Showing posts with label Josh Harding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh Harding. Show all posts

Monday, January 11, 2010

Wild Back on Track?

After a week or two of losses where the Wild played decently but not good enough to win, they’ve suddenly strung together three big wins and are back to 4 points out. After losses to ANA, LA, NJ, and CHI, they’ve now beaten CAL, CHI, and PIT. After falling to 8 points out of a playoff spot, they’re back to within striking distance at 4 points back.

This current stretch looked to be the toughest of the season for the Wild. Although they probably should have beaten Anaheim and LA and looked pretty bad in Chicago, they played well v. New Jersey and in all 3 home wins in the current streak. The squad even pulled of the biggest comeback in franchise history (down 5-1 v. Chicago in the 3rd) and tonight beat the defending Cup champion Penguins.

This team trends a bit differently from last year’s team. When they needed wins, last year’s team would win 1, then lose the next, through the balance of the schedule. This year’s team goes on runs...runs of losses, then runs of wins. If it can have one more winning run than losing, we may still get to talk playoff hockey this season.

A lot of other interesting stuff has gone on in the last couple weeks.

  • Jacques Lemaire returned to the X behind the NJ Devil’s bench. He appeared to be moved by a nice reception from the Wild and Wild fans. Then he beat the Wild 4-3.
  • Petr Sykora is upset that he is a consistent healthy scratch, and his agent is tweeting mad about it.
  • Guillaume Latendresse is winning fans like mad with 15 points since the Benoit Pouliot trade.
  • Backup G Josh Harding was in danger of taking a loss in a game where he entered trailing 5-1.
  • Harding also unveiled a sweet new mask, paying homage to the team’s burned equipment van in Ottawa.
  • In that same game, Marty Havlat was not chosen to shoot during an 8-round shootout.
  • Two Minnesotans will be part of the core leadership for the US Olympic hockey team. Jamie Langenbrunner will serve as team captain and Zach Parise is one of 4 alternate captains.

All good stuff. The Wild will attempt to continue this run Wednesday at the X v. Vancouver Canucks.

Here’s a bonus for you: Latendresse’s game-winning goal from tonight’s game v. Pittsburgh. The goal was sweet, and so was how Kyle Brodziak created a sneaky 2 on 1. Great goal. Enjoy!



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Posted by Jeremy Waschek at 11:53 PM 0 comments
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Monday, January 14, 2008

2-fer-1 in St. Paul

Coyotes @ Wild - 1-13-08 - A View from Farther Down in Section 216
Delayed recap of Sunday's Coyotes/Wild game at Xcel. Dad and I were able to score tickets in section 216 in row 1. Row 1 in the upper level sides are different. It's very nice that there's no one in front of you, but right in front of you instead of another row of fans is a short wall. It kind of gives you an enclosed feeling that was sort of uncomfortable. That said, the sight lines were great!

Just a quick recap on this one. The 1st period was scoreless and wasn't too exciting. The Wild jumped out to a nice 3-0 lead in the 2nd, and added another in the 3rd. Goals from Demitra, Sheppard, Belanger, and Gaborik (on a beauty criss-cross move with Demo). Josh Harding played another great game, coming within 5 minutes of a shutout for a 4-1 final. Keep it up kid.

Mikko Koivu
Usually we hear the checking line announced in the starting lineup. On Sunday we surprisingly heard Rolston, Parrish, and Koivu. I'm guessing that was because it was Mikko's first home game since he's been back, and Jacques wanted him to hear the crowd. He got a nice ovation, and he had a very nice game. His stickhandling was truly fun to watch, as he'd maneuver between Coyotes defenders, keeping the puck and setting up a play. Welcome back Mikko.


Ilya Bryzgalov
I know nothing of the personality of Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. However, I am going to go ahead and call him out as a dink. Only because during TV timeouts when the ice guys came out to clean his crease, he would skate back and forth between the boards. When he got to the crease, he didn't just go around and let the ice guys go about their business. He skated right through the crease, and the ice guys had to stop their scraping until he went through. He went through at least 3 times each TV time out. He might be a nice guy, and goalies are weird with their superstitions, but it angered me. And Dad said if it were him cleaning the ice he'd stick him with the scoop shovel. =)

Midwest Sports Show
The reason Dad and I went to this game was Dad wanted to go to the Sports Show. I, being the ultimate two-fer-one opportunity seizer, suggested we do it Sunday and try to get tix for the Wild game. While I do enjoy going to the Sports Show for the purpose of getting excited for summer, camping, fishing, and the rest, the Sports Show seems to be losing it's lustre. I remember when I was a kid there were many more booths from vacation spots in MN. Now there are mostly booths from Canada resorts. Just seems to be different. I'm never going to be able to afford the elaborate campers and boats on display, so for me it's all about the vibe. We only spent about an hour at the show...but that gave us time to eat at the Iron Range Grill before the game!

Next on the Docket - Wild v. Calgary Flames Wed 1-16-08
Calgary just signed Old Man Curtis Joseph to back up Mikka Kipprosof. That won't have an impact on the outcome of this game, however. I expect Kipprosof to play, and the Wild struggle against him and the Flames. I'm going with Calgary. Flames 3 Wild 1
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Posted by Jeremy Waschek at 8:53 PM 0 comments
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Saturday, January 12, 2008

Wild Winds in Chicago

Wild @ Blackhawks - 1-11-08 - An In and Out View from my Home Office
I was in an out of tonite's game as I had some work stuff to tidy up. It was a beauty offensive explosion in the 2nd, with the Wild scoring 3 times to take control of the game. Gabby continuted his hot hand with 2 goals, one on a sick wrister that Khabiboulin had no idea, Parrish scored again on almost the same one-timer he had in the famous Skoula flub game, and Josh Harding was absolutely stellar in the 3rd. Great way to finish off the road trip after a terrible start.

I'm gonna say it for about the 600th time this year, maybe now we'll get on a streak...

Harding
I am really pulling for Josh Harding to keep playing well. I like the kid alot. In the games he plays well in he really makes some great stops. The kind of flashy stops that Backstrom just doesn't make. The kind that I think you need to go far into the playoffs. You can say that Backstrom doesn't need to make those stops because he's so positionally sound, but I don't think there's any question that Harding is the goalie of the future for this team. I think he's going to get better the more he plays and we might just have an all-star goalie on our team.

Next on the Docket - Wild v. Phoenix Coyotes 1-13-08
My dad and I may be going to this game if we can score some tickets, so hopefully I'll be viewing it from the X. I look for the Wild to continue playing strong and to win the 3rd in a row. We're a better team than Phoenix and it should come out that way at home. I'm calling a shutout. Wild 3 Coyotes 0
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Posted by Jeremy Waschek at 12:07 PM 0 comments
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