Gm # 67: Wild 1, Avs 2 (SO)

Unreal.

The Wild is sitting just outside the playoff cutoff line in the Western Conference. This is the crunch time. The desperation part of the season. Points are critical, so points are at a premium. There is no excuse for not knowing the situation, and no excuse for not "bringing it" every single shift/period/game.

Yet this Wild team just doesn't get it.

This is a heartless, immature, unprofessional and rudderless team right now. There is just no other way to explain it. Maybe they've tuned out the coach. If so, then it's time for the coach to go away. Maybe they're trying the very best they can and they just don't measure up. If so, then it's time for the GM to go away. But for sure, it's time for each and every one of these players to look at himself in a mirror and ask himself if he is doing everything he can possibly do, every chance he gets to do it.

Last night the Wild lost its tenth game this season in which they scored the first goal. Ten games! They lost four such games all of last season. They blew power play after power play, often not recording a single shot. They were, at times, completely inept in front of Backstrom - leading to an unbelievable 42 shots against. Their shot totals by period were 8-5-2. With the exception of Backstrom (who rebounded from another soft goal to turn in a point-saving effort for the balance of the game) the Wild was putrid. Despicable. Pathetic.

Sadly, the play of the rest of the teams around the Wild is allowing Minnesota to stay alive in the Western Conference race right now. This lends false hope to the common fan, and maybe lends a false sense of security to the players. Either way, this is a team that is in no way playing like they want to get into the playoffs. And that's sickening to this fan, anyway.

Chicken Little says: Now this was MY kind of game!

Pollyanna says: Pollyanna? Where'd you go, darlin'?

Bottom Line: They got a point, but they were playing like they didn't want any - and that's inexcusable

Stud: No freakin' way

Dud: Pick 'em

Up Next: Another brick in the wall...

NiNY