I remember one of my first times in the Wild locker room during training camp up at Ralph Englestead arena in North Dakota and the Wild players had just finished an intra-squad scrimmage. Josh Harding was the winning goaltender and after coming off the ice, he was asking if he was the first star and whether he had to go back onto the ice for the announcement? Obviously, there were no first star announcements and, obviously, Harding knew everyone would get a kick out of that comment as Josh, obviously, knew his role on the Wild as did everyone else in the locker room that day. But, on this day, Josh Harding was not the backup and he was the first star of the game in the Wild's 1-0 win over the Avs making it 5 out of 6 on the year in these two teams last meeting of the regular season. Harding had 30 saves on the night and got the nod to start in net as he was the least injured of himself and Backstrom. However, during the game, Harding appeared to have re-injured his hip which he injured last week in a game against Detroit where he did not come back into the game after the first period of that game. In this game, Harding continued to play and was obviously laboring. Each time he went down into the butterfly, it took him a while to get back up. Frankly, I am surprised that the Avs did not notice this and begin to put anything and everything on net. Had they done so, they would have eventually gotten a rebound with Harding still down on the ice, laboring to regain his feet.

The lone goal of the game came in the 3rd period (after Chicago had already iced 3 goals on the Sharks during the first period of that game). Martin Havlat scored for the Wild on a great no-look backhand pass by Brodziak in front of Craig Anderson where Havlat was crashing the net and put it into an open net with Anderson hugging his far side post where the puck and Brodziak were.

A much needed road win for the Wild, but at what cost? Now it appears that the Wild will be without both Backstrom and Harding and the Wild now have some decisions to make as they move on to San Jose for a tilt against the Sharks who are getting hammered by the Blackhawks, 3-1, as I am writing this. Here are the stats on the three guys down in Houston, the Wild's minor league affiliate:

# Goalie GP MINS W L SL SO GA GAA Svs SV%

31 Wade Dubielewicz 23 1203 11 9 0 0 47 2.35 465 0.908

30 Anton Khudobin 26 1390 9 13 1 4 55 2.37 518 0.904

33 Barry Brust 3 173 2 1 0 0 7 2.43 66 0.904

Assuming both Backstrom and Harding are out, I wonder who would get the start and who would be the backup? Barry Brust will love that scenario as he will be the lone ranger for the Houston Aeros and see some game play. Who knows, maybe on one day's rest, one of Backstrom or Harding will give it a go. Otherwise it will be a great opportunity for one of the understudy's to hit the main stage.

In any event, with Thursday night's win, the Wild gain another two points and now sit at 58 points and in 10th place ahead of Dallas (57) and Anaheim (55) and trailing 9th place Detroit (59) and eighth place Calgary (60) and 7th place Nashville (61).

Another intersting note: As good as the Avs have been this year (66 points and 4th place in the Western Conference), the Wild have beaten them 5 out of 6 times. Perhaps tapes of those games will be important to whoever draws the Avs in the playoffs.

Speaking of the "p" word, are the Wild starting to make their move? Stay tuned Wild fans!

Way to go Wild and Josh Harding, YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!! Congrats and thank you (sorry about all the crap I've been slinging your way this year).

GO WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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