Sharks @ Wild - 03-09-08 - A View from the Couch
Did anyone catch the NBC game of the week this afternoon? Pittsburgh @ Washington. What an atmosphere it was. The crowd was absolutely into this game. Chanting...cheering...blowing the air horn...all for a team that is 6 points out of a playoff spot. Wait wait wait...I said 6 points out of a playoff spot. You would think that the Xcel Energy Center crowd could do that for a team that is battling to stay in the playoffs.

But the crowd at the X was dead all game. You can let me know if I'm missing something. Maybe KSTP didn't have the crowd microphones on. Sure a shaky goal off Backstrom in the first minute didn't help, but DC crowd saw the Caps give up the first goal too. They still were in it til the end.

12 games left Xcel Energy Center. 12 games left Wild fans. This team needs someone to kick it in the proverbial kiester. The team is disappointed they didn't make a move at the trade deadline? The fans are disappointed they didn't make a move? Move on and help this team get back to the way they were playing 3 weeks ago. STEP IT UP NOW TEAM OF 18,000!

BTW, the Wild were able to scrape a point from the bottom of the bucket today against the Sharks. Brian Rolston scored the tying goal off a couple Sharks defenders with 30 seconds left, and we get a point. Jacques says he's confident the boys are playing well, so I'll take the point and run.

MSHSL State Tournament
State champs are St. Thomas Academy in Class A and Hill Murray completing their unlikely title run in Class AA. Neither game was ever really in doubt. A long weekend of hockey is in the books for another year. Maybe next year Buffalo can get through section 2AA. We're comin Roseau!

Fight to Hang the 1st Banner
Colorado lost to Dallas 3-0 (nice work Matt in TX). Also Forsberg has a groin issue. So, by default the Wild have the NW lead again by a point. Bad news is Calgary and Vancouver both have 2 games in hand. We're 3 also 3 points away from dropping out of the playoffs all together.

Next on the Docket - Devils @ Wild - Thurs 3-13-08
Devils have a good team. They're 1st in the east. They have alot of young kids, a few U of North Dakota ties (Zach Parise, Travis Zajac) a couple state of Minnesota ties (Paul Martin, Jamie Langenbrunner), and they have Martin Brodeur. But the Wild have to break out of it eventually. I've got no good reason for it to be this one, except for that I'm a homer. Wild 3 Devils 1

Wild @ Thrashers - 03-07-08 - A View from the Couch
Watched alot of hockey Friday. MN State High School Tourney Class A in the afternoon, and Class AA, Wild, and Bulldogs at nite. Since I don't have a favorite in the HS tourney, and both my teams lost in the evening, it was kind of exhausting. I could take a break from hockey. But, can't miss the state finals tomorrow...

Wild lose 3-2 in a shootout. Finally got a couple goals on the PP (Rolston and Burns). Should have been a regulation win tho. Backstrom gave up the tying goal with less than a minute to play with Atlanta's goalie pulled. Pretty frustrating, but we did pick up a point. Mark Parrish was a healthy scratch. This after saying on KFAN's PA and Dubay that he hasn't changed his work ethic at all. Hopefully he responds the way Skoula did.

Bulldogs lost to UMTC 4-1. FFx4 through most of that one.

MSHSL State Tournament
The MN High School state finals are set. In Class A, it's Marshall School of Duluth v. St. Thomas Academy. Class AA is Edina v. Hill Murray. Friday's Class AA semifinals were great. Edina beat Benilde St. Margarets in OT, and Hill Murray knocked off the previously unbeaten Roseau. They really dominated the favorite Roseau. Should be a good championship tonite.

For you out-of-towners, you should venture over to b2 networks and watch the  AA championship tonite. It'll cost you $10 but the HS Hockey State tournament here is really a big deal. It's like the equivalent of HS Football in Texas. Fun times. Championship starts at 7 PM.

Fight to Hang the 1st Banner
Calgary lost to Nashville in a shootout as well, so they only get 1 point and are tied with the Wild for the NW lead. Calgary still has a game in hand tho. Colorado and Vancouver were off tonite. Colorado is 2 points behind us and Vancouver is 4 points for the final playoff spot. And they also have 2 games in hand.

Next on the Docket - Sharks @ Wild - Sun 3-9-08
Back home to play a really good team. Last time we played the Sharks at home was the infamous Skoula blunder (I know, narrow it down a little). Only remedy I know for hockey burnout is winning Wild hockey, so I think this is the game we show up for and win. Wild 4 Sharks 2