Wild vs. Stars (Game #26) 12-2-06 @ 7:00PM CST at American Airlines Arena

[LemaireisGOD]

MINNESOTA WILD (13-11-1) 27pts 2nd Northwest

71 Goals For (ranked 21st in the NHL)
66 Goals Against (ranked 10th in the NHL)

3rd ranked PP (21%)
3rd ranked PK (89.1%)

Top 5 Scorers:
1. #12 Brian Rolston ~ 12G 9A = 21pts
2. #96 Pierre-Marc Bouchard ~ 5G 13A = 18pts
3. #28 Todd White ~ 5G 13A = 18pts
4. #38 Pavol Demitra ~ 5G 10A = 15pts
5. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 5G 10A = 15pts

Top PIM's:
1. #24 Derek Boogaard ~ 41 PIM's
2. #26 Kurtis Foster ~ 24 PIM's
3. #5 Kim Johnsson ~ 24 PIM's

Top Goaltender(s):
1. #35 Manny Fernandez (9-9-0) 2.27GAA .911%SP
2. #32 Niklas Backstrom (4-2-1) 1.92GAA .941%SP





VS.




DALLAS STARS (16-9-0) 32pts 3rd Pacific

70 Goals For (ranked 16th in the NHL)
55 Goals Against (ranked 3rd in the NHL)

25th ranked PP (14.6%)
5th ranked PK (87%)

Top 5 Scorers:
1. #9 Mike Modano ~ 9G 9A = 18pts
2. #63 Mike Ribeiro ~ 5G 12A = 17pts
3. #88 Eric Lindros ~ 5G 12A = 17pts
4. #10 Brendan Morrow ~ 8G 8A = 16pts
5. #36 Jussi Jokinen ~ 6G 8A = 14pts

Top PIM's:
1. #77 Matthew Barnaby ~ 86 PIM's
2. #88 Eric Lindros ~ 43 PIM's
3. #3 Stephane Robidas ~ 43 PIM's

Top Goaltender(s):
1. #35 Manny Fernandez (9-9-0) 2.71GAA .911%SP
2. #32 Niklas Backstrom (4-2-1) 1.92GAA .941%SP


The Wild have their work cut out for them tonight against a struggling Dallas Stars team. The Wild need to find ways to generate offense beyond their line of Rolston, White and Bouchard in order to be successful. GO WILD!!!

[MNSOTA]

1-1

Nummelin from Veilleux and Dupuis

Boucher from Modano


Now we're looking for those perfect passes...I don't like that. Just flippin' shoot...you can't score if you don't shoot.

[MNSOTA]

3-2 Wild, 16 left in the third

Ericksson from Ribiero and Zubov

Rolston from Weinhandl and Carney

Koivu from Parrish

[MNSOTA]

Thanks to Skouba (oh, I mean Skoula), we give up our 3-2 lead.

[LemaireisGOD]

Wild lose in the shootout 4-3...Stars go 3-for-3 on the shootout; Backstrom is definately not in his element in that session of play. If I was a GM Skoula would be on the waiver wire tonight. He's lucky we're a banged up hockey team; and we're so near the cap otherwise he might just be there. Great overall team effort, submarined by the crappy effort of Martin Skoula. GO WILD!!!

[LemaireisGOD]

http://wild.mostvaluablenetwork.com/...tout-thriller/

Deja Vu in Dallas for Skoula as Wild lose in 4-3 shootout thriller

~ Derek Felska MVN Staff Writer

Back on April 15th, 2006; the last game of the 2005-06 season for the Wild the State of Hockey finished their season with a game against the playoff bound Dallas Stars. It was in this game that two costly turnovers by Martin Skoula ended up biting the Wild when Trevor Daley scored late to beat the Wild 4-3 despite an inspired effort that saw Mikko Koivu and Mattias Weinhandl light the lamp for the Wild. Fast forward to December 2nd, 2006 at the very same American Airlines Arena and once again we see Martin Skoula’s bungling play cost the Wild in a 4-3 loss in a shootout, despite another inspired performance from Mikko Koivu.

The Wild started out with fire and jump in their skates despite a disappointing performance the previous night against the Detroit Red Wings. The Wild got on the scoreboard early when Petteri Nummelin flung a wrist shot from the point that the Stars’ Marty Turco didn’t see until it tickled the twine. The Stars would equalize the game just about a minute later when Philippe Boucher uncorked a slapshot from the point that the Wild’s Niklas Backstrom did not seem to see and it found the back of the net. Despite the goal the Wild got a tremendous effort all game long from their new “grind” line of Matt Foy, Stephane Veilleux and Mikko Koivu who’s tenacious play created all kinds of in-close chances on Turco. The team seemed to be determined to simplify the offensive attack and attempt to get as many pucks on net as possible and it was evidenced by their 11 to 10 shot advantage in the period, but the game would still be tied at 1-1 going into the 2nd.

