The Wild fired up the ol' Way Back Machine and channeled themselves, circa 2002, for their Sunday 3-1 loss to the Avs in Denver. In other words, it was the "dump it in on offense, and pray for a turnover on defense" routine that we grew so fond of in those seminal years.
There wasn't a whole lot of pretty from the Wild, though Harding looked pretty good (virtually no rebounds on the shots he had a clean chance on) and Koivu continues to impress with his overall game. Cal Clutterbuck got his first NHL action, and didn't embarrass himself in 7:03 of ice time.
But the Avs - who improved to 5-0 at home this season with the win - were not to be fooled by our rope-a-dope strategy.
Foy played a little better, too, at times. I wonder if the presence of a guy like Clutterbuck (who plays about the same type of game) isn't the extra motivation he needs to start earning his time.
After the 7-0-1 start, the Wild are now 0-2-1 in their last 3.
CHICKEN LITTLE SAYS: It's injury season, and the team is still only skin-deep. 0.500 by Thanksgiving?
POLLYANNA SAYS: They were without their #1 goalie, #1 scorer and his consiglieri. Not a bad effort, considering.
BOTTOM LINE: Where was the plucky, "grind out a point and take your chances in the shootout" team from last year? Tough to give 2 full points to a division opponent.
STUD: Mikko was dominant in the first period, and continues to show all-star form.
DUD: Skoula was back to his old tricks. Timidly going into the corner behind Harding after a loose puck, and lamely giving way to the bull-in-a-china-shop forecheck of Big Bad Joe Sakic, and then failing to recover into the play as the Avs scored what ended up being the game-winner.
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SBP Update
I decided not to bet Saturday's options, but did take the Fowl last night at home against the Oilers. Bad move. That's twice I've been burned by the Fowl, and the last time for a while.
Season record: 7-10
Winning %: 0.412
Last 10: 3-7
NiNY
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