CreaseAndAssist

Menell got into Tim Army's doghouse on Sunday because he got a 10-minute misconduct for chirping at the officials. It was at least the 2nd one he got this season, he didn't play in the 3rd period or overtime in that game at all and he was available. He still leads Iowa's defenseman in points though.

Wild Overcome A Controversial New Jersey Goal to Earn a 3-2 Victory Better energy than I expected. The team did a decent job of circling the wagons around Kahkonen. Not sure I'd say he's NHL ready, he was really fighting the puck. The NHL rule thing is pretty galling. We're sorry? C'mon...that's complete garbage. Call in, correct the call and take care of it. To let it stand is ridiculous. What a play by Greenway, hopefully we see more of that. Fiala actually had a pretty good game too. I didn't like seeing Parise out there late in the game, I know its 6-on-5 but shouldn't we keep faster people out there. Also, on that speed note...I think Zucker may be hurt. He seemed to be laboring tonight. My guess is a groin or a hip flexor, just didn't have any explosion like he normally does.

Wild vs. Devils Game Preview Minnesota Wild (9-11-4) 22pts 7th in the Central 2.75 Goals For Per Game (22nd in the NHL) 3.33 Goals Against Per Game (26th in the NHL) 18.3% Power Play (20th in the NHL) 82.2% Penalty Kill (15th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #12 Eric Staal ~ 7G 10A = 17pts 2. #16 Jason Zucker ~ 8G 8A = 16pts 3. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 2G 12A = 14pts 4. #11 Zach Parise ~ 9G 3A = 12pts 5. #46 Jared Spurgeon ~ 2G 10A = 12pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 35 PIM’s 2. #24 Matt Dumba ~ 23 PIM’s 3. #19 Luke Kunin ~ 21 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #32 Alex Stalock (5-3-2) 2.80GAA .907%SP 1SO 2. #31 Kaapo Kahkonen N/A Vs. New Jersey Devils (8-10-4) 20pts 8th in the Metropolitan 2.55 Goals For Per Game (29th in the NHL) 3.45 Goals Against Per Game (27th in the NHL) 13.8% Power Play (26th in the NHL) 77.3% Penalty Kill (23rd in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #9 Taylor Hall ~ 4G 16A = 20pts 2. #21 Kyle Palmieri ~ 8G 6A = 14pts 3. #13 Nico Hischier ~ 3G 9A = 12pts 4. #20 Blake Coleman ~ 7G 3A = 10pts 5. #86 Jack Hughes ~ 4G 6A = 10pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #21 Kyle Palmieri ~ 27 PIM’s 2. #76 P.K. Subban ~ 26 PIM’s 3. #17 Wayne Simmonds ~ 21 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #70 Louis Domingue (1-0-0) .77GAA .960%SP 2. #29 Mackenzie Blackwood (7-6-3) 3.07GAA .898%SP 1SO MNSOTA wrote up the game preview, I'll be on the post gamer. I might actually get to watch this game other than following it via radio and Twitter as I've been forced to do the last few games. After squandering 2 points the last two games the Wild are going to see if they can earn a win over equally bad New Jersey. Kahkonen's first NHL start should be something to see. Even if we know Dubnyk likely returns to the team before Friday's game against Ottawa. Enjoy and discuss...

Wouldn't hurt if his big money defenseman...well actually contested the shot.

Deja Vu Again For the Wild in 3-2 Overtime Loss to the Rangers As soon as you saw Suter out there for 3 on-3 you knew it was going to lead to disaster. Then Ek too? Uh ok. (sigh) I sometimes wonder if Bruce is trying to get fired with moronic choices like that or does Suter just say he's going out there and he throws his arms up because he knows he's BFF's with Leipold. Either way, that has to stop...putting #11 and #20 out there in OT is costing this team points because they don't have the speed and quickness to play 3-on-3. On the bright side, nice goal by Donato...almost like what we saw late last season from him. Overall I though the effort was just ok tonight...Stalock probably kept us in it longer than we deserved to be there. Then in OT we just threw it away as usual. I have a full game impressions an Iowa WIld extended report and prospect news too... Enjoy!

