I thought the Wild played well in both games in St. Louis, minus a few hiccups that didn't hurt them in game 1, but did in game 2. The series is shaping up to be the close battle that everyone predicted it to be.
So now the series is in Minnesota and it's on the Wild to hold onto home-ice advantage. Generally the Wild have been good at home under Mike Yeo in the playoffs (6-2 record in the last two playoff years), but the home record hasn't been exactly spectacular as the season finished.
The historical pessimism corner:
- The Wild have never finished a home game with a series lead in franchise history.
- The Wild are 9-15 in games following a playoff loss in their history.
- The Wild are 10-17 in playoff games played in arenas where I have attended a hockey game.
Minnesota has 9 hits in the first 6 minutes. A little hometown statkeeping it would seem.
The temptation to just post a whole bunch of Russo tweets is sometimes overwhelming.
well, the wild PP looks pretty awful.
The Wild may want to start declining penalties. They are absolutely dominating even strength play.
I'm here for a bit
The X is absolutely electric right now. The roof might blow off if the Wild score a goal.
Gotta finish one of these chances.
Rebounds are there for the Wild, they just have to put one home.
Zucker dangle! That was pretty.
Taresenko got schooled!
Pominville. I love you. For now.
Pominville's got two of the easiest goals in history in this series.
Now that's a helluva goal
That was...not an easy goal. Wow
Parise. I love you. Forever.
Pominville dug that puck loose on the boards. Great stuff.
PARISE!!!!!!!!
One of Parise-Pominville-Granlund are going to score again. They are flying.
Yeah, I've been watching the whole thing (but dealing with screaming, tired kids.) I never got that usual feeling where their kicking ass but can't get anything in until the other team scores.
Cool to see a MN dominating. A 2-0 would be pretty cool to take into the third.
How much after-the-whistle stuff do we see from the Blues in the third? If the Wild score the next goal, I'm betting a lot.
The way they've been since goal two, someone's gonna get hurt.
Wild are utterly dominant right now. Just crazy.
Steve Ott is an idiot
Part IXDCCLXXXIV.
5 minutes gone in a boring third period. Boring is OK for now.
Wow...how did that not go in
GAAAHHHHHHH get in the net!
That net was so open for Granlund. Wow.
OK, that's a tough angle, but that should have been a goal.
It seemed like a severe angle, and with the speed Granlund was zipping at, I think he gets a pass, but still....MAN.
I love playoff hockey, but god, is it ever just a heart attack. I go 5-10 minutes at a time just pacing the floor, unable to look.
Don't look now, but Anaheim-Winnepeg just went to OT. If you think normal Stanley Cup hockey is too much, man you're in trouble once OT hits.
I'm really not used to seeing the Wild play pretty much entirely in their opponents zone.
WINNAH
Even with the extra attacker, the Wild don't bend. Very cool.
Unbelievable to see this complete of a game. This is probably the best game I've seen played.
Are there any hockey puppies?
OFFS, Ott.
What a fu*&^ing child he is.
Seriously. Embarrassing.
How is that not a major?
I think it was, wasn't it?
Still, it's just absurd. There had better be some after game consequences this time.
The nhl really, really needs to crack down on shit like that because guys like that are one of the difficulties in attracting the casual fan. (Imo. It's a big turnoff for me, anyway.)
Good.
Snow puppies!
That looked like about the easiest shutout a goalie could get.
14 more games like that one. That's all I ask.
A humble request.
Well, he is humble.
The humblest!
Penalty minutes through three games:
Steve Ott - 22
St. Louis minus Steve Ott - 14
Minnesota - 10