GDT: 2/18/2015 - Wild @ Flames - 8:30PM CT, 4:30AM FIN - FSN

[Dee Oh Cee]

I'd say Dubnyk, Koivu and Dumba but that'll work too.

 

[57special]

Was just about to post a blistering critique of the Wild and their failures in the clutch...


Never mind.

 

[SomethingGeneric]

10 percent spike in playoff odds, back up to 50%!!!!

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Dumba with 18:20 TOI and a goal with 3 shots. Kid was solid.

 

[Wild11MN]

1 point back.. but still in 10th if LA closes up 2.

 

[rynryn]

10 percent spike in playoff odds, back up to 50%!!!!

 

[BurnsyMN]

Dumba with 18:20 TOI and a goal with 3 shots. Kid was solid.

I thought he played incredible tonight. That late sliding poke check was clutch.

 

[Avder]

So were 1 point back of San Jose with 2 games in hand.

I like it.

 

[TaLoN]

So were 1 point back of San Jose with 2 games in hand.

I like it.

Except, LA is going to take 8th tonight (they're up 3-1 in the 3rd), and there is no game in hand there.

 

[00xtremeninja]

San Jose is imploding and will take themselves out of the race

 

[Avder]

Except, LA is going to take 8th tonight (they're up 3-1 in the 3rd), and there is no game in hand there.

God DAMMIT LA.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

That mean LA is going to tie them with their win too? Either way, get that feeling 2 out of the current top 8 are going to have to fall out...LA is coming on strong. Feel as though Calgary and SJ might both miss this year. Another year without a WC team from the Pacific (hopefully).

 

[rynryn]

I thought he played incredible tonight. That late sliding poke check was clutch.

it was clutch, but if he missed...how many times do people ride guys who leave their feet to bat at the puck? if it works, you look like a stud. when it doesn't, you look like an idiot that's taking unnecessary chances.

Don't get me wrong--I like it! It's a demonstration of why we need a guy like him playing on the blueline.

 

[TaLoN]

That mean LA is going to tie them with their win too? Either way, get that feeling 2 out of the current top 8 are going to have to fall out...LA is coming on strong. Feel as though Calgary and SJ might both miss this year. Another year without a WC team from the Pacific (hopefully).

Yes, LA will be tied with San Jose at 66pts, but due to less games played, LA will be sitting in 8th over the Sharks.

 

[57special]

On third look, Johnny sure messed up his goalie on the game winner. If he had been a Wild player the goal would've been called off.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Very entertaining game, good luck the rest of the way guys.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

Looking at the other good teams around the league I think it's really important we keep our core together . All of the best teams have generally had a core that's grown up together through the process of becoming a championship team. It's pretty apparent that guys comfortable with eachother will lift eachothers play.

Keep Suter, Scandella, Brodin, Dumba, Spurgeon together and let them keep growing. Keep Parise, Granlund, Nino, Coyle, Zucker, Schroeder, Haula together as well. (Koivu, Pominville, Vanek are nice pieces too, but will start to decline in value pretty soon) I want speed. Hopefully Graovac and Tuch and eventually Lucia in the coming years can continue to add more guys who are both big and fast.

Yeo's system needs puck-movers and mobile-two way defenseman on the back end. (Which Brodin, Scandella, Spurgeon, Dumba, and Suter all are) Who can play really versatile roles and really move the puck.

We're best when we get our forecheck going. Guys who have the speed to keep pucks alive and win 50-50 battles in the offensive zone and guys who can punish the D retrieving the puck and then establish the cycle are the types of guys we should be going for. Guys like Nino and Coyle are really valuable because they can be really physical along the boards, but Yeo's system also works well for guys who are willing to get to the dirty areas and take punishment to make plays.

Those are guys like Zucker, Schroeder, Parise, and Granlund who use their speed and keep their feet moving to win puck battles.

A couple years down the line...

Parise-Granlund-Tuch
Zucker-Coyle-Nino
Lucia-Koivu-Pominville
Schroeder-Haula-Graovac

Suter-Scandella
Brodin-Dumba
Spurgeon-(Folin/Oloffson/?)

That's a bunch of lines that you can roll and overwhelm teams with speed and size.

 

[gphr513]

Looking at the other good teams around the league I think it's really important we keep our core together . All of the best teams have generally had a core that's grown up together through the process of becoming a championship team.

This is why I really want to make the playoffs this year. Not our year for a Cup run, but it would be great to have the young guys go through an adversity filled season like this, and find what it takes to overcome all that and make the playoffs.

Plus, that's some valuable playoff experience for the young guys.

 

[PariseNation]

I still believe in this team in the now. We just need to get hot at the right time.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

Man it just would be so nice to see what this team could do at full-strength for a 20 game stretch or so.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

There weren't any replays of it, but Dumba saving a goal, sorry for the not great quality, have had to change laptops and my setup isn't quite right yet.

 

[DANOZ28]

i was very unhappy with the refs last night, pommer mauled on what should have been a breakaway & 2 min later parise gets called for a luv tap ??? not enough vid to overturn the high stick goal. glad we pulled off a victory! i take back atleast one bad thing i've said about koivu. fantastic play for the win! go wild. ps none of you ever give prosser any luv so i will. nice bat of the puck out of harms way. ps2 how bad is spurge hurt?

 

[WILDTATE10]

Dumba has been great the last two games

 

[Nharris31]

Man it just would be so nice to see what this team could do at full-strength for a 20 game stretch or so.

Or you know play a 60 minute game. I know they are winning but their five on five play has been kind of concerning. I mean it hurt them in Vancouver.