Wild vs. Rangers Game Preview Minnesota Wild (9-11-3) 21pts 7th in the Central 2.78 Goals For Per Game (23rd in the NHL) 3.35 Goals Against Per Game (25th in the NHL) 18.8% Power Play (18th in the NHL) 82.6% Penalty Kill (14th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #12 Eric Staal ~ 7G 10A = 17pts 2. #16 Jason Zucker ~ 8G 8A = 16pts 3. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 2G 12A = 14pts 4. #11 Zach Parise ~ 8G 3A = 11pts 5. #77 Brad Hunt ~ 5G 6A = 11pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 33 PIM’s 2. #19 Luke Kunin ~ 21 PIM’s 3. #24 Matt Dumba ~ 21 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #32 Alex Stalock (5-3-1) 2.79GAA .908%SP 1SO 2. #31 Kaapo Kahkonen N/A Vs. New York Rangers (10-9-2) 22pts 6th in the Metropolitan 3.38 Goals For Per Game (9th in the NHL) 3.57 Goals Against Per Game (29th in the NHL) 20.5% Power Play (10th in the NHL) 73.5% Penalty Kill (28th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #10 Artemi Panarin ~ 12G 15A = 27pts 2. #16 Ryan Strome ~ 6G 15A = 21pts 3. #89 Pavel Buchnevich ~ 4G 14A = 18pts 4. #77 Tony DeAngelo ~ 6G 9A = 15pts 5. #20 Chris Kreider ~ 5G 7A = 12pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #48 Brendan Lemieux ~ 52 PIM’s 2. #42 Brendan Smith ~ 17 PIM’s 3. #77 Tony DeAngelo ~ 17 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #30 Henrik Lundqvist (5-5-1) 3.37GAA .909%SP 2. #40 Alexandar Georgiev (5-4-1) 3.42GAA .903%SP MNSOTA wrote up the game preview, I will be on the post-gamer. My guess is we'll see Kahkonen play either tonight or tomorrow against New Jersey. With Minnesota coming off a pretty disappointing loss I'd expect to see them look pretty motivated tonight, but the Rangers are a coming off a pretty scrappy win over Montreal. Should be a good one, enjoy and discuss...

Iowa had a 3-2 shootout win over Bakersfield. J.T. Brown with the shootout winner. Robson with another solid start.

Yet when it falls apart...#9, #11 or #20 or a combination of them are on the ice.

Overtime Continues to Haunt Wild in 5-4 OT Loss to Boston I didn't see this one, but it sounded like a stretch of about 5 minutes more or less derailed what was another fairly good effort by the Wild. Overtime is beyond a schitt show, no one seems to know what they should be doing or how to handle having extra space on the ice. You know they work on that at practice, but they look so lost in OT its sad. I think Stalock probably wanted back those last 2 goals in regulation, but overall he made some huge saves to give this team a chance to win this game. One day of rest and then a back-to-back in New York and New Jersey. Full game impressions and prospect news too. Enjoy...

Litchfield? Minnesota? @Antti_Laxative near his old stomping ground and virtually my entire family.

@Alexandron we'll be ok. It just sucks to have taken all the steps we have to watch the games and be able to watch everyone, not to be able to watch them. The Wild are playing better...that's good.

Yes...its the only option we have. Unfortunately.

Did someone throw a cat into a blender? Oh, that was just Kevin Falness' goal call over the radio. Yikes...good to be up 1-0 though.

I think the most likely scenario is Kahkonen gets one of those games in the back to back. To start him tonight against one of the leagues' most deadly lines and power plays would be reckless in my opinion.

I would concur, Donato easily has been the most wayward / lost of any Wild player. I don't think this one might be as lost as one would think. The key is to stay out of the box, and do what they can to eliminate the Bruins' top line. If they can hold that line in check...I think we have a fair chance. To come away from this one with any points would be a bit of a surprise but for whatever reason I'm optimistic today.

