This is the question I screamed at the radio while waiting to get out of St. Paul after the game tonight. Coach Todd Richards said in his post-game presser that he felt Nik Backstrom was spectacular tonight. I would have loved to have had Richards sitting next to us tonight. You see, Coach, I sit in the upper deck end - just over Nik's right shoulder. When you sit up high, over your goalie for the first and third period, you tend to see things a little differently than those folks who spend the game looking to their left from the players bench.
- Backstrom was so lost, so daze and confused during the first period. He didn't have a clue where the puck was. He reached for pucks that had already sailed by him. He flopped to one side of the net, leaving the other side so WIDE OPEN that his defensemen and forwards had to make sprawling spread-eagle saves on his behalf while he struggled to get upright again. When he did make a stick or kick save he just stopped playing, like he needed to savor the moment instead. In the meantime Calgary was in possession of the rebound and once again his team mates had to come to his rescue.
- In the second period he was much better. His team mates did their usual disappearing act though and left him to face 13 shots on goal, including one short handed breakaway which Nik...actually...stopped...wow! He did give up a wrister from Jokinen but thankfully, that would be their only goal.
- In the third period he was still giving up rebounds like they were on sale after Christmas. For some unknown reason Nik found it necessary to come way out of the net when there was no reason to - other than to trip a Calgary player and get the penalty for it. He did finally settle in but there is no way you can say this game was all about Nik tonight, despite what Todd Richards saw from his vantage point.
Okay - Backstrom Rant Over. Moving On...
Wild Bakery Open For Business!
The Wild were operating a bakery business during tonight's game. They ran a special during the second period - turnovers with lots of icing. Stoner was good for three turnovers IN ONE SHIFT... yet the Coach praised his play after the game! Then there were the five turnovers during the Wild's only power play, including the short handed breakaway that Backstrom stopped - which was the second breakaway given up by the Wild tonight. Zhidlicky produced a turnover, then Mikko, then Brunette. Burns, not to be outdone, followed up with two of his own turnovers. Not quite a baker's dozen but still plenty to go around.
Power Play Goal - First One At X since November 2nd!
If you needed a reminder of how badly the Wild have played at home this season this is it. Havlat, who is either bucking for the C or trying to spur Mikko on, gets the job done in the third period when the Flames took an interference penalty. John Madden followed that up with his own power play goal just under four minutes later after a high sticking call on the Flames. And I was beginning to wonder what Madden had done for us lately...
Empty Netter - Fourth Time's A Charm!
With Kipper sitting on the Flames bench the Wild defended their zone in the waning moments of the game. Once, twice, three times they threw the puck down the ice in the direction of the empty Flames net. Finally, at the 19:14 mark, Cal Clutterbuck managed to zing the puck down the ice and it hit the back of the net with authority!
Players of the Game
In my opinion - Havlat is the number one player tonight. When he's hot he's hot: 23 points in the last 21 games.
Scandella was a very close second. He was everywhere he was supposed to be and looked great out there with Burns even when Burns didn't look so good himself. Marco got an assist and picked up some souvenirs on his upper lip for his efforts tonight. Barker should just say 'uncle' now since I don't want to wait until next season to see Marco here full time.
I'd have to say that Backstrom is tied with Marco for the second player of the game based on his second period performance alone. His team mates may have bailed him out in the first period but they bailed on him in the second and Nik stood up to the challenge.
Best Moment Of The Game
Came in the second period when Kostopoulos (we really hate him) got called for a penalty and then skated right into the Wild's penalty box without realizing it. Hilarious!!
I drove to the arena tonight listening to Christmas tunes on my iPod. I figured, why fight it? The weather sucked, the traffic sucked and there was no way around it if I was going to the game. Lorie Line is one of my favorite piano players and she's a home girl to boot. I have a number of her CD's but my all time favorite one is The Silver Album. I highly suggest it for your holiday humming pleasure. On the way home from the game I began to sink further and further into that numbing vortex known as Minnesota winter. Once again I turned to my iPod for some relief and spent the drive home in a sunny place called 'Summer On The Deck' - the playlist I listened to while basking in the sun this last summer.
As I pulled into my driveway covered in 7 inches of snow this tune was on full volume:
But first, the driveway needs to be done. Then I can have that lovely liquid to warm me up!
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