Gm # 46: Wild vs. Flames (4/8)

The stars were misaligned last night for the Wild, and it was a poor night for it to happen. First, red-hot Josh Harding tweaks a Gaborik in the warm up and Nik Backstrom is pressed into emergency duty (though he played pretty well overall, despite some iffy rebound control). Then the zebras took over the game - allowing a Wild goal after Radio basically jumped up and sat on Kipprusoff's back, and then an extremely quick whistle on what would have been a Flames goal (the puck was basically in mid-air). Then a pretty soft call on the Flames leads to another Wild PPG. So perhaps it is some kind of karmic justice that the Flames got the extra point last night (via the shootout), but the Wild were very lucky to get a point at all.

The Wild did a good job of containing Iginla during regulation and OT, but the Wild killer was not to be denied in the SO - though after Dion Phaneuf softened up Backstrom with a rocket off the collar bone.

I guess the Wild didn't play poorly. The Flames were hungry and enthused - as you'd imagine they would have been having just been shut out in Nashville and on a 4-game losing streak. The "nickel defense" pair of Schultz and Johnsson continue to be very strong, and Voros was back to his old swashbuckling self. The Foy-Shep-Fedoruk line had their moments again, and the PP got credited with two goals. Radio definitely played like a guy who doesn't want to lose his job, now he just has to replicate it.

Kurtis Foster had a strong game. Hitting, defensively and a LASER of a slapper for the second Wild goal.

Martin Skoula started out pretty well, but then failed to disrupt David Moss as he skated in from the left dot and scored his second goal of the season.

It's good to get a point out of this game, but it feels worse than a SOL. Give credit to Calgary for playing a good road game and persevering through some shoddy officiating.

Martin Skoula Report Card
Martin had a challenging game. He started out okay, but then was back to his old habits of losing power to his brain for a goal-against. He also took a stupid delay-of-game penalty.
Grade: D+

Season series
Overall: Wild trail 1-2-1 (GF 11, GA 12)
In Minny: Wild lead 1-0-1 (GF 6, GA 4)
In Calgary: Wild trail 0-2-0 (GF 5, GA 8)

CHICKEN LITTLE SAYS: Still no answer for Iginla.

POLLYANNA SAYS: A point's a point!

BOTTOM LINE: Take the point and run...

STUD: Foster takes a lot of grief for not using his size and not hitting the net. Neither can be said about his game last night.

DUD: Good Marty, we hardly knew ye.

NiNY