Crickets Chirping

Empty Arena
The attendance for the first preseason game was announced at just over 16,000.  Liar, liar, pants on fire.  The entire upper level sections and the club sections could have all moved down tonight and there still would have been empty seats in the lower bowl.  I'm not exaggerating when I tell you the arena was 3/4 EMPTY tonight.  Apparently this has gotten the attention of Mr Leipold, or at least his wallet.  You know that great move he made by increasing ticket prices for this season, after watching his team fail to make it anywhere near the post season last year - the same year Minnesota had one of the highest unemployment rates in it's history?  Well, it looks like he's figured out that move didn't go over so well.   

Dear Dee,
Tonight, for the first time since Xcel Energy Center opened its doors to hockey fans a decade ago, a Minnesota Wild home game was not a sellout. We took a lot of pride in the sellout streak, and perhaps you did too. The significance of the streak ending has our attention as well. It means we need to be better and work harder, on and off of the ice, to fill the seats around yours. Despite the end of the sellout streak, we will continue to spend to the salary cap. We intend to build a Stanley Cup Championship Team.

We had an incredible run of sellouts, fueled by the passion of Season Ticket Holders like you. Every member of our organization, past and present, owes you a debt of gratitude for your support. Thank you. You've helped ensure that we filled the building game after game, year after year. And every game night, your passion for the game of hockey has lifted our team and boosted our spirits.

We know, when a new sellout streak begins, it will be because we've earned it.
Sincerely,
Craig Leipold

I could go off on this but let's not ruin the first night of hockey, okay Pumpkin?  I mean, the team did that all by themselves.  We certainly don't need any more help from our esteemed millionaire owner.  In fact, I may just let Dave take this one - if he so desires.         And now, to state the obvious...




  

BARKER BLOWS

Clayton Stoner certainly didn't have a game to be proud of, after all - he was on the ice for all five St. Louis goals.  However, he's a rookie who missed pretty much all of last season due to injuries and illness.  Cut him some slack, it's not like he's claimed to have been skating since he was three years old and doesn't need any stinkin' coaching by the likes of Jaques Lemaire.  Let us instead look to that high scoring, puck moving, rock solid defenseman we got in return for dumping Kim Johnsson last season.  Mr. Barker only missed being on the ice for all five goals by mere seconds thanks to an incomplete line change.  It's not like Coach Richards was trying to shake things up at the 12:18 mark of the third period by changing the lines around.  As was the story last season, Barker looked lost for the entire game, except for the four times he found himself just standing around to one side of his goalie as the Blues zipped the puck into the net.  
If Barker was trying to get off on the right skate this season, he missed the mark by a mile.  If his intent was to reinforce the perception that he's a waste of salary cap and bench space - then Spot On! Mr. Barker. 

Before we make Cam the whipping boy for the night let's check the stats to show who else was not 'sharp' or 'erratic' as the venerable Mr. Russo wrote.  On the ice for two of the goals: Koivu and Havlat.  Matt Cullen was on the ice for three of the goals against.  There was no speed or sense of urgency to the game from the home team.  There was a point in the third period that it looked like the guys were St. Paul City Road Workers - just standing around on an extended lunch break.  

The only bright spot of the night - at least for me - was seeing Khudobin in net for the third period.  Please note that all five goals were scored on Backstrom in the first and second period.  Our little hobbit did his job.  Of course by that time there were only three of us fans in the arena clapping for his saves - Vicki, me and this really nice guy down in section 110.  What was left of the non-existent crowd was booing the team - on the first night - of preseason.  

Highlights of the night: fresh popcorn, lids on the sodas, long lost school friends, not so long lost friends, just being back in the arena and of course - an evening of hockey with the greatest hockey partner in the world!       

Okay - moving on.  The first round of cuts will be made on Thursday.  To quote the Terminator: "I'll be back" with a quick update going into Friday night's game on the road. 
Goodnight fellow hockey fans!