Game Day Thread: 11 Mar 2014 - Oilers @ Wild - 7PM CET - 2AM Suomi - FS-N+

[NHL1674]

BTW, way to use Granlund on the important PP's, Yeo. Brilliant. And Haula needs a promotion.

 

[BusQuets]

I would have wanted to see Granlund paired with Haula on that 4on4.. Could be sweet.

 

[ewoksonhoth]

Anyone else smell a Souhan stinker of a hockey column being written?

Yeah I'm guessing we see something from him tomorrow. He's probably having a field day over this.

First thing I thought of after the game. Can't wait to hear Mr. Negative rant and rave about how badly this team sucks. Almost as unbearable as Sid. Favorite memory of Sid is walking down the stairs at the X with Sid in front of me and everyone around him chanting, "**** SID" over and over until he left the building. Hope Souhan gets the same one of these days.

 

[LemaireisGOD]

My take...

http://www.stateofhockeynews.com/2014-articles/march/wild-vs-spoil.html

Why wait for Souhan to rip this team, I can do that. This team should be ashamed of itself. Edmonton; unlike what Yeo said doesn't care that much. They've mailed it in more than a few times. Minnesota made them believe they could win. We made them want it. If this team can't get amped to want to vent some frustration and crush the Oilers after losing its last two games then you have to wonder what sort of heart its leadership has. This team can't afford to learn lessons like this. The power play, if Andrew Brunette is organizing it, then boot his a%% off of that job. The Oilers did about all they could to give us this game and we didn't take it. We totally deserved the result we got. I have a full game recap plus prospect updates on Daniel Gunnarsson and Christoph Bertschy.

 

[Boogardsfist]

It's a goalie situation! If Kuemps played at the blues... I hate bears is not a real team player, yet... Keep Kuemps in. He had a bad game tonight. I think he would have been great with the Blues.

 

[thestonedkoala]

In any other market, Yeo woulda been fired a long time ago.... and that says something (bad) about our market

In any other market, people would be questioning Fletcher and his ability to put together a team that can sustain any long term success.

 

[MNjens]

So glad I was working for this game. All I can I say is, embarrassing! I'm sorry but good teams don't lose these games. I'm not going to go on a rant because I didn't see the game but Minny better win the Rangers and Blue Jackets to reassure me about this team.

I hope to God this isn't another late season colapse but lets be honest this is a MN sports team so I should expect nothing less.

 

[Lapa]

Did we really just blow a 3-goal-league against Oklahoma City Barons Edmonton Oilers?? I'm glad I went to sleep after the first period.

**** this. This ****ing game:

 

[AKL]

If we lose to the Oilers I'm gonna cry myself to sleep

I wasn't kidding about this.

 

[DeuceMN]

This game was embarrassing and definitely concerning.

Not all on Yeo, but he needs to fix this **** asap. That PP needs to get figured out yesterday - Let's start by not having two different groups and just ****ing load one of them. Balance is fine at times, but sometimes you need to just stomp something with all your might.

Kuemper was off his game tonight but whatever. As long as this doesn't become some multi-game trend, it doesn't matter.

Has anyone else been concerned with Suter lately? Not a lot, but he just seems off and maybe a little tired. Personally, I would also be curious to see a different d on the #1 PP for a couple games. I like Suter but he is not very dynamic on the PP - IMO Brodin is more dynamic, as well as Spurgeon - at least try someone else out for a bit. Our PP has never been good so we need to mix it up.

Move Coyle off that second line please... Put Nino there for a couple games.

Brodziak to 4c Haula to 3c - I'm speechless that this has not been done yet. Haula has way more offensive flare than Brodziak, is fast as hell, and is very good defensively.

Ballard. Ick. Prosser, Stoner, ok.

Heatley is useless in a bottom 6 role. Sit him for a couple games, just to see how it goes. That fourth line is just way too slow with him on it. If we're better with him in then mix the lines again.

These guys need a wakeup call. A couple more games like this and history could repeat itself easily.

And we really need to change this turtling bs culture crap we have going on. We play to not lose, we don't play to win - it's part of the reason we let up once we get a decent lead. Pens, Sharks, Ducks, Hawks, Blues, Bruins never let up. They'll stomp the **** out of you. We let up, WAY too often. Then whichever team, many times, will fight their way back into it.

 

[MNjens]

I wasn't kidding about this.

I said the same thing on Twitter when they scored that second goal.. what a kick in the nuts

 

[NHL1674]

This game was embarrassing and definitely concerning.

Not all on Yeo, but he needs to fix this **** asap. That PP needs to get figured out yesterday - Let's start by not having two different groups and just ****ing load one of them. Balance is fine at times, but sometimes you need to just stomp something with all your might.

Kuemper was off his game tonight but whatever. As long as this doesn't become some multi-game trend, it doesn't matter.

Has anyone else been concerned with Suter lately? Not a lot, but he just seems off and maybe a little tired. Personally, I would also be curious to see a different d on the #1 PP for a couple games. I like Suter but he is not very dynamic on the PP - IMO Brodin is more dynamic, as well as Spurgeon - at least try someone else out for a bit. Our PP has never been good so we need to mix it up.

Move Coyle off that second line please... Put Nino there for a couple games.

