Tony Dean: WildHBcommunity: Game Five What Wild Team Shows Up in STL? WildHBcommunity: Game Five What Wild Team Shows Up in STL?

I am nervous... But the plus is that I just got my new Comcast X1 box, so this will be my first time watching a Wild game in full 1080P instead of 1080i !!!

Not feeling overly optimistic about this one. Game 6 is ours though

Can someone tell me what this 2nd line hopes to accomplish when passing puck back and forth behind Blues net, only to have it stolen without a single SOG. Maybe to pad that crucial possession stat?

Can someone tell me what this 2nd line hopes to accomplish when passing puck back and forth behind Blues net, only to have it stolen without a single SOG. Maybe to pad that crucial possession stat?
- SotaPopinski

Wow. Literally the first time they tried something other than playing the boards, they scored.

Try that more? Haha.

Can someone tell me what this 2nd line hopes to accomplish when passing puck back and forth behind Blues net, only to have it stolen without a single SOG. Maybe to pad that crucial possession stat?
- SotaPopinski

I was going to say the same thing - you can't do anything dangerous when all three forwards are constantly facing the boards. They finally worked something different.

This Blues team has a serious Jekyll & Hyde complex

This Blues team has a serious Jekyll & Hyde complex
- SotaPopinski

Is it them? Or is it US??

Or both. Everybody thought every game was going to go into overtime, but it's been the opposite. What a weird series.

Nice bounce back! Solid win! Wild still solid on the road!

This Blues team has a serious Jekyll & Hyde complex
- SotaPopinski

Dubnyk was the better goalie tonight. Blues quit after the 3rd goal. That was pretty evident at the end of 2. Don't win this one without Dubnyks effort though!

Is it them? Or is it US??

Or both. Everybody thought every game was going to go into overtime, but it's been the opposite. What a weird series.
- gypsypunk01

Depends on who you ask

The Blues deserved better tonight, outshooting the Wild 2-1. Great night for Dubs and 2nd line

At the end of the first I thought Hitch figured us out and it was hopeless. I took 2 shots o rumple and I saw a response from a team that had been dominated for about 5 periods of crucial playoff hockey. I don't know who exactly to credit tonight. Do we finally throw a bone and give Yeo credit for a few minor lineup changes and a few F bombs in the locker room?

At the end of the first I thought Hitch figured us out and it was hopeless. I took 2 shots o rumple and I saw a response from a team that had been dominated for about 5 periods of crucial playoff hockey. I don't know who exactly to credit tonight. Do we finally throw a bone and give Yeo credit for a few minor lineup changes and a few F bombs in the locker room?
- Rollin4Lines

I'd credit the rumple before Yeo

I'd credit the rumple before Yeo
- SotaPopinski

Mr. Defeatist over here... Jeez. Take off the tin foil hat for a sec Sota. I honestly had less worries tonight than I did game one.

Call me crazy, but I knew they'd bounce back tonight. Dubs played awesome and Yeo mixing the lines up a little certainly didnt hurt things.


Teams don't go 27 - 9 - 2 for no reason.

Mr. Defeatist over here... Jeez. Take off the tin foil hat for a sec Sota. I honestly had less worries tonight than I did game one.

Call me crazy, but I knew they'd bounce back tonight. Dubs played awesome and Yeo mixing the lines up a little certainly didnt hurt things.


Teams don't go 27 - 9 - 2 for no reason.
- MnGump

I said Dubs needed to steal at least one game by himself in order for the Wild to win this series. Things are going exactly as planned

I said Dubs needed to steal at least one game by himself in order for the Wild to win this series. Things are going exactly as planned
- SotaPopinski

BTW, congrats to Doobie! Vezina finalist!

Is it them? Or is it US??

Or both. Everybody thought every game was going to go into overtime, but it's been the opposite. What a weird series.
- gypsypunk01

I think it's a little bit of both.

The Blues tend to dominate the possession game when they get the Wild relatively stationary in their own zone - the Wild can't handle them physically to take the puck away and just try to keep everything to the outside. And the Blues forwards only need an inch of body position in those cases to get good chances. Like Tarasenko's first goal in Game 2 - that was a great play by him to move into a position quickly to get a slight advantage in body position on Brodin and make a great tip.

But when the Wild defend the entry well (tight gaps from the defensemen, forwards taking passing lanes away on the backcheck) and are able to keep things moving quickly in the defensive zone, they seem to be able to make cleaner, quicker exits and force St. Louis back into defending. That's where their speed seems to be more effective. Dubnyk has helped that by getting to a lot of dump-ins.

But the Blues seem to have made some adjustments on their dump-ins so Dubnyk can't get to as many and it seems that they are trying to create more one-on-one situations with the Wild defensemen on the dump-ins - like those softer dumps to the corners. They also seem to be trying to get a little further through the neutral zone on the hard rim with the opposite side winger having speed to get there first and help establish possession in the offensive zone.

