GDT: WCQF Game 2: Blues @ Wild | 7 PM CT / 3AM Finland | NBCSN, TVAS3, SN360, FS-N

[Lapa]

St Louis Blues leads the series 1-0

Game 1 Highlights

St. Louis Blues

Yeo gives credit to Brodeur, who agreed to work with Allen and Carter Hutton.

“We looked at it as a clean slate and said, ‘Let’s start over,’ ” said Brodeur, a three-time Stanley Cup champ, two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time Vezina Trophy winner with an NHL-record 691 wins and 125 shutouts. “For me, it’s attitude. Like, I’m not going to show him how to do a butterfly, how to be competitive.

“He gave him areas of strong focal points,” Yeo said. “Now, Jake goes into every game prepared, feeling confident. There’s no question marks in his mind as far as why pucks are going into the net. Marty’s real quick to point out why it’s happened. It’s put a real feeling and sense of control in Jake and with that’s come an awful lot of confidence.”

Read full article here

St. Louis Blues unconfirmed lineup

Schwartz - Barbashev - Tarasenko
Sobotka - Lehterä - Steen
Pääjärvi - Berglund - Perron
Upshall - Brodziak - Reaves

Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Edmundson - Parayko
Gunnarson - Schmaltz

Allen
Hutton

IR: Robby Fabbri (ACL; won't return this season), Paul Stastny (lower body; day-to-day)

Follow Jeremy Rutherford and Andy Strickland for more pregame updates!

Minnesota Wild

Wild outshot St. Louis 52-26
Wild outchanced St. Louis, subjectively, 21-6.
Wild outfaceoffed (new word) St. Louis 59 percent to 41.
Wild outhit St. Louis 35-18, as Bruce Boudreau said to me after the presser today, “in our building! When have we ever had more than 20 hits in this building?”

So down at the arena today, the Wild held a very light practice and mostly rested and recovered in an attempt to bring the same type of game into Game 2, only this time maybe get an early goal on Allen, put some doubt into the Blues, gain some confidence on the Wild side and cruise to a win.

Friday’s game is big.

Down 1-0 in a series, it you win Game 2, teams have gone on to win 52.1 percent of the time, 55.2 percent if the Game 2 was at home.

Take a 2-0 series lead, teams have gone on to win 87.3 percent of the time, 89.2 percent if that Game 2 win was on the road.

Read full article here

Minnesota Wild unconfirmed lineup
Haula - Koivu - Granlund
Niederreiter - Staal - Parise
Zucker - Hanzal - Coyle
Stewart - Eriksson-Ek - Pominville

Suter - Spurgeon
Scandella - Dumba
Brodin - Folin

Dubnyk
Kuemper

Injured: Victor Bartley (groin, broken foot; won't return this season)

For more pregame updates, follow Michael Russo and Minnesota Wild!

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[W75]

Ok, let's make this Allen dude a sieve.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

 

[Aurinko]

That Koivu redirect in the first game was cold nerved.

More of those tonight.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

If they play with the same intensity as last time, there's no way the Wild lose. If they roll over and stoop to the Yeo-esque defense-only level to try and counteract it, they do lose.

 

[gphr513]

Alright, gotta have this one. Make it happen.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

It snowed here yesterday and today. I assume this is a good omen?

 

[bradrich99]

Do not overlook the fact that the Blues themselves will probably come with a better game this time.

 

[Minnesota]

Do not overlook the fact that the Blues themselves will probably come with a better game this time.

As long as Allen's mortal tonight, we'll win.

 

[nt3005]

I feel like 9 times out of 10 Koivu makes a defensive play on Tarasenko and that OT goal never happens. I really hope the boys come out pissed off tonight.

4-1 wild win is the final.

 

[keppel146]

let's play in Koivu beastmode tonight and go crush them!!

 

[57special]

I don't know if we have a chance with Bartley out.

 

[gphr513]

I don't know if we have a chance with Bartley out.

Bartley has secretly been the key this whole time.

 

[TwiztedHeat]

Well if Coyle cab bury even one of his chances and Parise doesn't make anymore saves for Allen, then we'll win.

 

[BigT2002]

3-1 Wild win. Empty Netter. Should be a fun atmosphere unlike Weds night where everyone was looking at their watches.

 

[MNWILDFAN001]

If Wild lose tonight I think this series will be over

 

[gphr513]

If Wild lose tonight I think this series will be over

Yeah, down 0-2 and heading on the road would be tough to come back from. This is essentially a must-win, in my book.

 

[Aurinko]

It's all about nerves tonight.

- We have the second highest probability for the cup
- We have home ice
- We have arguably the better team

==> That turns into A LOT OF PRESSURE

They have to suck up all the pressure and not only win, but to BRUTALIZE Allen and turn the tide.

 

[DANOZ28]

must win ; do or die lets step up & show the blues whose better. crank it upto the max boyz! go wild! go crazy! go coo coo for coco puffs!

 

[Engebretson]

As long as Allen's mortal tonight, we'll win.

I'm guessing he's still feeling the effects of 51 saves over almost 4 periods of hockey on Tuesday. Hit him hard, early and often.

The important thing is going to be to score first tonight. If the Blues score first, they'll go right into turtle mode again by collapsing around the net and clogging up the neutral zone like they did on Tuesday and like they did when they won here in March. If we make them chase us, we can outplay them.

 

[gphr513]

I'm guessing he's still feeling the effects of 51 saves over almost 4 periods of hockey on Tuesday. Hit him hard, early and often.

The important thing is going to be to score first tonight. If the Blues score first, they'll go right into turtle mode again by collapsing around the net and clogging up the neutral zone like they did on Tuesday and like they did when they won here in March. If we make them chase us, we can outplay them.

Yeah, the first goal will be crucial. If the Blues get one early, I'd worry about a confidence issue, that they'll be thinking about how hard it was to beat Allen in game 1 and start pressing, gripping the sticks too tight.

 

[nt3005]

Gonna be at the game, sitting in the club section, first time not in lower bowl.
Me in attendance = Victory!

 

[123TripleDoge]

We need to get better shots from the point. Start blasing them through on net and gobble up those rebounds. Also, we need to actually stop at the net, instead of doing the fly by move and just missing it

 

[keppel146]

If Wild lose tonight I think this series will be over

Yeah, down 0-2 and heading on the road would be tough to come back from. This is essentially a must-win, in my book.

no negativity! we beat the avs after being down 2-0 a few years ago!!

 

[gphr513]

no negativity! we beat the avs after being down 2-0 a few years ago!!

I mean... Yeah we got this boys!