GDT: Game 1: Minnesota Wild @ Colorado Avalanche | 8:00pm CST/4am Suomi | FSN

[gphr513]

Wild.com Game Preview

"It's game one and we're all excited," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "Let's hope we're all ready to play. I know game one last year, and even game two ... not that we weren't ready, but we didn't have the way we wanted to play, I don't think, quite down."

.....

Minnesota didn't change much during the offseason, but two of its additions -- Matt Hendricks and Eric Fehr -- have extensive knowledge of Boudreau's systems from their time playing under him in Washington.

.....

Last season notwithstanding, Minnesota has had success historically on opening night, posting a 9-6-2 record in season lid-lifters, including a 4-2-1 mark in its past seven overall.
Thursday will mark the fifth time in franchise history the Wild has opened its season against the Avalanche. Minnesota is 4-0 in those contests, including a 5-4 victory at Pepsi Center three years ago.

Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Mikael Granlund
Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Nino Niederreiter
Joel Eriksson Ek-Jordan Greenway-Charlie Coyle
Marcus Foligno-Eric Fehr-Matt Hendricks

Ryan Suter-Matt Dumba
Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon
Nick Seeler-Greg Pateryn

Devan Dubnyk
Alex Stalock





Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Kerfoot - Jost - Wilson
Nieto - Soderberg - Bourque
Calvert - Compher - Dries

Girard - Johnson
Zadorov - Barrie
Barberio - Cole

Varlamov
Grubauer


The last time we opened the season in their barn:




And the obligatory:

HOCKEY IS BACK!
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[Victorious Secret]

Go Wild.

 

[Lapa]

Go us

 

[Digitalbooya]

I strongly dislike the falling snow. Please melt them.

 

[FVM]

Always good to crush the Colorado boys. Let's get it started early.

 

[57special]

What a great way to start off the season! Win or lose, it's never boring playing the Avs.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Lose and the season is over.

Win and it means nothing.

Yay hockey.

 

[chchelseII]

Lose and the season is over.

Win and it means nothing.

Yay hockey.

Regular season doesn't matter as we'll either miss the playoffs or lose in the 1st round. No reason to watch this season.

 

[chchelseII]

Posted this in another thread, but here is what I will be watching tonight: 1. The development and effectiveness of the 3rd line, 2. Parise and Suter, to see how their years start off and if they are truly healthy, 3. see how our 4th line looks 4. see if Landeskog cheap shots anyone (seems to have a thing for Parise) and/or if Zadorov (and maybe EJ) hurts anyone, as is his wont.

 

[Wild11MN]

I was going to post the Parise opening night video, but you already had it in there. Good times.

 

[nt3005]

That line with Graovac and Vanek was not a good idea, but definitely would love to have the Scandella-Folin Pairing back.

 

[DANOZ28]

2 points is just as valuable today as they are in march. I hope our team is ready to play. no resting on our laurels oh wait what laurels?

 

[Digitalbooya]

2 points is just as valuable today as they are in march. I hope our team is ready to play. no resting on our laurels oh wait what laurels?

Spoiler alert for those that will watch Arrow (don’t read ahead!):



Laurel is dead.

 

[TZM]

Lose and the season is over.

Win and it means nothing.

Yay hockey.

Regular season doesn't matter as we'll either miss the playoffs or lose in the 1st round. No reason to watch this season.

Hey, let me participate. Winning the Stanley Cup is useless 'cos we can't repeat.

P.S. I have zero expectations for the season.

 

[gphr513]

Hey, let me participate. Winning the Stanley Cup is useless 'cos we can't repeat.

P.S. I have zero expectations for the season.

High aspirations, low expectations!

Not expecting this team to wow me. But I do think they'll be solid.

 

[Wabit]

Thanks for the GDT.

Read would have been nice on the 4th line today. Is this going to be the norm for the 4th line: Brown against smaller teams and Hendricks against the bigger/physical teams?

 

[Minnesota]

it's hockey season baby

 

[W75]

Winter is coming.

 

[DANOZ28]

i forgot my tradition of watching youngblood before the season opener. GO WILD! GO CRAZY! but not both. drop the puck my ice cubes are melting (I hate when that happens)

 

[Wild11MN]

MacKinnon points tonight - over/under 3.5?

 

[TaLoN]

Go Wilds

 

[Minnesota]

MacKinnon points tonight - over/under 3.5?

He's the new Iginla.

 

[Engebretson]

I’m trying to figure out who will take the first run at a Wild player... Johnson or Landeskog.

I think the odds are pretty even.

 

[NHL1674]

Lose and the season is over.

Win and it means nothing.

Yay hockey.

Damn right!!!!!!

 

[NHL1674]

Regular season doesn't matter as we'll either miss the playoffs or lose in the 1st round. No reason to watch this season.

Is this sarcasm? Please let it be sarcasm.