As poised and calm as the Wild appeared in game one they have done a compete about face in games teo and three. The discipline is gone and the parade to the penalty box is out of control.
The Wild's best chance to win this series is to play five on five as much as possible and utilize their strong forecheck to wear down the Canucks defense. Get more traffic in front of Jacob Markstrom and when they do get their sticks on the puck.
Yesterday the Wild were able to force a decent amount of net front opportunities however they either lost the handle altogether or missed the puck entirely. The difference in the game really was the Brock Boeser powerplay goal midway through the second period.
Boeser unlike the Wild forwards corralled the rebound of Elias Pettersson's one timer and backhand it past a sprawling Jared Spurgeon into the yawning cage. Not enough credit was given to Boeser as that is not the easiest of goals to score. Many would have slung that puck wide of the net and the powerplay would have played on, but Boeser being the talented goal scorer he is finished it for the lead and the stranglehold of the game and series.
Tonight presents some interesting questions for Dean Evason and his team. Does he shake up things with the lineup? Last night he inserted Nico Sturm in place of the struggling Ryan Donato.
Does Donato make his way back into the Wild lineup and play with a chip on his shoulder after be scratched in game 3?
Probably the biggest question is how is Ryan Suter today after leaving the game late yesterday after taking what appeared to be a slash from Louie Eriksson?
Alex Galchenyuk played a much stronger game yesterday after his dreadful performance in game two. Can he continue that play, but more importantly can he contribute on the scores heat?
Can the Wild stay out of the penalty box and keep that Canuck powrtplay off the ice?
If this is the final game of the season for the Wild, it most likely will also signal the end of captaun Mikko Koivu's career in the NHL as well.
Let's hope the captain has some more magic left in the tank to will the Wild to a winner take all game five on Sunday.
It's always Hockey Day in the State of Hockey!
Minnesota Wild Blogger • 
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