:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/22465901/20131103_pjc_ah7_374.0.jpg)
The Wild learned a lot about themselves as a team in the two games they played in 3 days last week against the best team in the league, the Chicago Blackhawks. Since then, they have played two more games, both at home, against the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils, two pretty solid puck possession teams. Let's see how the players performed in each game:
|
WILD (4) vs CANADIENS (3) |
||||||||||
|
|
ALL SITUATIONS |
5v5 CLOSE |
||||||||
|
Player |
TOI |
G |
A |
S |
DZ Start% |
OZ Start% |
TOI |
CF% |
FF% |
SF% |
|
BRODIN |
26.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
56.3% |
37.5% |
17.8 |
35.7% |
38.9% |
38.5% |
|
SUTER |
26.6 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
24.0% |
40.0% |
17.0 |
37.5% |
42.9% |
35.7% |
|
PARISE |
22.9 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
27.3% |
36.4% |
13.6 |
34.6% |
44.4% |
45.5% |
|
KOIVU |
19.7 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
34.8% |
39.1% |
11.7 |
52.2% |
44.4% |
33.3% |
|
COYLE |
18.4 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
25.0% |
35.0% |
13.1 |
33.3% |
50.0% |
55.6% |
|
SPURGEON |
18.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
46.2% |
31.6% |
11.4 |
56.5% |
53.3% |
40.0% |
|
BRODZIAK |
16.8 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
36.8% |
36.8% |
10.3 |
40.0% |
33.3% |
30.0% |
|
COOKE |
16.5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
36.4% |
23.5% |
11.0 |
52.9% |
62.5% |
88.0% |
|
BALLARD |
16.3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
46.2% |
15.4% |
12.4 |
45.0% |
46.2% |
60.0% |
|
SCANDELLA |
16.1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
35.3% |
29.4% |
9.9 |
61.1% |
60.0% |
57.1% |
|
FONTAINE |
15.8 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
53.3% |
26.7% |
10.9 |
52.9% |
45.5% |
50.0% |
|
GRANLUND |
15.8 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
40.0% |
18.2% |
11.2 |
36.0% |
30.8% |
25.0% |
|
STONER |
15.1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
40.0% |
20.0% |
11.6 |
39.1% |
40.0% |
50.0% |
|
POMINVILLE |
15.0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
42.9% |
23.1% |
10.2 |
52.0% |
53.8% |
42.9% |
|
NIEDERREITER |
12.4 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
21.4% |
42.9% |
9.1 |
38.5% |
40.0% |
25.0% |
|
HEATLEY |
10.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16.7% |
50.0% |
8.9 |
18.8% |
27.3% |
42.9% |
|
MITCHELL |
8.0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
5.1 |
66.7% |
71.4% |
71.4% |
|
KONOPKA |
6.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
5.1 |
77.8% |
80.0% |
80.0% |
(CF%=Corsi For%, FF%=Fenwick For%, SF%=Shots For%)
- Mitchell and Konopka both did well in their usual low-event style.
- Spurgeon and Scandella were the best defenceman on the Wild by a long way, starting mostly in the defensive zone, but still driving puck possession and, in Scandella's case, taking a lot of shots.
- A very rare sub-50% Corsi game for Zach Parise, who is normally a beast.
- Brodin and Suter both had sub-par games, possibly due to the young Swede trying to find his feet again after a nasty injury.
- Charlie Coyle played a ton of minutes in his return, even though he left the game injured. He did okay overall and could have had a goal.
- Granlund didn't have one of his better games in terms of puck possession, but managed to generate 2 assists.
