Round 1 - Avalanche vs Wild

[J0e Th0rnton]

It'll be a fun one simply because the Avs seem to come alive at home. I'm sure it won't be lacking in excitement, either.

Welcome to the forum!

[Vanflyer]

Minny has played the Avs tough and close, and in many cases, flat out OUT PLAYED them...had it not been for stellar performances by Semyon Varlamov bailing out his swiss cheese defense, Nate MacKinnon putting on individual efforts, and a little overall help from the officials, I have NO problem stating Minnesota possibly could have been up 3-1 at some point, possibly finishing off the series yesterday. 

 

yup, yup and yup. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Well, I'll be damned...BRING ON THOSE BLACKHAWKS!

 

I gotta admit, with Minnesota falling behind 3 times during the game, it started to feel like "oh no, this won't end well"....ESPECIALLY when Colorado started the game out with yet ANOTHER controversial type goal: IMO, it SHOULD have been a no-goal due to goalie interference. They called the Lightning's goal off for less contact (and with the goalie out of the crease), yet allow the Avs' goal in this game while CLEAR contact was made with Kuemper while he is IN his crease....a head shaker.

 

But despite that, I thought, well, Minnesota just needs to answer.

Well, Minnesota answered three times, tying the game everytime the Avs took a lead....until the game got to 4-3 Avs AND Kuemper had to leave the game with about 8 min to go...and yup...IN COMES BRYZGALOV!

 

Honestly, I had written the Wild off at that point.

Not so much that I didn't think they could answer the 4th goal, but I wasn't entirely sure Bryz was going to keep FURTHER goals from going past him at an alarming rate!

And even if Bryz let none in and the Wild tie...will he be good enough in OT to hold off Colorado!? Would the refs screw something ELSE UP??

 

These were thoughts that went through my worn down psyche for the last 8 min of the game.

 

Jared Spurgeon, the little big man on D, tied things at 4...sending this thing into OT.

 

Nino Niederreiter, who played a big part in keeping the Wild's momentum when he tied the game at 3 gets the game winner in OT....fan-tastic!

 

As for Bryz? Hmm..whether by design or just happenstance, Bryzgalov didn't see many shots...Wild kept most of the play on the Avs side of the ice since he was brought in...and when he was asked to make a save, he did. But Colorado seemingly didn't really get many quality opportunities at Bryz.

Perhaps the Wild knew Bryz could be vulnerable simply because he was coming off the bench cold......or that he could just be Bryz and let in some weird goals .......though I am sure, they'd never admit that to anyone outside their locker room...if even that!

 

In any case, Minnesota did not "go away", didn't fold any tents, didn't throw in any drying cloths, or let any overweight ladies exercise their vocals....they just went to work like they had all series and let the chips (or pucks) fall where they may.

 

Bottom line:  The Wild will advance in thrilling fashion and meet the defending Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks in a re-match from last year's Round 1 where the Hawks unceremoniously dumped Minnesota in 5 relatively easy games.

If some thought Minnesota was about on equal footing with Colorado as far as 'favored' status was concerned (I know I saw them that way at the start of the series....meh, perhaps SLIGHT underdogs), well, the Wild will CERTAINLY be underdogs against the Hawks.....despite the fact that Minnesota is vastly improved over last year's team.

Still though, this is the match up I wanted to see and if the Wild bring the same work ethic and intensity they did to the Avs series, well, ya know, beating the Hawks isn't out of the question..........unless of course, Ilya Bryzgalov will need to be counted on for the series......I can only HOPE Kuemper can go Friday for Game 1....Game 2 at the absolute latest (my oh my that short turnaround)...as this Minnesota team does NOT beat Colorado without Kuemper replacing Bryz at the beginning of the series.

 

As for the Avs team and their fans, disappointment for sure.

Coach Roy didn't come on board to have a great season, win the division, then exit early in the playoffs.

Thing is, his Avs have made a huge jump from where they were in the standings just one short season ago....and it looks like, judging from the make up of his team, they will be back to post season contention not only next year, but for some years after that as well.

And the Wild will have to deal with them as division rivals the entire time.

 

Great, great series...obviously elated the Wild did pull this off, but I honestly would have said 'great series' even if Minnesota had lost....though, of course, that would have been said with grudging congrats to the Colorado Avalanche.

 

But like I said before........BRING ON THE BLACKHAWKS!

Hear that, @Chicago Hawkie ?   

[JohnnyDrama21]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Thanks! Also: *sigh* go Blackhawks.