Wild Blog: Momentum Swings Aplenty In This Series
by Craig D. Schroepfer (@CDSWCCO)
Momentum is a funny thing in hockey.
One minute you are dominating play, keeping all the action in the offensive zone. The next, a puck is deflecting off a goaltenders glove into the net and momentum starts to slowly go away.
That pretty much describes the series between Minnesota and St. Louis after five games. Whatever good was done by one team in the previous game has yet to carry over entirely into the next contest.
Minnesota used their speed to surprise the Blues and take Game 1 while St. Louis used their size and physical play to even up the series in Game 2.
The feeling after Game 2 was that the play of the Blues would carry over into Game 3. Instead St. Louis came out lackadaisical and seemed to be going through the motions. As a result the Wild shut them out in Game 3 by a score of 3-0.
With momentum firmly on their side Minnesota had a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series in Game 4. Instead St. Louis played their best game of the series, scoring three goals in just over the first 10 minutes, en route to a 6-1 win.
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after Game 4 "This is our game. It looks like we joined the tournament now and we are dialed in. We've got home ice back, we're dialed into our game, we're going to be hard to play against when we're dialed in like this."
At the start of Game 5, Hitchcock looked like he was right as St. Louis was all over Minnesota from the beginning. The Blues out-shot the Wild 12-3 in the first period and scored first thanks to a power play goal by Vladimir Tarasenko, his 6th of the series.
It seemed indeed like momentum had carried over for St. Louis from Game 4 but only three minutes after Tarasenko scored, Wild defenseman Marco Scandella fired a shot that deflected over goaltender Jake Allen's glove and into the net, tying the game 1-1.
With Minnesota being able to weather the storm from St. Louis in the first period, the Wild played a much better second period and took their first lead of the game thanks to Nino Neiderreiter.
Neiderreiter was able to create separation from St. Louis defenseman Barrett Jackman and get open in the slot. Chris Stewart, made a great backhanded pass to Neiderreiter who one-timed it home, giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
Less than two minutes later the Wild would score on the power play as Mikko Koivu threw the puck on net, deflecting off Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and past Allen to make it 3-1.
At that point the crowd in Scotttrade Center was stunned and any momentum that St. Louis had going into Game 5 was gone. Charlie Coyle would score in the third period and Minnesota would win the game 4-1 and take back the lead in the series 3-2.
That sets the stage for Game 6 Sunday at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota has momentum on their side and can close out the series with a victory. How long the momentum carries over though remains to be seen. If the series holds true to form, expect the Blues to come out and play in Game 6 like they did in Games 2 and 4.
In hockey momentum is only as good as your next shift. One thing that is for sure though on Sunday is that fans will see some desperate hockey from both teams.
St. Louis is playing for their season while Minnesota is looking to do something they have never done in franchise history, win a series in less than seven games.
With the Chicago Blackhawks eliminating Nashville and waiting to play the winner of this series, its in the Wild's best interest to wrap this up and not have to go back to St. Louis for a Game 7.
It would be nice to see momentum carry over with Minnesota finally winning a playoff series on home ice.