Tidbits: Series talk: Wild vs. Blues

[57special]

I think we should implement at least 7 knee jerk solutions, no matter how nonsensical, into the game plan for Wednesday.

Suter wearing a tutu instead of breezers? Check!

Dumba plays forward ? Check!

Strip Koivu of the C? Check!

Stalock in? Check!

Trade Carolina's Identity to STL? Check!

Bring up Tuch and play him on the PP? Check!

Play Schroeder, because playing a really small guy will confuse and scare the giant STL Dmen? Check!

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I'd say one knee-jerk thing would be JEE in for Pominville. The kid has as many shots in two games and under 9 minutes ATOI as, well, a whole range of players. I understand the hesitation with a rookie but he's looked pretty decent to me.

 

[57special]

I'm fine with JEE in. Wouldn't mind him playing wing with Haula at C (though it sounds like he is injured). I think Poms is fine as a bottom six player.

Every time I start to hone in on one player's poor performance, I realize that the same thing could be said about 10 others. This is really a team failure, though there is no doubt that Dubnyk has once again come up small in the playoffs.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I just think St. Louis has played a good game of rope-a-dope. Can't blame the team when their goaler makes 50+ saves in Game 1. This was not a good matchup. Ex-head coach with a bone to pick is always tough. Classic case of addition by subtraction when they got rid of Shattenkirk. It also gave them a rallying point (no one believed in us!). Lots of playoff experience on the team too and they came in on a hot streak.

I do think the extra day off gives the Wild a chance to reset. Come in and win Wednesday and they have a chance as the better team.

 

[Spurgeon]

This series could be 3-0 Wild. We haven't got the bounces and Allen has been amazing. Taking the C off of Koivu isn't going to put the puck in the net.

Dubnyk has been great and the team has been very good. We've spent a lot of time in the Blues zone this entire series. I don't think we're going to win the series, but I do think there's a chance that we pull it off based on how we've been playing.

Regardless, I don't think much needs to be changed in the off-season with this team. We always say we need an elite scorer, but the Blues have been winning without Tarasenko doing much. Superstars are also pretty hard to trade for, so we're going to have to hope Kaprizov panes out. Nonetheless, it'd be hard to make a trade when you lose trade assets by overpaying for rentals.

 

[AKL]

I'm fine with JEE in. Wouldn't mind him playing wing with Haula at C (though it sounds like he is injured). I think Poms is fine as a bottom six player.

Every time I start to hone in on one player's poor performance, I realize that the same thing could be said about 10 others. This is really a team failure, though there is no doubt that Dubnyk has once again come up small in the playoffs.

If I told you at the start of the playoffs that Dubnyk would allow 6 goals in 3 games, what would you have said?

 

[iLLogik87]

If I told you at the start of the playoffs that Dubnyk would allow 6 goals in 3 games, what would you have said?

I would have said "LIAR!!!!!!!!!!!"

What a frustrating series.

 

[Ban Hammered]

I'm fine with JEE in. Wouldn't mind him playing wing with Haula at C (though it sounds like he is injured). I think Poms is fine as a bottom six player.

Every time I start to hone in on one player's poor performance, I realize that the same thing could be said about 10 others. This is really a team failure, though there is no doubt that Dubnyk has once again come up small in the playoffs.

Saying Dubnyk has come up small is ridiculous. Again...every goal he gives up could be soft and it wouldn't matter when this team can't score more than one a game and can never get the lead. Dubnyk can't be expected to pitch shutouts every game.

 

[MNhockey19]

I mostly agree, dubnyk hasn't been the problem but he hasn't been the solution either. How our forwards haven't figured out Yeos system after playing it for 4 years beats me. But why can the Blues rely on Allen to steal games but we can't do the same with Dubnyk? He doesn't step up in the playoffs when we need him to the most. The season's on the line tomorrow and my intuition tells me we'll need at least 4 goals to win.

 

[AKL]

I mostly agree, dubnyk hasn't been the problem but he hasn't been the solution either. How our forwards haven't figured out Yeos system after playing it for 4 years beats me. But why can the Blues rely on Allen to steal games but we can't do the same with Dubnyk? He doesn't step up in the playoffs when we need him to the most. The season's on the line tomorrow and my intuition tells me we'll need at least 4 goals to win.

Hasn't been the solution? Is that a joke? He's a goalie and the problem is we can't score. What is he supposed to do?

