Wild VS Avalanche

Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)

Who Will Win The Series?

Wild in 4
0
No votes
Wild in 5
2
8%
Wild in 6
9
36%
Wild in 7
9
36%
Avs in 4
0
No votes
Avs in 5
1
4%
Avs in 6
4
16%
 
Total votes: 25

sinbin006
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Wild VS Avalanche

Post by sinbin006 » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:41 pm

Game 1 Preview

Image VS Image

MINNESOTA WILD
(No. 3; 0-0 Western Conference Quarterfinals; 0-0 overall)
vs.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
(No. 6; 0-0 Western Conference Quarterfinals; 0-0 overall)

Television Broadcast:
Twin Cities broadcast on KSTC.TV Channel 45
Duluth/Superior broadcast on My 9
Sioux City/Rapid City broadcast on Channel 26
Grand Forks broadcast on Channel 27
Fargo broadcast on Channel 9
Austin, Albert Lea, Rochester, Mankato broadcast on Charter Mainstreet Channel 14

Radio Broadcast:
WCCO 830 AM or always online at www.wild.com



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


PREVIEW:

Reset the records. Reset the head-to-head information. And reset your calendar to Playoffs 2008.

Mark Parrish said as much yesterday in the Wild locker room, when, casually talking to a reporter, he threw out the oft-invoked playoff cry, "It's a new season." Forgive the cliché and understand what this means to players.

It is a glorious grind, this playoffs thing.

It is a glorious grind, this playoffs thing. There may be no more grueling trip in sports than a run through the NHL's postseason, and there may be no more hard-earned title than the Stanley Cup. Players take an extraordinary amount of lumps chasing the Cup, with the steepest mountain offering the grandest reward.

Tonight, Minnesota opens the Western Conference Quarterfinals at home, the fruits of its laborious 82-game marathon to finish first in the Northwest Division. Mark the 2007-08 season down as an historic one, as the team, through a campaign that had been considered by some to be only average at times, included starting more than 50 of its games at the top of the division. Perhaps not wire-to-wire, but no less substantial in one of hockey's top divisions.

Among those top teams in the division is Colorado, which the Wild will face for somewhere between the next four to seven games.

The Avalanche bring with it a very talented team of veterans, including Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote, key cogs in two Stanley Cup titles.

The teams are meeting for the ninth time this season, with the most recent coming in the regular season finale in Colorado, which amounted to something between an exhibition game and a preamble to the series.

"It's very simple," Jacques Lemaire said of the first round against a most familair opponent. "They have good offense. Everyone will have to be sharp on our team to beat them. And I expect everyone to be sharp. We might make a mistake that will be costly, but, in general, I'm sure they will be sharp. I look at them and they are ready to play."

Who's Hot
Pavol Demitra. Demitra enters the playoffs having scored 10 points in his previous seven games, including a four-game point streak and a pair of two-point games to close out the regular season.

Wild Keys to the Game
1. Home ice: Minnesota set wining the division as a goal for this reason. Now that it has home ice, it sure would like to keep the advantage by holding serve in Game 1.

2. Maturation: The Wild's younger guns had a taste of the playoffs in 2007, and return to the second season this time around older and wiser.

3. Peter the …: Forsberg has been a statistical animal lately, gobbling up 11 points in his previous four games.

Keep an Eye On
Sakic. Though he missed 38 games after hernia surgery this season, Sakic ranks first among active players with 82 playoff goals and 178 points, and his goal vs. Minnesota last Sunday should leave no doubt that his hands are as quick as ever. (Forsberg, for his part, ranks third among active players with 63 postseason goals and second with 172 points.).

Probable Wild Line Combos
Todd Fedoruk-Pavol Demitra-Marian Gaborik
Brian Rolston-Eric Belanger- Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Stephane Veilleux-Mikko Koivu-Branko Radivojevic
Chris Simon-James Sheppard-Derek Boogaard

Probable Defensive Pairings
Brent Burns-Keith Carney
Kim Johnsson-Petteri Nummelin
Martin Skoula-Sean Hill

GR3343
Posts: 1198
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:39 pm

Re: Wild VS Avalanche

Post by GR3343 » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:56 pm

sinbin006 wrote:
Television Broadcast:
Twin Cities broadcast on KSTC.TV Channel 45
Duluth/Superior broadcast on My 9
Sioux City/Rapid City broadcast on Channel 26
Grand Forks broadcast on Channel 27
Fargo broadcast on Channel 9
Austin, Albert Lea, Rochester, Mankato broadcast on Charter Mainstreet Channel 14

Radio Broadcast:
WCCO 830 AM or always online at www.wild.com
Nice to see they pissed on anyone with Dish Network in the northland. Updates would be appreciated as we aren't in the "viewing" area. I can't even fall back on the Twins as the beloved Timberwolves are on FSN. This really sucks. #-o ](*,)
Character is who you are when no one is watching

State Champ 97
Posts: 1970
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:43 am
Location: Bemidji

Post by State Champ 97 » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:47 pm

0-0 after 1st
Wild 0-2 on PP
Played a good period though.

