Post-Game Talk: Norris Division Final: Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks

[Teppo]

Troy Westwood + Paul Edmunds analysis of Hawks/Wild game #3

Just listen to this morning show from Winnipeg after the Wild 4-0 win in game #3. Every time the Wild beat the Jets they whine like there is no tomorrow. Troy Westwood comes off as a great hockey mind here. Nobody who knows hockey could watch that game an not realize that the Hawks were playing cautious shutdown for the entire 0-0 stretch.

Start at about 4:00 mins in

iphone.tsn.ca/tsnpodcasts/1290_BigShow050714hr1.mp3

These guys simply do not know the game. I am sure they have watched hockey all their lives, but they certainly do not know what they are talking about.

P.S. As a Winnipeger I got a kick out of the claim that Winnipeg fans would not be happy to be in round #2 beating the Hawks with "trap" hockey. Winnipeg is so desperate for success that if the Jets got a one goal lead and decided to stack 6 guys in the net forming a human wall the MTS center would be going insane at the hopes of maintaining the one goal lead and winning.

 

[Nharris31]

Just listen to this morning show from Winnipeg after the Wild 4-0 win in game #3. Every time the Wild beat the Jets they whine like there is no tomorrow. Troy Westwood comes off as a great hockey mind here. Nobody who knows hockey could watch that game an not realize that the Hawks were playing cautious shutdown for the entire 0-0 stretch.

Start at about 4:00 mins in

iphone.tsn.ca/tsnpodcasts/1290_BigShow050714hr1.mp3

These guys simply do not know the game. I am sure they have watched hockey all their lives, but they certainly do not know what they are talking about.

P.S. As a Winnipeger I got a kick out of the claim that Winnipeg fans would not be happy to be in round #2 beating the Hawks with "trap" hockey. Winnipeg is so desperate for success that if the Jets got a one goal lead and decided to stack 6 guys in the net forming a human wall the MTS center would be going insane at the hopes of maintaining the one goal lead and winning.

I was tempted two tweet him and tell him the Blackhawks were the ones doing it. Tell him how many blocked shots the hawks had in the first period. This is the same guy who was mad that Andrew Ladd skipped a game for the birth of his child

 

[Generic User]

Second PP is Fontaine, Coyle, Heatley, Ballard and Spurgeon? Ish. Think that's gonna be one stagnant unit. Hope I'm wrong, but I doubt we see a goal out of this squad listed. Stacking Granlund, Koivu, Parise, Pominville & Suter on the first unit is pretty tasty, doe.

 

[Engebretson]

Bruce and Brinks. I like it.

 

[DeuceMN]

So apparently to everyone not in the Wild demo, we are still a boring hockey team because we don't score 3 goals a period and play neutral zone trap still. Honestly...I don't even know what to say to that.

No, we scored 4

But that's a secret just for us on this board.

On the other boards we're the ones playing the trap even if they're 1-2-2 and we're sending two in on the forecheck

 

[Hall of Faber]

They should of gave us the Game 5 start time by now.... It's only a holiday and the fans would like to make plans....

 

[BurnsyMN]

They should of gave us the Game 5 start time by now.... It's only a holiday and the fans would like to make plans....

My guess is if the Rangers lose game 5 it will be a 6PM start, if the Rangers win and force game 6, it will be another 8:30 start

 

[BigT2002]

They should of gave us the Game 5 start time by now.... It's only a holiday and the fans would like to make plans....

Russo said they are waiting on the Pens/Rangers game

 

[Hall of Faber]

Russo said they are waiting on the Pens/Rangers game

That's fine for mid-week game. Not for Mother's Day. Let us make plans.

 

[00xtremeninja]

take mom/wife out to brunch, back in plenty of time regardless of start time. lol

 

[Hall of Faber]

take mom/wife out to brunch, back in plenty of time regardless of start time. lol

Made a surprise camping trip, would like to know when I gotta be home. Time doesn't matter to me. Just thinking it's getting late for some people out there.

 

[Avder]

This delay between games is killing me.

 

[Ban Hammered]

That's fine for mid-week game. Not for Mother's Day. Let us make plans.

Not only Mother's Day but graduation day for me, so I'm DVRing it regardless.

 

[BurnsyMN]

Not only Mother's Day but graduation day for me, so I'm DVRing it regardless.

My brother graduates from SCSU on Sunday as well. Sorry to everyone hoping for an earlier start but I am praying for the later 830 start so I can get home.

 

[Jarick]

Someday someone on this staff, or team, will figure out that they can't run a stationary powerplay with delayed passing to each other and expect the opposing team to work themselves out of position in order to create an opportunity. Maybe I'm too hopeful.

This x100.

Here's the Wild PP in a nutshell: win the draw, get it back to Suter, then have him pass back and forth to Koivu or Pominville, then back to Suter, with nobody moving, but with 1-2 seconds of hesitation before doing anything.

If you watch a good PP, they have two things:

Player movement
Quick passing

Wild have neither and haven't had it at any point this or last year. It makes it easy to defend, because as a defender you don't have to move, just shift the front two based on who has the puck.

 

[Foxlockbox]

It baffles me that Niederreiter has shown that he owns probably the most lethal shot and pretty accurate at it too, is a big body and zero PP time. Like not even giving a chance PP time. What the **** does Heatley have to show for all his time regular season or playoffs? Or why does Fontaine suddenly get the nod? Or even Coyle instead of Haula? It must be infurating for Nino, that kind of **** might drive him out of town. Yeo and his PP antics, eh? He generally seems to suck rewarding players that actually show up and score.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Bruce and Brinks. I like it.

Bacon must have been born of the same craziness. Bruce is hilarious.

Much better than Halsie, or Spurgy.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It baffles me that Niederreiter has shown that he owns probably the most lethal shot and pretty accurate at it too, is a big body and zero PP time. Like not even giving a chance PP time. What the **** does Heatley have to show for all his time regular season or playoffs? Or why does Fontaine suddenly get the nod? Or even Coyle instead of Haula? It must be infurating for Nino, that kind of **** might drive him out of town. Yeo and his PP antics, eh? He generally seems to suck rewarding players that actually show up and score.

Brunette runs the PP

 

[Jacques The Mayor]

This x100.

Here's the Wild PP in a nutshell: win the draw, get it back to Suter, then have him pass back and forth to Koivu or Pominville, then back to Suter, with nobody moving, but with 1-2 seconds of hesitation before doing anything.

If you watch a good PP, they have two things:

Player movement
Quick passing

Wild have neither and haven't had it at any point this or last year. It makes it easy to defend, because as a defender you don't have to move, just shift the front two based on who has the puck.

I don't mind it being a set play we run maybe with the last 30-45 seconds of a pp or when the opponent is clearly tired but it can't be our only move. Its become way too apparent what we're trying to do.

 

[The Enemy Within]

I'm really sad I might not be able to watch the game tonight. I have a funeral to go to today and will be with family all night.. Hopefully my uncle cares enough to have the game on at his place or my cousin's husband and I are going to have to sneak off to a bar or something maybe. All the best to all of you. I hope you all enjoy the game tonight. Let's win and tie up the series headed back to Chicago! Go Wild!

 

[tyratoku]

Forgot to do the GDT.

Working on it now.

Will have it up soon.

 

[Screaming Buffalo]

Finally game day!

 

[Sharppi]

Look at that Heatley! So gorgeous! 4 goals tonight.

 

[Engebretson]

Dat Heater hair

 

[tyratoku]

Had to run to campus real quick.

GDT will be up in less than 10 minutes.