Wilderness Walk for 2-4-2013: Game Day Edition

Now that football is over, we can all turn our sole sporting focus on to the NHL and the hockey season. I believe a couple other sports with a round balls are going on right now, but I'm not sure that 1 of them really counts (all opinions here are solely my own, and if your offended I honestly don't care) and the other I know very little about (GO SWARM!!!!). So we turn our attention to a 1 inch think, 3 inch diameter, 6 ounce piece of vulcanized rubber being pushed around a 200' X 85' sheet of ice. On the bright side about last nights football contest, we did get to see a team wearing purple raise a trophy, and former Viking Matt Birk (and some other guy nobody much cares for around here) gets a well deserved ring. On a personal note, I have had several brushes with Matt Birk in my life, not a very interesting story, I just wanted to brag a bit.

After a couple days off and a heap of speculation, the Minnesota Wild will suit up in Glendale, AZ against the Phoenix Coyotes. Wait, they don't even play IN Phoenix? No wonder this team is in trouble and can't find an owner, people are looking for them in the wrong city! Nevertheless, the 'Yotes are 3-4-2 in this young season coming off back to back games against the Dallas Stars on Friday and Saturday. The Coyotes split that series losing the first game 4-3 in a shootout in Dallas and shutting out the Stars 2-0 at home on Saturday. Coyotes are on their 3rd game in 4 days, and we've had 2 days off. It's almost not fair, but with how we are playing right now, who knows.

Coach Yeo has seemed to strike a fancy with the sledge-o-matic and is prepared to smash the lines into bits and bits, but unlike Gallagher he has pieced them back together in ways he hopes will turn this team around. For you younger folks who are confused by the Gallagher reference, its ok, he's unimportant unless your a fan of crushing produce with an over-sized sledgehammer. The Wild are coming off a loss that is probably tops in lack of production or anything positive that I have ever seen. Aside from the 1 goal which seemed nice at the time but turned out to be a fluke at best, their last game in Anaheim was a complete and total failure. The Wild are hoping to turn it around and a couple days off and some serious line adjustments may be just what they needed.

Wild News

Few are spared in Wild shakeup | StarTribune.com - Russo's take on "The Big Shakeup"

Wild-Phoenix game preview | StarTribune.com - Quick preview of tonight's game.

Ryan Suter of the Minnesota Wild talks to HockeytalkHockeytalk.biz - 2 1/2 minute video interview with Ryan Suter, hard to hear, but he speaks, so we listen.

Video--Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild | Hockeytalk.bizHockeytalk.biz - Zach talks, and just a word of advise to Hockey Talk, buy a mic for the interviewee will ya!?

Minnesota Wild: Angry Mike Yeo puts off drastic changes - TwinCities.com - Can't blame him, I'm a little peaved too.

Minnesota Wild send a message, dropping Setoguchi, Granlund to fourth line - TwinCities.com - I think Coach Yeo is serious, just a hunch ...

HockeyBuzz.com - Brad Ratgen - Minnesota Wild Recalls Forward Charlie Coyle From Houston - A little more on the Coyle call up, Spurgeon on IR

Tending the Fields

The Third Intermission: Aeros rebound Sunday with 3-2 win over Rockford - Aeros win, so tonight we feast!

HOUSTON AEROS COMEBACK ON ROCKFORD, WIN 3-2 | aeros.com - Aeros lifted over Rockford on goals 62 seconds apart.

Off the Trail

Davis Drewiske takes Bobby Ryan puck to face, bleeds, misses one shift (VIDEO) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports - Hockey players, toughest SOB's on the planet!

Kunitz gets hat trick, Penguins get 3rd straight win by topping Capitals 6-3 on Super Sunday | StarTribune.com - Kunitz goes into beast mode, hat trick hockey.

NHL rumors: Portland emerging as possible relocation target? - CBSSports.com - Portland is a hockey ready city now, but do they want a team?

Laxidasical Meanderings

Free Tickets To MN Swarm Lacrosse Game For Military | Defending The Blue Line Blog - Title says it all.

Enemy news

Five For Howling, a Phoenix Coyotes community - Your best source for quality Phoenix Coyotes news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.

Torres Ready to Return to Lineup - Phoenix Coyotes - Features - The bad man is back, lets hope he left the behavior at the door.

Respect

Women's hockey raises thousands for charity - The Daily Campus - University of Connecticut - The ladies get involved as well.