Brodziak to 4c Haula to 3c - I'm speechless that this has not been done yet. Haula has way more offensive flare than Brodziak, is fast as hell, and is very good defensively.

Ballard. Ick. Prosser, Stoner, ok.

Heatley is useless in a bottom 6 role. Sit him for a couple games, just to see how it goes. That fourth line is just way too slow with him on it. If we're better with him in then mix the lines again.

These guys need a wakeup call. A couple more games like this and history could repeat itself easily.

And we really need to change this turtling bs culture crap we have going on. We play to not lose, we don't play to win - it's part of the reason we let up once we get a decent lead. Pens, Sharks, Ducks, Hawks, Blues, Bruins never let up. They'll stomp the **** out of you. We let up, WAY too often. Then whichever team, many times, will fight their way back into it.

I think the extra minutes and non-break during the Olympics is catching up to Suter. We rode Backstrom into the ground last year. This year, it'll be Kuemps and Suter.

And agree about Haula. He's earned himself a promotion. He's a much bigger threat right now than Brodz. Cripes, he's been a bigger threat than a lot of guys.

 

[Lapa]

^ Agreed about Haula. He needs a promotion. Haula has been better than Coyle this year IMO.

 

[AKL]

Parise-Granlund-Pominville
Moulson-Koivu-Nino
Cooke-Haula-Heatley
I'mmissingsomeone-Brodziak-Coyle

PP #1:

Parise-Granlund-Moulson
Pominville-Suter

 

[NHL1674]

I'd like to see Nino with Haula.

 

[Lapa]

I don't like Pommer on the blue line on PPs.

 

[AJ Thelen]

How is this even possible?

We had it all in first period.

 

[JudgeJimmie]

Parise-Granlund-Pominville
Moulson-Koivu-Nino
Cooke-Haula-Heatley
I'mmissingsomeone-Brodziak-Coyle

PP #1:

Parise-Granlund-Moulson
Pominville-Suter

Honestly, Coyle isn't playing that badly, and imo doesn't deserve the flack he gets around here.. He was downright dominant and made some good offense moves this game.
Imo I still want to see..
Parise-Granlund-Pominville
Moulson-Koivu-Heatley
Nino-Haula-Coyle
Cooke-Brodz-Fontaine

 

[GopherState]

Thanks for not looting and burning down the place. If y'all did, I wouldn't have blamed you. Even in an 82 game season that grinds like a marathon, that was a loss which will stick out for a while. Good news is good teams bounce back. Bad news, well...

 

[Avder]

Well we've got the Rangers and Columbus coming in later this week...I think realistically we should take 3 of 4 points away from that. Two or less is completely unacceptable.

 

[Ladde]

Well we've got the Rangers and Columbus coming in later this week...I think realistically we should take 3 of 4 points away from that. Two or less is completely unacceptable.

Both those teams are doing well. We will probbably lose to one of them or might be we lose to both of them.

 

[berdush]

this is all about Arby's shootout promotion lobby...

 

[Jarick]

Shouldn't be that hard.

Parise - Granlund - Pominville
Moulson - Koivu - Nino
Heatley - Haula - Fontaine
Cooke - Brodziak - Coyle

You put your BEST PLAYERS on the ice when you can, then you put your next best players out there, then the next best, then put your best players back on the ice. When everyone is gassed, you put out your grinders.

Coyle is not a top six winger. Haula is not a fourth line center. Fontaine should not be scratched for a guy who can't play hockey. When you can't bury a team like Edmonton, you don't need to get tougher, you need to get better.

Parise - Granlund - Pominville - Spurgeon - Scandella

That's your top PP unit. Parise works the front of the net, Granlund works the puck on the right wall, Pominville works the weak side waiting for the one timer, Spurgeon sadly has the best shot among the defensemen and Scandella is probably second best. Time to let the players you drafted and developed PLAY.

Moulson - Koivu - Fontaine - Suter - Brodin

That's your second unit. Moulson works the front of the net, Koivu works from the right wall, Fontaine is your weak side shooter. Suter's never going to shoot so put him on the left side and Brodin is your one timer option on the right side.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Im so sick of this. Yeo needs to understand that games are often lost when you dont keep the pressure up..

When we lead 3-0 What should we do? WE SHOULD ****IN KEEP ON TEARING THEM UP!

WHat does Yeo do? Well guys... 3-0 here... give them a little breathingspace.. Dont want you guys to pressure them so hard anymore...

BAM! Another loss!

And for the love of god.. Send Coyle to Iowa. Except from the "jump-around" move on Klefbom that almost worked he was not very good. Give Nino his spot.. Scratch Heatley, and put Haula in the 3C.

Haula has been one of our best young-guns this year..

 

[57special]

Honestly, Coyle isn't playing that badly, and imo doesn't deserve the flack he gets around here.. He was downright dominant and made some good offense moves this game.
Imo I still want to see..
Parise-Granlund-Pominville
Moulson-Koivu-Heatley
Nino-Haula-Coyle
Cooke-Brodz-Fontaine

Agree on Coyle. I thought he looked excellent last night. Koivu not so much. Hopefully it's rust coming back from his injury, and not the beginning of his annual disappearing trick around playoff time. Good teams need good captains, great teams need great captains.