To me it just looks like a real tightly contested, strategic game that is playing out. I think both teams know what they need to do to put themselves in a better position to execute their game plan and gain an advantage. One team's success in one area seems to limit the other team's ability to have that success. But in a game like last night that seems to go back and forth. I think in Games 3 and 4 there just wasn't that back and forth. Each team seemed to excel in their game plan for the majority of the game making it more lopsided.

Hitchcock has been good with the media with his thoughts on this series breaking down the games. I like the details he's given on his assessments. It's real X's and O's stuff, but I like to hear that kind of detail from the coaches.

Call me crazy, but I knew they'd bounce back tonight. Dubs played awesome and Yeo mixing the lines up a little certainly didnt hurt things.
- MnGump

You're crazy.

OK, so in a series where the losing team seems to adjust well, do you think Yeo keeps the same lines or does he anticipate an adjustment by Hitchcock relative to the same lines and then try to counter by not trotting out the same combinations?

I do like how the Niederreiter-Koivu-Stewart line can give the Wild some offensive zone possession time and even though I don't think they generate many chances, keeping the Blues out of the Wild end for any length of time is definitely a benefit.

I'm not crazy about Zucker with Coyle and Vanek, though. I still like Fontaine there because he's shown the most ability to make Vanek offensively relevant. But I'm not sure Zucker belongs on the 4th line either.

Hell, I don't know what they should do.

On a side note, how good is Pietrangelo? That guy is always in the play.

Great to see the Wild handling St Louis!! I'm pulling for you guys!

You're crazy.

OK, so in a series where the losing team seems to adjust well, do you think Yeo keeps the same lines or does he anticipate an adjustment by Hitchcock relative to the same lines and then try to counter by not trotting out the same combinations?

I do like how the Niederreiter-Koivu-Stewart line can give the Wild some offensive zone possession time and even though I don't think they generate many chances, keeping the Blues out of the Wild end for any length of time is definitely a benefit.

I'm not crazy about Zucker with Coyle and Vanek, though. I still like Fontaine there because he's shown the most ability to make Vanek offensively relevant. But I'm not sure Zucker belongs on the 4th line either.

Hell, I don't know what they should do.

On a side note, how good is Pietrangelo? That guy is always in the play.
- Chinaski

stewart looked fully engaged last night for the first time in this series. Koivu played his best game of the series. And I agree,thought Nino was able to elevate his game after he moved up with those two.

Coyle had a good game on both sides of the puck. I don't know if I like Zook w/ Coyle and Vanek, but they didn't look bad as a line. I think Zuckers talent is a bit wasted on it, but I think Vanek needs an aggressive forechecker like Zucker or Parise to help him get to the areas he's best in

stewart looked fully engaged last night for the first time in this series. Koivu played his best game of the series. And I agree,thought Nino was able to elevate his game after he moved up with those two.

Coyle had a good game on both sides of the puck. I don't know if I like Zook w/ Coyle and Vanek, but they didn't look bad as a line. I think Zuckers talent is a bit wasted on it, but I think Vanek needs an aggressive forechecker like Zucker or Parise to help him get to the areas he's best in
- MnGump

The Blues fans were right about Stewart. He makes a bit more of a difference for this Wild team because they lack that size element. But I don't know that he is going to be good for this team to re-sign unless it's a really reasonable $/term. This team needs that size element coupled with the consistent hard-working element. And he just lacks that consistency. I could see being very frustrated watching him for 82 regular season games. It's all I can do to keep from blowing a head gasket watching Vanek.

The Blues fans were right about Stewart. He makes a bit more of a difference for this Wild team because they lack that size element. But I don't know that he is going to be good for this team to re-sign unless it's a really reasonable $/term. This team needs that size element coupled with the consistent hard-working element. And he just lacks that consistency. I could see being very frustrated watching him for 82 regular season games. It's all I can do to keep from blowing a head gasket watching Vanek.
- Chinaski

I was much more impressed with Stewart in the regular season than I thought I'd be... but he hasn't been noticable enough for my liking so far in the post season.

That last game of the regular season vs. the Blues was a God awful perfromance by him.

I like the big body and occasional deceptive speed he shows when he decides he wants to play, bu I personally won't feel bad if they don't re-sign him. He's not much more than a glorified Moulson.

Bergenheim either.

Bergenheim either.
- MnGump

If it was a low cost, I wouldn't mind seeing what Bergenheim could do here. Probably a fourth liner but could also slot into other lines if necessary. I think he would provide depth and versatility, but again, it would depend on the price.

The Blues fans were right about Stewart. He makes a bit more of a difference for this Wild team because they lack that size element. But I don't know that he is going to be good for this team to re-sign unless it's a really reasonable $/term. This team needs that size element coupled with the consistent hard-working element. And he just lacks that consistency. I could see being very frustrated watching him for 82 regular season games. It's all I can do to keep from blowing a head gasket watching Vanek.
- Chinaski

I promise you that you will be very frustrated with him if you watch him for 82 games.