Wild Calgary Game Physical

Looking back at my pre-game prediction for the Wild Calgary game, MN Wild Freak predicted the Calgary Flames game would be a physical game for the Wild and it was.  Besides the regular pushing and checking and aggressive play there were plenty of penalties. To prove my point, here is laundry list of all the penalties (the longest list for a Wild game this year) Eric Godard : Holding  - 2  mim, Rhett Warrener : Hooking  - 2  min, Pierre-Marc Bouchard : Interference  - 2  min, Dion Phaneuf : Fighting (maj)  - 5  min, Stephane Veilleux : Fighting (maj)  - 5  min, Stephane Veilleux : Instigator  - 2  min, Stephane Veilleux : Misconduct (10 min), Mark Smith : Fighting (maj)  - 5  min, Matt Foy : Fighting (maj)  - 5  min, Marian Gaborik : Hooking  - 2  min, Brian Rolston : Hi-sticking  - 2  min, Stephane Yelle : Hi-sticking  - 2  min, Craig Conroy : Hooking  - 2  min, Marian Gaborik : Interference  - 2  min, Dion Phaneuf : Tripping  - 2  min, Craig Conroy : Hooking  - 2  min, Craig Conroy : Elbowing  - 2  min, Owen Nolan : Slashing  - 2  min, Jarome Iginla : Interference - Goalkeeper  - 2  min.

Perhaps the biggest fight was between Minnesota Wild player Stephane Veilleux and Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf.  Veilleux was defending Matt Foy’s honor after Phaneuf leveled him.

"I just wanted to stick up for a teammate, and that's it," said Veilleux, who instigated the fight. "[Phaneuf] hits hard, and sometimes you've got to try to settle him down."

I am pretty sure Foy could defend his own honor, but Veilleux was feeling chivalrous and decided to take a swing at Phaneuf.  The fight looked a bit lopsided and Veilleux has a nice shiner to show for it. Unfortunately, Wild coach Jacques Lemaire didn't think the fight was such a good idea, saying,

"Veilleux, he let his heart take over, not his brain. He's a team player and he's trying, but, not the right time."

This MN Wild Freak likes to see a good brawl once in awhile, but this fight did seem ill timed since the Wild were leading 3 - 0. The Veilleux vs. Phaneuf fight fight seemed to awaken a sleeping Saddledome crowd and perhaps gave the Flames the extra spark they needed to burn down the Wild.