In the 2nd, penalties threaten to sink the Wild right from the start. An Interference call on Brian Rolston was virtually killed off when Martin Skoula got lazy and took a bad hooking call keeping the Wild’s penalty kill unit out there for another 2:00. The Stars would take advantage when Mike Ribeiro would work behind the net and find rookie Loui Eriksson who would fire it home on a bang-bang play to make it 2-1 Dallas. The boys representing the State of Hockey would not let this get them down and they started rebuilding their forechecking effort. The Wild were not taking one pass too many; and rather getting pucks to the net and charging the crease; one quality chance saw Wyatt Smith was right on the door step frantically trying to chop the puck into the net but popped up and went wide of his intended target. A quick turnover in the neutral zone saw Brian Rolston move in on the breakaway, where he tried a little deke to his forehand that Turco defeated with a nice leg pad save. Rolston was determined to redeem himself and 30 seconds after being stopped he zoomed down the ice on a 3-on-1 and Mattias Weinhandl slid him a pass where he one-timed a rocket of a slap shot by Turco to equalize the game at 2-2 just under a minute left in the 2nd.

The 3rd saw the Wild resume their tenacious forecheck, continuing to put pressure on Marty Turco and the Dallas Stars. Even though the Wild would end up losing this game; this was perhaps one of their best forechecking efforts of the season and it is unfortunate their terrific effort wasn’t reciprocated into a victory. The Wild would tally in the 3rd when Mark Parrish would slide a pass to Mikko Koivu who fired a shot by Turco to give the Wild a 3-2 lead. Minnesota did not rest on its lead but instead kept up its forecheck and created some other prime scoring chances in the 3rd. On one of them Mikko Koivu tried to return the favor by sliding a pass across the crease to Parrish who shoveled the puck to the goal only to be denied by Turco’s left leg. However, upon seeing it on instant replay the puck looked as if it had completely crossed the line, yet there was no review during the game. Yet oddly enough a few mintues later a clearly non-controversial goal was mysteriously reviewed and referee Mick McGeough said it was a “no-goal”, it can be speculated it was actually Parrish’s shot that was indeed reviewed. The Wild would get another terrific chance when Matt Foy would get behind the Dallas defense to move in on Turco, who sprawled out to shut him down. The desperation saves by Turco kept the Stars in the game. Little did Turco know the Wild’s Martin Skoula would help Dallas’ cause once more when he attempted to pass the puck to an unsuspecting Kim Johnsson and the Stars’ Niklas Hagman raced in and threw the puck towards the slot where Jussi Jokinen moved in and beat Backstrom with a wrister to tie the game 3-3 sending it into overtime.

The Wild dominated the overtime session generating many good chances on Turco as the Stars scrambled about in their own end. The first coming off of the stick of Petteri Nummelin who again tried to beat Turco with a wrister and then recovered his own rebound to shovel it towards the Stars netminder again forcing him to hold on. The excellent pressure of the Wild forced the Stars’ Loui Eriksson to take a hooking penalty and despite some great puck movement and some good shots Turco was a wall and gave his team a chance to win the game in a shootout.

In the shootout, the Dallas Stars elected to shoot first. Dallas was the league’s best team last season in the shootout; and they would demonstrate their mastery of that tonight. Their first shooter was veteran defenseman Sergei Zubov and he moved in on Niklas Backstrom and beat him with a sweet little deke roofing a forehand topshelf to give Dallas a 1-0 edge. The Wild’s first shooter was Mikko Koivu who took a more straight on approach and tried his forehand to backhand move that Turco got a piece of with his blocker sending it up and over the net. Dallas’ next shooter was their shootout ace, Jussi Jokinen who could’ve taught a class with the way he schooled goaltenders. Apparently Backstrom could learn a few things from Jokinen as he skated in and beat him with a quick wrist shot that beat the Finnish goaltender stick side to make it 2-0 Stars. The Wild’s hopes then rested on its now assistant captain, Brian Rolston and he skated down the ice and in shocking fashion once again skated into the slot and blistered a slap shot by a stunned Turco glove side to make it 2-1. This now put the game onto the shoulders of Backstrom; who had to stop the Stars’ Mike Ribeiro to keep the Wild in the game and give their 3rd shooter Petteri Nummelin a chance to send it into extra shooters. Mike Ribeiro would skate in rather slowly and move side to side from backhand to forehand to backhand and as Backstrom committed he went back to the forehand and wrapped it around and into the net to give the Stars a 4-3 shootout victory.

While Niklas Backstrom was relatively solid with 21 saves, it is becoming clear the shootout is somethign he struggles with. In his three shootout performances, Backstrom has a 1-2 record with just 4 saves against 10 shots. The Wild gave a terrific effort and offensively they were much improved putting 35 shots on the Stars. Yet the fact the Wild outshot the Stars 35-24 makes the effort somewhat frustrating. This was a loss that will hurt; especially for Martin Skoula who deservedly sat on the bench for his two poor decisions that led directly to Stars goals.

Wild Notes:

~ Wild scratches were Marian Gaborik, Pavol Demitra, Wes Walz, Derek Boogaard, and Kurtis Foster.

~ The Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks 2-1 at Midwest Wireless Arena; with the game winning goal coming on a wickedly fantastic between the legs shot by Kyle Okposo.

[Socodawgs]

Wouldn't have been able to watch this one, but thanks to Tivo, I got to watch the taped version. I think the team played much better with a good amount of emotion. They are starting to come together some with their passing and team play, but I think MNSOTA is 100% correct that they just need to shoot more.

Skoula... when we traded for him I thought after looking at his stats and past play, he would be a nice addition to the team. Now he is just a load. After the penalties and lack of play we have gotten form him, I would love to see him go down and one of the younger players stay up when we get healthy.

[LemaireisGOD]

Skoula...aka...SKOUBA sucks. The sooner we get rid of that 6'3" Czech pansie the better. GO WILD!!!