Wild Blog: A Win Needed in Winnipeg
If I had to pick one word to describe the Wild's play lately I'd pick "frustrating." The Wild have lost their last four games at home. Three of those loses came in overtime.
As a fan, it can be tough to watch. The Wild come back from behind to tie the game, you think momentum is on their side, then boom the other team scores in overtime and just like that the game is over.
But unlike most Wild fans, I'm choosing to stay positive. I know this team has what it takes to win. They've been banged up, but still they've managed to hang with some tough teams, and I know that they've got what it takes to get back to winning.
I'm hopeful the team will use tonight's game in Winnipeg as a jumping off point for the rest of the season. They'll have to do it without some of their top players. Jason Zucker, Mikael Granlund, Jonas Brodin and Nikolas Backstrom are all out for the Wild. Both Brodin and Granlund were injured in the third period of Saturday's loss to the Winnipeg Jets at the Xcel Energy Center.
Granlund was put on the injured reserve list, which means he'll be out for at least a week. Zucker and Backstrom are both dealing with an illness. Now I'll admit those are some pretty big shoes to fill, but, in my opinion, the Wild are up to the task. The key is having guys like Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Charlie Coyle and Mikko Koivu step up and really make a difference in the game.
It's time for the Wild to get a little angry and to come out on the ice in Winnipeg with something to prove. I'm excited to watch the game Monday night. I've got a good feeling that this just might be the game that gets the team back to their winning ways.
Oh, and one more note: Watch for Tyler Graovac to make his NHL debut for the Wild. He led the Wild with 12 goals. He'll likely center the 3rd line with Cooke and Fontaine.
