MINNESOTA UGLY !

The Minnesota Wild have played pretty much the same (boring) style of game since the franchise first came into being under Jaques (TRAP) LeMaire BITD.  The Toronto Maple Leafs with their high flying, high speed game needed to avoid being “trapped” in that style of game for tonight’s home game at SBA.

Prior to puck drop, I was examining the various races in the NHL Standings.  I want to focus on two groups:  The Connor Bedard Sweepstakes contenders (40-50 total points to date) and the Wild Card Pretenders in the east (those with 60-70 points).

BEDARD 40 Pointers:                                     WILD CARD 60 Pointers:

Coumbus        41                                            Buffalo            62

Anaheim         43                                            Caps                62

Chicago           45                                            Penguins         63

San Jose          47                                            Florida            64

Arizona           49                                            Detroit            64

Vancouver      49                                            Islanders         67

Sure enough, tonight’s play stated out dull and uneventful for the first half of the opening stanza save for a Samsonov “ooopsy” when he misread a long shot that hit the post.  I was away, but my buddy Glennie tells me that Brandon Duhaime put the WILD out-front, when his shot from behind the net deflected in off Jarnkrok.   The Leafs got that back with 3:53 left as David Kampf converted a nifty pass from behind the net engineered by William Nylander.

The second period didn’t produce much more excitement, but you have to be impressed with the line Kaprisov, Hartman and Zuccerella as they seemed to control every shift they took.

The Minnesotans (as Danny Gallivan loved to say) won in Columbus Thursday night and seemed to be showing some fatigue as the Leaf s continually pounded on the forecheck in the third.  Marner took a cheesy penalty with only 3:42 left and the WILD did generate some excitement but a strong PK and some outstanding “Sami Saves” kept it at ones until overtime.

Willy Nye pounced on the winner off a strong forecheck steal and a remarkable deke to finish off the WILD. BRILLIANT goal. Final 2 to 1 Tranna.

HOPPER NOTES:  Except for the last 5 minutes of the third and an abbreviated 3 on 3 this game was like watching paint dry…why do they call them the WILD and yet have its team play like a desperate AHL squad…honestly, it was like a Swede/Finn game in the medal round (or maybe a chess match)…the final shots on goal (25-24 Minny) was very much indicative of the play… no Leafs Saturday Night Hockey ?  BLASPHOMY !  big shout out to aging superstar Marc Giordano for tying the all time shots blocked record (held by Chris Russel) of 2044…thanks again to Glennie, and I sure hope ACE isn’t too jealous – CHEERS !!