Sorry, but if you expect your goalie to only allow 0-1 goals per game in the playoffs, you're insane.

And regardless, even if he only allows 1 goal per game, we still need to ****ing score 2, which they haven't yet.

 

[saywut]

Mikko Koivu is not the right leader for this team.

With the age of our roster, no one should really be looking at the captain to lead them. However, his lack of production is a major issue. He shouldn't be tasked with shutting down Taresenko but for whatever reason BB thinks he has to hard force line matching whereas Yeo doesn't care. Really dumb in general with an already fragile group with no confidence to tell them they can only play against 1 or 2 lines.

I'd say one knee-jerk thing would be JEE in for Pominville. The kid has as many shots in two games and under 9 minutes ATOI as, well, a whole range of players. I understand the hesitation with a rookie but he's looked pretty decent to me.

I'd put JEE and Schroeder in, but not at the expense of Pominville. Stewart has been useless and invisible for 3 games and Haula looked less than 50% in game 3(Upshall hit).

I mostly agree, dubnyk hasn't been the problem but he hasn't been the solution either. How our forwards haven't figured out Yeos system after playing it for 4 years beats me. But why can the Blues rely on Allen to steal games but we can't do the same with Dubnyk? He doesn't step up in the playoffs when we need him to the most. The season's on the line tomorrow and my intuition tells me we'll need at least 4 goals to win.

Dubnyk's let in some soft goals, he's also kept games within reach with some key saves. Been quite happy with how he's played, a major improvement on the final 2 months of his regular season.

 

[MNhockey19]

Sorry, but if you expect your goalie to only allow 0-1 goals per game in the playoffs, you're insane.

Read my post, I expect Dubnyk to allow 3 goals and I said the solution is our forwards need to figure out how to score more.

But the fact is Allen has allowed exactly 0-1 goals per game and were losing because of it, Allen has been the difference in this series not Dubnyk.

 

[57special]

Allen has kicked Dubnyk's butt. Don't know how you can argue that. If you are happy with his performance, I don't know what to say to you. He has let in 3 goals that a goalie on his game(i.e. Allen) wouldn't let in. Those three goals are the difference in this series.

Does that mean it's all Dubnyk's fault? No, but we are once again losing the battle of goaltenders in the playoffs, just like we did against Crawford.

Playoff hockey, especially against teams like STL, tend to be low scoring affairs. You can't let in one weak goal per game.

 

[kfan22]

Hasn't been the solution? Is that a joke? He's a goalie and the problem is we can't score. What is he supposed to do?

Sorry, but if you expect your goalie to only allow 0-1 goals per game in the playoffs, you're insane.

And regardless, even if he only allows 1 goal per game, we still need to ****ing score 2, which they haven't yet.

Allen has!!

 

[FVM]

I like the Coyle - Staal - Granlund experiment. Staal is a deceptively good shooter, and most of all, a willing one. Granny can set him up all game long. And Chahlie, he provides beef and a power forward mentality which he is finally showing after an almost entire season of mediocrity.

 

[FVM]

Good column by Souhan.

Souhan: The Wild can make it a series vs. Blues if it heeds this advice

2. Move forward, forwards

There have been long stretches of this series during which Jason Pominville has been invisible. Mikko Koivu hasn’t scored since March 7 and has two goals since Feb. 4.

Mikael Granlund and Eric Staal have failed to replicate their regular-season performances. Ryan White was a hairy mess in Game 3. Martin Hanzal was acquired to play physically against Jonathan Toews in the second round but has damaged the Wild’s chances of surviving the first round.

The Wild has had plenty of chances in this series, but too often the puck has wound up on the stick of someone who can’t remember how to score. That could change. That must change.

4. Give Bruce warm milk

Coach Bruce Boudreau has been agitated ever since the team slumped in March. He cut off the postgame news conference on Sunday. He should be the calmest person in the locker room right now, not the most red-faced.

Whatever the Wild’s faults, there is no lack of effort in this series. This team needs strategic adjustments, not emotion.

5. One more save

Devan Dubnyk is not the Wild’s primary problem. He has allowed fewer than two goals per 60 minutes.

But you don’t get trophies for avoiding blame. He could have stopped a couple of the six goals he has allowed, and one more big save might have altered the entire series.

It’s not right to blame Dubnyk. It is fair to expect more of the player considered the superior goalie entering the playoffs.