PASTRAPIDSFAN
Posts: 3013
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:31 pm

Post by PASTRAPIDSFAN » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:20 pm

1-0 colorado in the second

sinbin006
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Post by sinbin006 » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:44 pm

2-0 Colorado after 2nd

Shots:

Avs - 7

Wild - 20

Parrish (head injury) will not return.
Last edited by sinbin006 on Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

pacman
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Post by pacman » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:48 pm

Wild Gotta start Capitalizing on all these power plays.

mulefarm
Posts: 1675
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:01 pm

Post by mulefarm » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:55 pm

Were is Gaborik? Hardly heard his name mentioned in the game. Better get him involved or this will be a short series!!!

sinbin006
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Post by sinbin006 » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:43 pm

2-2

End of Regulation

Shots:

Avs-19
Wild-28

OVERTIME :shock:

pacman
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Post by pacman » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:45 pm

Best Hockey Game all season.

pacman
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Post by pacman » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:13 pm

Sakic Scores in OT

Avs Beat Wild in game 1, 3-2

Zamboni Guy
Posts: 1167
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:48 am
Location: Ontario, California

Post by Zamboni Guy » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:41 pm

Sonofa.... ](*,)
Image

hockeywatcher4
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:12 pm

Post by hockeywatcher4 » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:44 am

Zamboni Guy wrote:Sonofa.... ](*,)

exactly!

boblee
Posts: 9146
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 6:57 pm
Location: Fargo, ND
Contact:

post 10288

Post by boblee » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:23 pm

pacman wrote:Best Hockey Game all season.
I didn't think that it was a good hcokey game at all.

State Champ 97
Posts: 1970
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:43 am
Location: Bemidji

Re: post 10288

Post by State Champ 97 » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:38 pm

boblee wrote:
pacman wrote:Best Hockey Game all season.
I didn't think that it was a good hcokey game at all.
Lots of scoring chances and offensive flurries for both teams at times
Great goaltending
Odd man rushes
Power plays
physical play (Parrish getting hurt wasn't good)
OT
What's not to like other than the final score?

pacman
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Post by pacman » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:36 pm

More Bad News on The Defensive Front, Martin Skoula has been Diagnosed with a Sore Leg, he is possible for the game tomorrow night (Dont ask me what that means, just restating what the star tribune has), Defenseman Erik Reitz has been emergency called up incase something worse happens.

PASTRAPIDSFAN
Posts: 3013
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:31 pm

Post by PASTRAPIDSFAN » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:51 pm

Wild will have a tough time in game 2

boblee
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Location: Fargo, ND
Contact:

post 10293

Post by boblee » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:55 pm

PASTRAPIDSFAN wrote:Wild will have a tough time in game 2
I disagree. It wasn't defense that was the problem in game 1. The wild allowed very few scoring chances. I think the key factor the rest of the way will be scoring.

Indians forever
Posts: 1459
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:08 pm
Location: St. Cloud MN

Post by Indians forever » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:42 pm

pacman wrote:Best Hockey Game all season.
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

PASTRAPIDSFAN
Posts: 3013
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:31 pm

Re: post 10293

Post by PASTRAPIDSFAN » Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:02 pm

boblee wrote:
PASTRAPIDSFAN wrote:Wild will have a tough time in game 2
I disagree. It wasn't defense that was the problem in game 1. The wild allowed very few scoring chances. I think the key factor the rest of the way will be scoring.
They had some chances and 2 pipes tonight,but it wasnt an easy game.It will be tough in colorado.

jacks hockey
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:47 pm

Re: Wild VS Avalanche

Post by jacks hockey » Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:25 pm

sinbin006 "Probable Wild Line Combos
Todd Fedoruk-Pavol Demitra-Marian Gaborik
Brian Rolston-Eric Belanger- Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Stephane Veilleux-Mikko Koivu-Branko Radivojevic
Chris Simon-James Sheppard-Derek Boogaard"



i would switch belanger with mikko. because wild will need help puting the puck past jose theodore. those three would be great with mikko in front of the net rolstons shot and bouchards play making abbility.

sinbin006
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Post by sinbin006 » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:42 pm

The Daily Wild - April 13, 2008

Denver, CO-- The Wild traveled today from its team hotel downtown, made its way east along a portion of the 25-plus mile Colfax Avenue and arrived at the building formerly known as Building 1499.

