The Wild, Like Fans, Don't Want Play-Off Party To End
It's been a stomach-churning couple weeks for the Minnesota Wild and their fans. The team was decided underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche, and much more so against the Chicago Blackhawks.
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It's been a stomach-churning couple weeks for the Minnesota Wild and their fans. The team was decided underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche, and much more so against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Higher-seeded teams with the lead in a best-of-seven series over the history of the NHL playoffs have had plenty of trouble putting the opponent away. Sometimes the brink of elimination has been what truly gets a team going. Consider the Chicago Blackhawks, though, when their foe is down. An ability to swoop down and delivering the finishing victory has become a clear trait of this team since coach Joel Quenneville took over and stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews arrived.
Former NHL head coach Barry Melrose has a saying that gets mentioned frequently each spring during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. "This time of year your best players have to be your best players," Melrose said. That was the case in Chicago for Game 5 as the Blackhawks rallied from a 1-0 deficit, defeating Minnesota 2-1. Chicago now leads the series 3 games to 2.
Jonathan Toews had a rebound goal early in the third period, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Sunday night to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Bryan Bickell also scored and Corey Crawford made 27 saves as Chicago bounced back from consecutive losses in Minnesota that handed the momentum to the Wild heading into Game 5.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Bollig was suspended for two games Saturday by the NHL for boarding Minnesota defenseman Keith Ballard in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal series. Bollig received a minor penalty for boarding in the second period of Chicago's 4-2 road loss Friday night.
Two hours before Game 7 in Colorado, Nino Niederreiter sat alone in the stands. Just a man, his thoughts and his hockey sticks. It's a routine he started a few years ago and does before every game; sitting in the seats, taping his sticks and getting focused.
The Wild left St. Paul, Minn. on Saturday with a very different feeling than when they arrived earlier in the week. "Obviously our guys are feeling pretty good right now," coach Mike Yeo said.
in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Keith Ballard helped the Minnesota Wild limit the Chicago Blackhawks, which is a big part of the game plan. "I think with their personal … there's more shots that become dangerous. They don't always have to be odd-man rushes or back-door plays or stuff like that – they've got a lot of skill in their lineup," Ballard said.
The Minnesota Wild are bracing for more aggression from the Chicago Blackhawks. Minnesota won a slower Game 3 to cut Chicago's lead in the series to 2-1. Game 4 is Friday, and the Blackhawks will be fired up to get their attack back on track.
History has a tendency to repeat itself. For the third playoff series in a row, the Minnesota Wild went into Game 3 at Xcel Energy Center looking for their first win, being down two games to none. And thanks to a pair of Finns, the Wild got that victory on home ice, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Chicago now leads the series two games to one with Game 4 on Friday night.
The Minnesota Wild have done a good job of putting the brakes on Chicago's high-flying offense through the first three games of the Western Conference semifinals. The Wild trail 2-1 in the series, but they have not allowed the Blackhawks to get more than 22 shots on net in a game yet. Now they get tough guy Matt Cooke back to help keep the defensive pressure going.
The Minnesota Wild are at a point where they are counting on the home ice carrying them. "That's the plan. We know in the first round we played pretty well here and we're excited to play here. But, you know, that doesn't guarantee much," said forward Zach Parise.
The Minnesota Wild is in familiar territory Tuesday night as it hosts the Chicago Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Wild trail Chicago 2-0 in the best-of-seven playoff series, but the good news for Wild fans as the team returns home is that they are 3-0 on home ice in the postseason so far.
The Minnesota Wild came back to the comfort of home, already trailing Chicago by two games in the Western Conference semifinals. They were in this position just two weeks ago, so there's obvious precedent for a rebound. But over that same time span, the Blackhawks are unbeaten.
Bryan Bickell had an open look on a break in the third period, and shot the puck off the crossbar. He then tried the other side of the ice, and that worked out quite well for him and the Chicago Blackhawks. Bickell had a goal and two assists, and the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
Center Andrew Shaw will miss Game 2 of the Chicago Blackhawks' playoff series against the Minnesota Wild due to a lower-body injury.
The Minnesota Wild are looking to bounce-back after Friday night's loss and win one on the road. They skated their way into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and are now facing the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks. Game 2 is Sunday night in Chicago.
Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw is questionable for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday because of a lower body injury. Coach Joel Quenneville said Saturday he doesn't expect Shaw to be out for an extended period.
After a thrilling overtime win Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche, hockey fans have been rushing to get their hands on anything with a Wild logo on it. "This city is pumped. I mean this state's pumped. We are ready to go," said Corey Reding, one of many fans with an arm-full of merchandise Friday at The Hockey Lodge inside the Xcel Center.
As the NHL playoffs heat up for the Minnesota Wild, so too are the stakes rising between the Twin Cities and Chicago. On Friday, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman challenged Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to a friendly bet on the second round series between the Wild and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Patrick Sharp thought the Chicago Blackhawks were going to play the Colorado Avalanche. Then he thought they were going to play the Minnesota Wild. Then he thought they were going to play the Avs again, and on and on it went. While the Wild and Avalanche played an epic Game 7 on Wednesday night, the Blackhawks were hanging on every goal.
The Minnesota Wild are a little weary and worn out after winning a grueling seven-game series. There's no time to rest, though. Not with the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks waiting on deck.
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired defenseman Brian Connelly from the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday in exchange for forward Brad Winchester.
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