8. Bother Allen

The Wild is not an instigating team. I find that aesthetically pleasing, but it may be time to do something wrong, like start jostling Allen. He is far more comfortable than the Wild should be comfortable with.

9. Score first

Often this is cited as sports wisdom and isn’t. In this case, the Blues have been scoring first, then playing prevent defense. An early Wild goal could change the way St. Louis plays.

10. Remember

The Wild should be watching video of the way it played this winter, when the puck moved like a laser in a funhouse. That team was too good to get swept. This team should be, too.

 

[Aurinko]

Dubnyk won few games against the Av's and suddenly he is back to being the nr.1 goalie. What happened to Stalock and Kuemper?

I would like to know what would happen if we ACTUALLY played another goalie in the playoffs. For this exact same phenomenon I will never know, because they never switch the goalie.

Ye Duby has 92% saves and yes it's good for him since in all the previous playoff appearances he's had <90% saves, but he isn't carrying us to the cup is he?

Mark my words: Next year it will be the 4th time in a row. Dubnyk plays good and melts away in the playoffs like every single time before that. Those who always claim that he did fine against the Blues and Hawks in 2015 could actually look at the goals from youtube.. SAME SOFTIES BACK THEN!!!

 

[Nharris31]

Good column by Souhan.

Souhan: The Wild can make it a series vs. Blues if it heeds this advice

All Souhan Column are hot takes based on a small sample size.

 

[TaLoN]

Dubnyk won few games against the Av's and suddenly he is back to being the nr.1 goalie. What happened to Stalock and Kuemper?

I would like to know what would happen if we ACTUALLY played another goalie in the playoffs. For this exact same phenomenon I will never know, because they never switch the goalie.

Ye Duby has 92% saves and yes it's good for him since in all the previous playoff appearances he's had <90% saves, but he isn't carrying us to the cup is he?

Mark my words: Next year it will be the 4th time in a row. Dubnyk plays good and melts away in the playoffs like every single time before that. Those who always claim that he did fine against the Blues and Hawks in 2015 could actually look at the goals from youtube.. SAME SOFTIES BACK THEN!!!

Dubnyk never stopped being the number 1 goalie. If you think Kuemper is the answer, you haven't watched him play all year. He's a guaranteed 3 goals for the Blues MINIMUM.

This is not on Dubnyk's shoulders, he's done his job. The shooters have not done theirs.

 

[TaLoN]

Allen has!!

The Blues aren't going to go much further than us if they have to rely on those kind of numbers from Allen for 4 full rounds.

That's not a recipe for winning the Cup. A better shooting team than us will embarrass them.

 

[Minnesota]

All Souhan Column are hot takes based on a small sample size.

But he's not wrong on this most recent article.

 

[W75]

Sounds like Wild should use two head coaches, 1a and 1b. A strategist and an emotionist

 

[WILDTATE10]

Its definitely not all on Dubnyk, but at least the 1st goals in each of the last 2 games should have been saved

 

[Soldier13Fox]

I just think St. Louis has played a good game of rope-a-dope. Can't blame the team when their goaler makes 50+ saves in Game 1. This was not a good matchup. Ex-head coach with a bone to pick is always tough. Classic case of addition by subtraction when they got rid of Shattenkirk. It also gave them a rallying point (no one believed in us!). Lots of playoff experience on the team too and they came in on a hot streak.

I do think the extra day off gives the Wild a chance to reset. Come in and win Wednesday and they have a chance as the better team.

This might be the best comment I've read since the loss on Sunday. Way too many people talking about lack of heart, disinterest, captaincy issues, coaching issues, gm issues.... to me that's just a bunch of baloney. It really is a terrible match-up for us along with being up against a hot goalie. I hope tonight goes well for us. I don't want it to be the end of Wild hockey this year.

 

[Eye Floater]

Allen has kicked Dubnyk's butt. Don't know how you can argue that. If you are happy with his performance, I don't know what to say to you. He has let in 3 goals that a goalie on his game(i.e. Allen) wouldn't let in. Those three goals are the difference in this series.

Does that mean it's all Dubnyk's fault? No, but we are once again losing the battle of goaltenders in the playoffs, just like we did against Crawford.

Playoff hockey, especially against teams like STL, tend to be low scoring affairs. You can't let in one weak goal per game.

Agree with this completely.

For the most part he is playing well, but he is letting in one weak goal per game that his opponent isn't, and it is deflating to the team and the difference in this series.