The massive structure across the street from two other large hangers is part of the redevelopment of the former Lowry Air Force base and now houses Big Bear Ice Rink. On a beautiful Colorado afternoon, with kids streaming out of the suburban Denver rink in shorts and smiles, the Wild streamed in to dress in Big Bear’s Red Rink locker room and charge through nearly an hour-long practice in preparation for its Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 3 Monday night.

Among those on the ice was Nick Schultz, who underwent an appendectomy on April 13.

“Nick is a guy who means a lot to our hockey team,” Brian Rolston said after a noon practice. “He’s been a steady, steady defenseman and he comes to compete every night. It’s nice to see him out there.”

Schultz spent a few stretches of the practice sitting on the bench, but also took some turns at the point on the power play and moved well. The team’s 25-year-old January and February captain, however, is not ready to return.

“I’m really surprised that he’s been skating so early after the operation,” Jacques Lemaire said. “Today, he skated again. He’s not ready to have physical activities, but he’s there, he’s skating, he’s shooting pucks. It’s good for us.”

Should the Wild’s playoff season last long enough to make for a Schultz return, Rolston is looking forward it, but only under the right circumstance.

“I certainly hope he doesn’t rush back, but, at the same time, we would love to have him in the lineup -- there’s no question about that, but he needs to take his time to heel and if he feels he can skate a little bit, that’s great.”

In Other News...

Keith Carney is quick to joke about which of his sticks is a passing stick or a shooting stick, but on Friday night, he was using a foreign stick. Due to a shortage of his own sticks, he borrowed from Mikko Koivu.

And it was with Koivu’s pattern that he scored his overtime game-winner in Game 2.

"I used his stick last game, yeah I had to borrow one," Carney said. "I didn’t have any. I just don’t have any. I had to use something else."

INJURY UPDATE: Here is the official word ...

Radivojevic -- right leg sore, probable for Monday
Mark Parrish -- did not travel with the team
Schultz -- out

Indians forever
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Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:08 pm
Location: St. Cloud MN

Post by Indians forever » Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:32 pm

Thanks for the play by play before the game Sinbin...

pacman
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Post by pacman » Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:50 pm

Radivojevic is Not playing Tonight According to Michael Russo, Expect Aaron Voros and Chris Simon to see Ice Time.

sinbin006
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Post by sinbin006 » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:51 pm

No. 3 Minnesota Wild
(1-1 West. Conf. Quarterfinals; 1-1 overall)
at
No. 6 Colorado Avalanche
(1-1 West. Conf. Quarterfinals; 1-1 overall)
* * * Avalanche at Wild will be broadcast on KSTC, as well as on the Wild Television Network, and can be heard on WCCO 830 AM, or online at Wild.com * * *

DENVER, Colo. -- All even at one game apiece, the Western Conference Quarterfinal series between the Wild and Colorado Avalanche has shifted to Pepsi Center. After splitting a pair of 3-2 overtime results, Minnesota traveled to the Mile High City on Saturday and has skated twice in preparation for tonight's Game 3 (9 p.m. CDT, KSTC-TV, 830 WCCO AM).

On Sunday, the team practiced at a suburban rink, and, this morning, skated through 55 minutes at Pepsi Center as the building was being set for the festivities. While the Wild left for its home fans a towel on each Xcel Energy Center seat, Pepsi Center guests tonight will find pom-poms on every seat in the building.

The Avalanche have always drawn well in Denver, and there is sure to be a different atmosphere well before the puck drops.

Colorado earned an NHL fourth-best 27 wins at home in the regular season, and nine of is previous 10 at Pepsi Center. Minnesota, meanwhile, has fallen in five consecutive road playoff games, though it is 3-1 in its previous three playoff games in Denver.

"When you have a team back coming home, the fans are always excited to see that, their first game," Jacques Lemaire said. "That will be a big factor. [They will] take their game to another level, a higher level, and we’ll have raise our game to be able to compete against them."

Of course, with two consecutive games between teams separated by a single point in the regular season standings now having gone to overtime, this sets up as one of the first round's tightest matchups. Ugly goals and "lucky" goals will likely swing the balance of each game, and, eventually, the series.

Of the 10 goals that have been scored in the series, few would make a highlight reel but for their context. The two most important goals, the overtime game-winners, had bounced off a defensemen in front of the losing team's net before it went in. Last Wednesday, it was a shot from the point that hit a Wild defenseman before squirting to Joe Sakic. On Friday, Keith Carney's shot from the point was redirected by a Colorado defenseman's skate and in.

Now in Denver, the Wild will look to weather whatever storm may be waiting early in Game 3, and, hopefully, add to the scant time in this young series during which it has held a lead.

"The first five minutes will be important in this game," Lemaire said. "They’ll be all primed up to start on the right foot. But we talked about the start and I think our guys will be ready."