Wild vs. Bruins Game Preview Minnesota Wild (9-11-2) 20pts 7th in the Central 2.73 Goals For Per Game (24th in the NHL) 3.27 Goals Against Per Game (22nd in the NHL) 17.8% Power Play (18th in the NHL) 83.3% Penalty Kill (8th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #12 Eric Staal ~ 6G 10A = 16pts 2. #16 Jason Zucker ~ 7G 8A = 15pts 3. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 2G 10A = 12pts 4. #11 Zach Parise ~ 8G 3A = 11pts 5. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 2G 9A = 11pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 33 PIM’s 2. #12 Eric Staal ~ 20 PIM’s 3. #24 Matt Dumba ~ 19 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #32 Alex Stalock (5-3-0) 2.56GAA .913%SP 1SO 2. #31 Kaapo Kahkonen N/A Vs. Boston Bruins (14-3-5) 33pts 1st in the Atlantic 3.55 Goals For Per Game (5th in the NHL) 2.36 Goals Against Per Game (2nd in the NHL) 30.9% Power Play (2nd in the NHL) 83.3% Penalty Kill (10th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #63 Brad Marchand ~ 15G 22A = 37pts 2. #88 David Pastrnak ~ 20G 16A = 36pts 3. #37 Patrice Bergeron ~ 8G 12A = 20pts 4. #47 Torey Krug ~ 2G 11A = 13pts 5. #46 David Krecji ~ 2G 11A = 13pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #63 Brad Marchand ~ 39 PIM’s 2. #88 David Pastrnak ~ 18 PIM’s 3. #33 Zdeno Chara ~ 16 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #40 Tuukka Rask (10-2-2) 2.05GAA .931%SP 2SO 2. #41 Jaroslav Halak (4-1-3) 2.56GAA .924%SP 1SO @MNSOTA wrote up the game preview, I will be on the post gamer. This to me is a lot like playing Colorado. A really good top line and then it drops off pretty big for the Bruins, but still...their 1st line is consistent and is very versatile and dangerous. This is the start of a 3-game road trip where Minnesota will play 3 games in 4 nights, they might as well get the toughest one of the bunch out of the way first. Enjoy and discuss...

That's always been the problem. #9 and #20 have a tendency to pass...then hang onto it instead of moving it quickly or letting loose with a one-timer. It allows the defense to move into an optimal position to deny the passing or shooting lanes and the result is a lot of wasted time moving from the wall to the point and back to the wall, repeat. I know I wrote the same thing back in 2014. Yet 5 years later...same issue, same players for the most part.

I'd like to see it, because I still loathe seeing #20 spend 1:25-30 on almost any given power play. Plus, its a chance to give the old legs some rest.

I still think its about the role he can play. They like their bottom 6. And they really only have room there. Personally I think they could really use him on the power play which hasn't been nearly the steamroller it was last year. In other prospect news. Ivan Lodnia has 9 goals, 20 points in 12 games which isn't too shabby.

The GEEK line sounded like they played pretty well, at times almost dominant by what I heard from the radio broadcast. Although I'm glad I missed out on the Wes Walz love fest for Cale Makar, that sounded pretty nauseating. Almost like listening to Buccigross and Melrose talk the whole national championship game about him as if no one else was on the ice even though his team lost. In other news, glad you liked it.

Wild Escape With 3-2 Win Over Colorado I tried something different with the post gamer. I'd love to hear some feedback. Sounded like they had another solid effort beyond giving Makar too much time and space in the offensive zone. Full game impression. Iowa Wild highlights and prospect news too! Enjoy and discuss!

Makar scores...from MacKinnon. Fantasy Team happy. No one else though...2-1 Wild.

I will have highlights of that Iowa Wild / Milwaukee Admirals game in my post-gamer tonight.

I've never had an issue with Brad Hunt. Heck, I wanted the Wild to sign him after he was a tryout out at prospect camp years ago. I also wanted them to sign Matt Read out of that same prospect camp, but they did...just many years later. The Wild have done a number of things I wanted...just later than I had hoped.

Word...