GDT: Game 26 | Wild @ Avs | 8 PM CST/ 4 AM Suomi | FSN

[Generic User]

Relax about the 3v3, people. The whole name of the game is to qualify for the playoffs. Losing 2 or 3 points to 3v3 as opposed to 4v4 is not going to make a difference for this team.

Also, a quick Bradley-Terry model evaluation says that, given the schedule they have played, this team is 2nd best in conference right now.

Everything is going to be ok. Get 3 points out of AZ & SJ and get back home...

Do you have a link to this? Would be interested to see it.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Yeo destroy Vanek with this line change since Paris is back..Why he does that`?

Vanek show his best here @ a wild player and than he put him back into the third line VAnek is the best Goalsscorer in the team and become not enough Ice time...

i can't understand this?

A guy like Parise doesn't lose his spot to injury, and Zucker is (and should be) stapled to Koivu's hip. Only one other LW spot to put him...

 

[00xtremeninja]

two things that stood out to me, all revolving around Kemps.

1. He stood tall after allowing 1st goal and didn't get rattled.
2. Team continued to play confident around him after 1st goal and didn't go into panic mode.

I'll take the one point from a game where Colorado suffocated us and played us extremely well. Grab some points on the road in AZ and SJ and we're sitting pretty still.

 

[murdoq]

A guy like Parise doesn't lose his spot to injury, and Zucker is (and should be) stapled to Koivu's hip. Only one other LW spot to put him...

I think Yeo should switch fontaine and pominville. don't think it would have too much influence on the parise line. but it could help vanek playing with his buddy

 

[gphr513]

I think Yeo should switch fontaine and pominville. don't think it would have too much influence on the parise line. but it could help vanek playing with his buddy

Didn't they already try Vanek with Pominville? They didn't exactly light the world on fire.

 

[murdoq]

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Didn't they already try Vanek with Pominville? They didn't exactly light the world on fire.

i thought they did look pretty good with granlund when parise was out. who centered them the first time?

 

[llamapalooza]

Yeah, our defense is pretty much the opposite of conservative. Although, they might not individually take the puck coast to coast like a PK Subban...they are all very mobile defenders and really good skaters as well as have above average speed.

Yeah, conservative might not be the right word, but I don't think we have anyone who plays the same style that a Subban or a Karlsson will, with an emphasis on carrying the puck. Our D make some really smart pinches 5-on-5, and have increasingly been taking some good hard shots into traffic. Both of those tactics have been quite effective at keeping pressure on and improving production from the point, but they burn you 3-on-3.

As a team, we're very good at recovering possession, but success in 3-on-3 is more about not giving possession up in the first place. When our forecheck fails 5-on-5, you've still got 3 guys who can get back and break it up in the NZ. When it fails 3-on-3, you've left one D out to dry.

I actually our system is probably more effective for playoff hockey, but we will continue to struggle in regular season OT.

 

[BigT2002]

i'm actually happy with the 3on3 change even though Wild would probably have 4 points more with the old system.

You're giving too much credit to the goalies stopping shootouts. This team rarely won in OT IIRC.

 

[JoCro11]

I think Yeo should switch fontaine and pominville. don't think it would have too much influence on the parise line. but it could help vanek playing with his buddy

Vanek was helped most by playing with Granlund (perfect set-up man), but he and Pominville played well together. Regardless, I would like to see Fontaine on the Parise line. Granlund and Pominville sometimes lose their offensive creativity, something Fontaine most certainly has. We need to see if Fontaine can rise to the quality of the 1st line to gauge a) how to pay him in the future and b) is Pominville expendable baring a huge increase in production. Both pressing questions, and it will do the Wild good to figure it out before the playoffs.

 

[57special]

I think Yeo should switch fontaine and pominville. don't think it would have too much influence on the parise line. but it could help vanek playing with his buddy

I thought Poms has been looking better the past few games. Fontaine is a useful bottom sixer.

 

[Spurgeon]

I thought Poms has been looking better the past few games. Fontaine is a useful bottom sixer.

Fontaine is a useful everything, absolutely love that guy. He can be asked to play any role on this team.