Bombardir's Take
One thing that the Wild must continue to focus on is getting bodies to the front of the Avalanche net. I cannot emphasize enough how important this is. Just take a look at two of the goals that were scored in Game 2. Pavol Demitra’s goal in the third period happened to find its way through four players and then past Jose Theodore, who had to contend with Todd Fedoruk, and he was pretty much sitting in his lap! Then take a look at Hejduk’s goal at the end of the third period. Bodies were stacked 10 deep in front of the Wild net! These are the types of goals that are going to represent and ultimately decide this series. To quote one of my past coaches, “Pretty don’t win, boys!”
-- Brad Bombardir

Who's Hot?
Mikko Koivu. Not only is he playing with a number of wings, he is also producing. In addition to leading the team in goals (with two) and points (three), Koivu is the only Wild player with multiple points, and he's tied with Pierre-Marc Bouchard for first on the team at plus-3.


Wild Keys to the Game
1. New attitude: Brent Burns would later admit that the intensity of the crowds in Anaheim surprised him last playoff season, and Pepsi Center is sure to provide a similarly charged setting tonight. The way Minnesota responds early, when the howls of the crowd will be against it instead of for it, will go a long way toward determining the size of the challenge the rest of the way.

"They’re playing at home. They’re going to come out hard and strong, and they’re going to be more confident," Marian Gaborik said. "You have to be ready for it -- keep playing tough defensively, like we have been, and create more offense. It’s going to be tougher than it is at home."

Playing on the road also gives Colorado the last change.

"To avoid that, to avoid the edge, is [to make] quick changes," Lemaire said. "If you change [lines] quick, then the hit won't be as big. And that goes for every team on the road."

2. Scoring first: Despite being outscored, 3-0, in the first two periods of Games 1 and 2, Minnesota has managed to come back and force each game to overtime. While there are some moral victories to take away from that, the odds of success certainly increase with a 1-0 lead. The flip side of this is the Wild having outscored Colorado, 5-2, after the second period.

3. Branko Radivojevic status: Because he fills his role so well and his chemistry with Stephane Veilleux is such that it allows Lemaire a two-man unit he can count on, if Radivojevic, one of the team's few righthanded-shot forwards, is unable to go, this would be considered a difficult hole to fill.

Keep an Eye On
Paul Stastny. Held without a point in the series to date, Stastny has remained pointless in three or more consecutive games only three times during the entire regular season.

"A lot of the good players in today’s hockey, they say that the game is tight," Lemaire said when asked about keeping Stastny off the board. "They don’t have a lot of room and, you know, that's what every team tries to do when they play certain hockey players. As soon as they’re good, you have to play them tight."

Another player who always bears watching is Peter Forsberg, who did not skate in Sunday's practice with the team, but did skate today.


Wild Lineup
Probable Wild line combos

Lemaire will make his choice closer to game time, even dressing an extra player in warmups, and make his decision from there.

Todd Fedoruk-Pavol Demitra-Marian Gaborik
Brian Rolston-Eric Belanger-Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Branko Radivojevic / Chris Simon / Benoit Pouliot / Matt Foy-Mikko Koivu-Stephane Veilleux
Aaron Voros-James Sheppard-Derek Boogaard

Probable Wild defense pairings

Brent Burns-Keith Carney
Kim Johnsson-Petteri Nummelin
Martin Skoula-Sean Hill

Between the pipes

Niklas Backstrom

Injury report

Radivojevic -- right leg sore
Mark Parrish -- out
Nick Schultz -- out

Game officials

Referees: Marc Joannette and Tim Peel
Linesmen: Jay Sharrers and Vaughan Rody

Not So Worthless Stat
The teams have played four consecutive games past regulation, including the previous two regular season games. ... All five of the five goals Jose Theodore has allowed have come in the third period or overtime. ... Minnesota is 0-4 all-time in Game 3s.


Extras
Jacques Lemaire quotes of the day

On his penchant for lineup changes: I'm trying to use the best player, for that night, to play against that team. So, every night, I go through that same process. Who's going to bring us a win against that team? What is the best lineup to play against their players and their style of game."

On how impatient he may be with some players: I have no time now. The player that does well has to play right now. The player that is good, on that night, has to go on the power play. Even if you've been killing penalties and you struggle, you're going to sit. At least for a couple shifts, so he can regroup and go back to what he was doing well.

On whether he sees another one-goal game: Well, I hope it's going to be a one-goal game, because I feel we will have a better chance.

pacman
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Post by pacman » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:47 pm

The Avs/Wild Game is also Broadcast on Versus Network (For People Living outside of Minnesota and Colorado Where the game is blacked out), as well as CBC.

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