It was
obvious from the beginning that the team did not have as much energy going out
as they did in Game 3; they’re speed was gone, the hits were soft, and they
avoided the puck like the plague. Referring to Patrick Kane’s comments on the
Wild before this series started, the team is dangerous when they want to be,
but sometimes it “just looks like they don’t even want to be there.” Harsh, but
true as the team let Blackhawks open the scoring 8 minutes into the first on a
bad turnover in the defensive zone. The play could have been a game changer had
the turnover not occurred, possibly creating a 2-on-1 rush into the Blackhawks
zone with Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle on a pass from Mikko Koivu, but alas,
not every play can be perfect. To make matters worse, with less than five
minutes left in the first, goaltender Josh Harding was crashed into by Jonathon
Toews, resulting in a lower body injury that led him to not start the second
period.
The first
period did not go in the Wild’s favor, and the hockey gods only wanted more
suffering in the second. As goaltender Darcy Kuemper, only in his second
professional year and first year playing in the NHL, replaced Harding, another
Blackhawks goal from Patrick Sharp was allowed in on the very first shot. While
many argue the shot should have been saved, coming into the second period cold,
without time to adjust contributed to the goal on Kuemper along with his lack
of NHL experience. Unable to capitalize on the two power-plays given in the
second, along with the two in the first, the hole the Wild put themselves in
only seemed to get larger.
Now 0-for-4 on power-play
opportunities, the third period would only be worse, making the game record
0-for-6 when two more Blackhawks penalties were issued with Wild still unable
to capitalize. And the mayhem would only get worse as another Blackhawks goal
would be tallied by Bryan Bickell, the same player that scored the OT
game-winner in the first game this series. Down 3-0 the slaughter would finally
end, but adding insult to injury, Xcel Energy Center was already half empty,
crippling any motivation from the crowd flowing into the team.
In a game where the series could
have been tied, Wild fell apart and let the Blackhawks take a commanding 3-1
series lead. If the team hopes to stay alive as this series moves back to
Chicago, the Wild needs to address everything that went wrong last night, and
fix it – fast. Overall, Wild is now 0-for-15 on power-plays so far this series,
something that, like a broken record that has been addressed over and over
again, the Wild needs to focus on correcting and get on the board when given a
man advantage. Along with the power-play dilemma, the chemistry in the team has
fallen apart as well, demonstrated by the Setoguchi/Zucker/Cullen line
registering zero shots on goal last night. Something needs to occur in the
lines to re-spark the energy they had earlier this season so they don’t look
like…well like they did last night. On top of everything, the goalie issue
needs to be addressed; now down two goalies, the Wild needs to help out their
goaltender more, keeping things at the other end as much as possible so the
Blackhawks do not exploit the lack of playoff experience from Kuemper. These
problems need to be fixed before Thursday if the Wild hopes to make it to a
Game 6, or even a Game 7 which would take place back on home ice in Xcel Energy
Center. The power-play needs to produce, the lines need restore some chemistry,
and the goalie can no longer be left alone and out to drown. The team needs to
work together, hold onto the puck, and register more shots on goal than they
did last night; overall, the team needs to look like they want to be there. Wild,
already proving all the doubters wrong by even winning one game this series, is
not to be counted out just yet. Game 5 is sure to get, well…Wild.
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