CreaseAndAssist Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Wild vs. Avalanche Game Preview Minnesota Wild (18-15-5) 41pts 6th in the Central 3.08 Goals For Per Game (15th in the NHL) 3.29 Goals Against Per Game (28th in the NHL) 17.3% Power Play (21st in the NHL) 77% Penalty Kill (25th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #12 Eric Staal ~ 14G 17A = 31pts 2. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 4G 20A = 24pts 3. #11 Zach Parise ~ 14G 8A = 22pts 4. #36 Mats Zuccarello ~ 9G 13A = 22pts 5. #22 Kevin Fiala ~ 8G 13A = 21pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 44 PIM’s 2. #24 Matt Dumba ~ 33 PIM’s 3. #19 Luke Kunin ~ 28 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #40 Devan Dubnyk (6-8-2) 3.19GAA .897%SP 1SO 2. #32 Alex Stalock (9-6-2) 3.02GAA .901%SP 1SO Vs. Colorado Avalanche (23-11-3) 49pts 2nd in the Central 3.62 Goals For Per Game (1st in the NHL) 2.78 Goals Against Per Game (9th in the NHL) 18.9% Power Play (16th in the NHL) 80.3% Penalty Kill (18th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #29 Nathan MacKinnon ~ 21G 34A = 55pts 2. #72 Joonas Donskoi ~ 13G 15A = 28pts 3. #96 Mikko Rantanen ~ 11G 14A = 25pts 4. #95 Andre Burakovsky ~ 13G 11A = 24pts 5. #91 Nazem Kadri ~ 12G 11A = 23pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #91 Nazem Kadri ~ 46 PIM’s 2. #16 Nikita Zadorov ~ 43 PIM’s 3. #27 Ryan Graves ~ 31 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #31 Philipp Grubauer (10-8-2) 2.86GAA .913%SP 2. #39 Pavel Francouz (11-2-1) 2.22GAA .932%SP I wrote up the game preview today and I will be writing the post-gamer as well. MNSOTA has the day off. Both teams went into the holiday break with wins behind them. Colorado may be one of the deepest teams, talent-wise in the league. No Cale Makar, but everyone else is healthy so it will still be an incredible challenge. Enjoy and discuss... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 What do you think will be important in order for the Wild to earn a victory? 1) Solid goaltending. Whoever is the starter, not allowing any demoralizing softies. 2) Colorado's 1st line is a TOP3 line, not in the conference but in the league. The Wild has to shut it down completely. MacKinnon has as many points as Wild's top2 scorers combined - enough said. 3) Like mentioned in the preview, keep your foot on the gas. The Wild has to work hard for 60 minutes. Very seldom a less talented group can play well for say two periods, then fall asleep and wake up with a win in the pocket after third. 4) Honorable mention to Dumba. His bonehead decisions can cost Wild the game. Think Matt, think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Keys to victory? Right off....stay out of the damned penalty box. Colorado may be ranked "middle of the pack" in PP, but they are still more than solid at over 18%...and the Wild are pretty soft at just 77% on the kill. Just stay away from stupid stuff on the ice. Next, shoot the puck more. As good as the Avs are, they ARE subject to giving up shots against. Obviously, the types of shots the Wild take will be important (40 perimeter shots mean zero), but makes sense to me that the more they take from all over (preferably from the circles or in close), the better the odds one will sneak through. Wild need to keep this game rather "boring"...meaning, let's not get into a track meet style of play with the Avs. Play by the numbers defense, make the Avs go through layers earning every inch of the ice, possibly keep this game a low scoring affair, while still trying to sniff out opportunities to spring guys on offense. This last one goes without saying: its a 60-minute game. Play 60 minutes. Not 30, not 45, not 59. 60. This team has shown, that when focused, they can play as a unit against anyone...…...unfortunately, they seem to have trouble doing it for the duration of any one game on a consistent basis. If they can do all those things, the Wild give themselves a decent shot at skating away with a win against a very good Colorado squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Looks like Makar is back in the line up for the Avs tonight...oh boy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNSOTA Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Evening all. I'm just glad this game is being broadcast at a normal time of 7pm....which is a flippin' miracle since we're playing IN Denver and it's on NBCSN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 5 minutes ago, MNSOTA said: Evening all. I'm just glad this game is being broadcast at a normal time of 7pm....which is a flippin' miracle since we're playing IN Denver and it's on NBCSN. No kidding. I was expecting an 2000 hrs start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 The Wild need to Play tight defense and slow this game down (basically execute the old NZT to a “T”) or this Avs team will pants them and throw them in the street... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildstars95 Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 a win would be nice tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Just ridiculous. The Dallas Stars get a Winter Classic before a team from Minnesota... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNSOTA Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 1 minute ago, IllaZilla said: Just ridiculous. The Dallas Stars get a Winter Classic before a team from Minnesota... Vegas will get one before us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Just now, MNSOTA said: Vegas will get one before us. I don’t doubt it. But then Vegas has been to more Stanley Cup finals than the Wild have...and they’re a south of the Mason-Dixon Line team. So Vegas 2, Wild 0... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 (edited) What I wouldn’t give to see the Wild with a player like MacKinnon...or Rantannen...or Makar...or Landeskog... Edited December 28, 2019 by IllaZilla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 9 minutes ago, IllaZilla said: Just ridiculous. The Dallas Stars get a Winter Classic before a team from Minnesota... I know but there probably like well we gave them a Stadium Series game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Not sure I like these dark blue Avs uniforms... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 well there's the first college call out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildstars95 Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 that's right keep that barn quiet so far so good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 (edited) 2 minutes ago, wildstars95 said: that's right keep that barn quiet so far so good as long as they don't score within in the first 5 minutes or so and don't get too much pressure then hopefully it will go well. Edited December 28, 2019 by bbgarnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 It looks like someone peed all over the ice to the left of Dubnyk... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 I’ll say this, looks like they’re spending more time in the Avs end... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Sushi Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Soucy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNSOTA Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 SOUCY!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildstars95 Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 now another 4 more would be nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 (edited) If Soucy keeps developing like this, maybe the Wild can try to trade Dumba... Edited December 28, 2019 by IllaZilla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildstars95 Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 i was watching game 3 from 1981 finals on youtube last night and forgot how ear bleeding loud that crowd was in the met Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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