Minnesota Wild @ Chicago Blackhawks: Game Recap

by nathaneide on Oct 26, 2009 10:18 PM CDT in Events

Minnesota Wild 1-3 Chicago Blackhawks

Another road game, another road loss. This is getting painful. Sure, I know we're only 11 games into the season, but this team isn't exactly showing a lot of signs of improvement or consistency in learning the new system. In fact, I'd say they've regressed overall. Sure, they're showing flashes here and there, but overall, they seem to lose focus in their own end, and either don't have the guys to breakout and apply offensive pressure, or they still don't get the new style. Either way, the Todd Richards-led Wild aren't exactly the talk of the town. They're averaging fewer goals per game scored and more goals per game allowed than they did under Lemaire. This isn't exactly a positive step. Hopefully it's only a matter of time before they leap forward, because crawling doesn't seem to be working.

Once again the Wild found themselves down early, as Dave Bolland took a pass from Andrew Ladd and buried it, putting the Blackhawks up 1-0 at the 9:23 mark. Chicago then added to their lead at 17:13 as Troy Brouwer scored on the power play on the rebound from Tomas Kopecky and Duncan Keith. This goal was yet another this season in which Niklas Backstrom had absolutely no help from his defensemen and Brouwer easily poked the rebound home.

One positive from the first period is that the shots were 10-10, but again, the Wild didn't cash-in on their scoring chances, and the Blackhawks had far too many. The defense needs to get tight, especially on the road.

Chicago started to take over the game after that power play goal, while there were no goals in the second period, Chicago clearly carried the play, outshooting the Wild 11-6, then things only got worse in the third. The Wild seemed to pick up play early in the period, culminating in Andrew Brunette's 7th goal of the season, on the rebound from both Antti Miettinen and Mikko Koivu. Bruno has had a great start to the season, one of the lone highlights thus far.

After Bruno's goal however, Chicago again took over and clamped down hard. Just three minutes later, Patrick Kane made a superstar move, driving to the net, spinning in the low circle and roofing one from a ridiculous angle. It was a goal-scorers goal. That put Chicago up 3-1, and the Blackhawks shut the door from then on. Shots in the third period ended up 14-5 and 35-21 overall.

If this is the up-tempo, offensive style we were expecting, I demand a refund. 21 shots is below the season average under Lemaire, and the team just isn't picking it up.

Oh, and by the way:

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Marian Gaborik	10	8	18	6	4

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Martin Havlat	1	4	5	-10	0

Please read the game recap over at Second City Hockey

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Patrick Kane (1 G)
Andrew Brunette (1 G)
Brian Campbell (+2 in 26:08 TOI)

Questions to Answer

Can the Wild find consistency and bring the Wild Rumpus to Chicago? No.
How will Havlat perform back in Chicago? Less than mediocre. He needs to pick it up. He's killing the team right now.
Can Niklas Backstrom continue the fantastic streak of play? He is doing everything he can to win. He has little support.
Will the time off do Pouliot well? Benoit Pouliot was a -1 in 9:05. The kid needs time to play, this is quickly becoming a lost season, just play him 15 minutes a night and let him free.
With Chicago off to a hot start, can the Wild learn from their level of play? Let's hope so. They need to learn from someone.

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Comments

I think the only positive news of the night was that I won tickets to wednesday's game vs the preds haha

by TonyO on Oct 26, 2009 10:57 PM CDT reply actions

What was your question, by the way?

The one that won you the tickets?

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 11:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Havlat's killing the team?

Last time I looked, there are a few more players than Havlat on the Wild. Please don’t make Havlat the scapegoat for the bad blind passes and poor defense. Blaming Havlat forthe team’s poor overall play is like blaming one player for the poor effort of the whole team – oh, guess that;s what you’re doing. One player does not a team make.

by Givinchy on Oct 26, 2009 11:05 PM CDT reply actions

-10

Dude couldn’t find the defensive zone if his left depended upon it. He gives less effort while backchecking than Gaborik ever did, and now Richards is playing it off that Havlat is a playmaker, and needs a shooter on his line. Umm … I thought he was supposed to be the scorer?

Yeah, it’s only 11 games in, but he has been nothing short of terrible.

Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.

by nathaneide on Oct 27, 2009 8:02 AM CDT up reply actions

"Another road game, another road loss"...

I wonder how many times we’ll have to say that this year before something changes. Frustrating. Also frustrating? Knowing that the basic talent is there, they just can’t click together at the same time.

by fischean on Oct 26, 2009 11:31 PM CDT reply actions