khudobin on the backhand from a rebound.
The second is where the Wild took over. They started to pick up the puck in transition and take the play to the Flyers, both physically, and by applying pressure in the offensive zone. Owen Nolan found the back of the net from Eric Belanger and Kim Johnsson. That would be all Khudobin and the Wild would need to beat the Flyers.
Tonight's story was all Khudobin, all the time. The Russian rookie was fantastic when he needed to be. His 38 saves tied a season high for Wild goaltenders, and he has now won his first two games with 47 saves on 48 shots. If Niklas Backstrom doesn't recover from the flu and Josh Harding's hip doesn't heal soon, he'll be the guy. Wade Dubielewicz hasn't proven he can do it, so it's up to Khudobin. He's off to a solid start so far.
Minnesota is a dramatically different team when playing in front of the Team of 18,000. They work harder, play more aggressively, take more chances and seem to get the bounces. The key down the stretch will be taking that effort on the road. They need to win at a better than .600 clip to get into the playoffs. Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? Not if they don't improve the road games.
Hockey Wilderness Three Stars:
- Anton Khudobin (38 saves)
- Cal Clutterbuck (1 G)
- Owen Nolan (1 G)
Five Questions:
- Guillaume Latendresse is the leading scorer on the team with 18 goals, 10 at home. Can he find the back of the net again? Afraid not, but his pairing with Havlat creates problems for other teams each and every shift.
- How will Anton Khudobin look in his first NHL start? 38 saves, one goal, his second win. Very niiiiice.
- Will the Wild go with seven defensemen? If so, how will this affect the offense? Richards changed his mind just before the pre-game skate and went with six, sitting James Sheppard and John Scott.
- Biggest pain tonight, Daniel Carcillo, Scott Hartnell or Chris Pronger? I really dislike all three, but Hartnell's 4 PIM wins. Luckily the Irish God of War destroyed him.
- The Wild are 6-1-1 in the green sweaters. Can they find magic again? Indeed they did!
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A Short Description of the Gilles Hit
by BReynolds on Feb 7, 2010 12:16 AM CST
1 comment
Thanks to Ms.Conduct, I got a chance to see the video of the hit Colton Gilles made that earned him a two-game suspension. Since I cannot share the video (it is not linkable, nor embeddable) here is a brief description.
Around the 11 minute mark of the third period, the Aeros lost a face off to the left of Brust. Off the face off, the puck circled around and was headed back toward the point. Gilles lost is stick in a minor scrum near the net and skated hard toward the point, and the the puck. Defenseman for Peoria, Bryce Lampman scooped up the puck and turned to protect it and make a play off the boards. Gilles was coming in hard from the slot and pushed Lampman from behind, two hands, square to the numbers.
Lampman went down hard, but the camera angle did not show the injury, for better or worse. Aeros players immediately called for the trainer, and Lampman was taken off on a stretcher.
For what it's worth, the hit was bad. Had it been in the NHL, it would have been a spin on the wheel of justice, and since Gilles is not star, and Lampman was hurt, he would likely still have been suspended.
If I find a video I can embed, I will share it. Just wanted to at least get a description of the hit out there, and let you all know that the suspension was justified.
-Buddha
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Minnesota Wild vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Game 58
by nathaneide on Feb 6, 2010 6:00 PM CST
in Events
59 comments
Minnesota Wild (28-25-4) @ Philadelphia Flyers (28-24-3)
Xcel Energy Center @ 7:00 CST
Television: KSTC (HD)
Radio: 830 WCCO AM or online at Wild.com
For the Philly perspective, check out Broad Street Hockey
|
Minnesota Wild |
Philadelphia Flyers |
|
Forwards Defense |
Forwards Defense Goalies |
Questions to Answer
- Guillaume Latendresse is the leading scorer on the team with 18 goals, 10 at home. Can he find the back of the net again?
- How will Anton Khudobin look in his first NHL start?
- Will the Wild go with seven defensemen? If so, how will this affect the offense?
- Biggest pain tonight, Daniel Carcillo, Scott Hartnell or Chris Pronger?
- The Wild are 6-1-1 in the green sweaters. Can they find magic again?
59 comments | 0 recs |
Wilderness Walk for 2-6-2010
by BReynolds on Feb 6, 2010 10:40 AM CST
0 comments
Obviously a heavy day in the hockey world today. Times like these, words seem hollow, and the words of a blog writer that has little or nothing to do with the Leafs seem even more empty. I don't want to sound trite or cliche, and I don't know any of them personally nor professionally.
The loss these two families are feeling today is one none of ever wants to endure. The loss of a child is wrong on so very many levels, and being a father, is completely unimaginable. Our thoughts and prayers obviously are with the Burkes and the Reedys today. I have no words to comfort them, nor would I be in any place to offer them.
What I will do is this. I will offer, to the readers of Hockey Wilderness, a suggestion. Take a moment today and let your family know that you love them unconditionally. That is the best thing you can do to get that pit out of your stomach today. Regardless of the fact that none of us (I am assuming) ever met Brendan or Mark, we feel a loss today. The world has lost two people, and no matter who is lost, it is still a loss.
In the hockey world, we feel a camaraderie that I have not noticed in other fan bases. This did not happen to a member of our direct and immediate family, but it did happen to a member of our hockey family. We have that cliche feeling today that hockey is just a game. I don't think it is. It certainly feels more like a family today than just a game.
I will move on to the links now. Starting off with three places I would trust most for news on this story:
Pension Plan Puppets - A Toronto Maple Leafs Blog: Welcome to the Gig-era - SBN Leaf Blog. Great pieces over there right now. Certainly a place where fans can go to leave sympathies, etc.
Sports news and features - The Globe and Mail - Coverage of all things Leafs by the one and only James Mirtle (@mirtle)
NHL - TSN's hockey page. Like ESPN, only better.
Wild News:
Wild: Chance to play arrives, and Khudobin seizes it | StarTribune.com - Stensaas' game day article.
Wild fill-in goalie Anton Khudobin is ready for his first NHL start - TwinCities.com - Pioneer Press version.
Enemy Newspaper:
Philly.com Flyers - Some good stuff over there, check it out.
KiPA's Korner:
Hitting The Post: NHL Recap 2-5-10: Devils revenge, sorta; Dogs fend off Hawks - A good look at the news on the ice last night.
Off the Trail:
Top Ten Black NHL Players - Die By The Blade - I wanted this to have a little better place of honor in the links today, but it got pushed a bit. All the same, an excellent article. Please, head over and check this one out. It deserves to not get lost in the all of the stories about Brenden Burke, and the lead ins to the Olympics. This is a must read.
Later all.
-Buddha
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Brendan Burke, Son of Brian Burke, Killed in Car Accident
Terrible news coming out of Toronto tonight. I linked to the Puck Daddy post about it, as that is where I learned of it. Plenty of places to find out more. Visit SBN's Maple Leafs blog, Pension Plan Puppets for ongoing news.
The thoughts and prayers of the entire Hockey Wilderness community go out to the Burke family.
3 days ago
BReynolds
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