- Justin Fontaine did really well, getting 5 shots on goal and posting a nice Corsi For% with a higher percentage of defensive zone starts than any other forwards except for Konopka and Mitchell.
|
WILD (4) vs DEVILS (0) |
||||||||||
|
|
ALL SITUATIONS |
5v5 CLOSE |
||||||||
|
Player |
TOI |
G |
A |
S |
DZ Start% |
OZ Start% |
TOI |
CF% |
FF% |
SF% |
|
SUTER |
23.4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
35.3% |
29.4% |
7.7 |
36.4% |
33.3% |
37.5% |
|
BRODIN |
23.4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
35.3% |
29.4% |
7.9 |
36.4% |
33.3% |
37.5% |
|
KOIVU |
21.1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
44.4% |
27.8% |
6.3 |
55.6% |
50.0% |
50.0% |
|
BALLARD |
19.8 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
50.0% |
16.7% |
6.2 |
54.5% |
57.1% |
80.0% |
|
SPURGEON |
19.8 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
53.8% |
30.8% |
4.5 |
46.2% |
50.0% |
50.0% |
|
PARISE |
19.6 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
41.2% |
29.4% |
6.1 |
55.6% |
50.0% |
50.0% |
|
SCANDELLA |
17.6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
53.8% |
30.8% |
3.7 |
60.0% |
62.5% |
60.0% |
|
BRODZIAK |
17.2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
36.4% |
27.3% |
4.8 |
27.3% |
20.0% |
0.0% |
|
STONER |
16.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50.0% |
16.7% |
5.9 |
54.5% |
57.1% |
80.0% |
|
COOKE |
16.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
36.4% |
27.3% |
4.0 |
37.5% |
33.3% |
0.0% |
|
GRANLUND |
15.4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
66.7% |
22.2% |
4.5 |
60.0% |
55.6% |
71.4% |
|
POMINVILLE |
15.3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
50.0% |
50.0% |
5.0 |
66.7% |
60.0% |
75.0% |
|
HEATLEY |
14.4 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
33.3% |
22.2% |
4.1 |
66.7% |
66.7% |
100.0% |
|
NIEDERREITER |
13.3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
57.1% |
28.6% |
3.9 |
62.5% |
62.5% |
71.4% |
|
FONTAINE |
12.3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
41.7% |
16.7% |
6.3 |
42.9% |
33.3% |
20.0% |
|
MITCHELL |
11.1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
45.5% |
27.3% |
2.3 |
33.3% |
50.0% |
66.7% |
|
MCMILLAN |
8.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50.0% |
16.7% |
2.5 |
40.0% |
50.0% |
50.0% |
|
KONOPKA |
7.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50.0% |
16.7% |
2.0 |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
- Another typical (2013-2014) Konopka performance. Very few events, but the Wild dominate the puck with him on the ice.
- Pominville started 50% of his shifts in the defensive zone and still dominated puck possession and had himself a fantastic game.
- We got a big performance from Heatley. Normally he is a puck possession black-hole, but last night he did well and got a goal as a reward.
- Granlund looked simply awesome. He posted a CF% of 60.0%, while starting 66.7% of his shifts in the defensive zone!!! This kid is going to be a superstar.
- Ballard and Stoner looked comfortable together and continued driving puck possession the way they were in the early part of the season
- Marco Scandella seems to have locked-down the spot beside Spurgeon on the 2nd pair for now. Another strong performance from him at 5v5 with mostly defensive zone starts.
- Kyle Brodziak and Matt Cooke got destroyed in puck possession. Hopefully we won't see too many more nights like that from them this season.
- McMillan did a reasonable job in his first game of the year. He had 50% of his shifts start in the d-zone, and posted a 50.0% Fenwick For%.
- Suter and Brodin both posted some ugly, ugly numbers. I don't expect it to last as these two were dynamite last year. The sooner they get back to their dominant best, the better.
- Look how even the ice time distribution was between Suter, Brodin, Spurgeon and Ballard. It bodes well for the team if they can continue to do that. They should be trying to keep Suter and Brodin as fresh as possible if the Wild have hopes of a long playoff run this year.
- I like the idea of using "Graninoville" sparingly against the opposition's soft underbelly, with Parise and Koivu shutting-down the top line. This seems to be the tactic the Wild are employing.