GDT: Detroit @ Minnesota : 01/21/2010 Puck drops at 7pm

Since I am going thanks to tweet for tix...

VS.

Quote :

On Tuesday, when Brent Burns participated in his first full practice since sustaining a concussion, Todd Richards said it was “conceivable” that he would play against the Detroit Red Wings. Still, it didn’t seem likely that Burns would make his return so quickly, but after two practices, number 8 will be back in game action tonight against the Wings.

The Wild has been practicing hard the last two days after finishing an 0-3-0 road trip with a 4-3 loss on Dallas on Monday. Minnesota spotted the Stars a 4-0 lead before Antti Miettinen scored twice, and then assisted on Mikko Koivu’s goal. Josh Harding came into the game in relief of Niklas Backstrom and stopped all 14 shots that he faced.

The Red Wings have lost three straight but picked up a point in two of those games before losing to Washington on Tuesday, 3-2. Daniel Cleary and Brian Rafalski picked up the goals for the Red Wings, who outshot the Capitals, 46-23. Chris Osgood made his first start since December 20 and took the loss.

Ticket Information

Tonight’s game is a sellout, but Gametime RUSH tickets will be made available at 7:00 PM. Click here to find out more about the RUSH offer.

Broadcast Information

Wild vs. Red Wings will be broadcast locally on KSTC-TV Channel 45. The game can be heard on WCCO 830 AM, or online at Wild.com.

Click here to receive Minnesota Wild broadcast alerts/game day previews each Wild Game day

If you would like to receive broadcast alerts (time and channel) by cell phone, simply text TV to 83281

If You’re Going

Maybe you’re getting married this summer? If so, make sure you are one of the first 6,000 fans through the gates tonight, and you’ll receive a Wells Fargo Wild Rally towel. Then, you won’t have to register for hand towels, and instead you can set your attention on those fancy salt and peppershakers.

Meet The Wings

Sitting one point out of a playoff spot sounds pretty nice to Wild fans right about now. But in Detroit, that’s grounds for blowing up the team. If the Wings don’t move into that eighth spot in the West or above, they will miss the playoffs for the first time in 19 years.

Injuries to key players have decimated the defending Western Conference champions. Andreas Lilja (concussion), Johan Franzen (knee), Jason Williams (leg), Niklas Kronwall (knee) and Tomas Holmstrom (foot) are all currently out and have already missed significant time.

A team used to getting big numbers across the board is being led in goals by Todd Bertuzzi’s 13. The Wings have been saved, literally, by the revelation of Jimmy Howard in goal. Howard is 17-10-4 with a 2.18 goals against average and a .928 save percentage.

Who’s Hot?

Martin Havlat appears to have reached a comfort zone with his new team, and the questions about “what’s wrong with Marty?” have ceased in the last couple months. Havlat has four assists in the last two games, and he now has at least one point over the last 20 contests. In those 20 games, he’s posted six goals and 16 assists. Havlat has climbed to third on the Wild scoring charts with 33 points.

Tonight’s Storyline

The return of Burns will be the major talking point tonight. Though his minutes will be watched closely, and he likely won’t see a lot of time on special teams, his presence could be a huge boost to a team that has lost three straight.

Keep An Eye On

Tonight will be Josh Harding’s first start at Xcel Energy Center in more than a year, when he faced Detroit on January 3, 2009. Harding has stopped 63 of the last 64 shots he’s faced.

Probable Wild Line Combos

It looks as if Miettinen will re-join Andrew Brunette and Koivu on the top line after the departure of Petr Sykora. With Detroit lacking a lot of bruisers, Derek Boogaard will be scratched:

Brunette-Koivu-Miettinen
Nolan-Belanger-Clutterbuck
Latendresse-Brodziak-Havlat
Sheppard-Ebbett-Earl

Probable Defensive Pairings

The Wild blue line will get a boost tonight with the return of Burns:

Zanon-Zidlicky
Burns-Johnsson
Hnidy-Schultz

Between The Pipes

Harding will get the start tonight.

View From The Press Box

Boogaard and John Scott will be the healthy scratches tonight.

The Infirmary

Burns returns after missing 29 games with a concussion. Clayton Stoner (groin), Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion) and Chuck Kobasew (knee) are all out.

Richards’ Quote of the Day

"Based on our skate today, I think guys are pretty focused. We’re playing one of the premier teams, so I think guys are focused and ready.”

-- Todd Richards on his team following today’s morning skate.

Honorary State of Hockey Residents

RW Patrick Eaves is a product of Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault. Wings Video Coach Keith McKittrick is a former Minnesota Wild intern.

Worthless Stat

The Wild’s next overtime win will be its ninth, and will set the record for most extra session victories.

I am also rooting for:
Ottawa.
Boston.
Phoenix.
Chicago.
Vancouver.
Buffalo.
San Jose.

We need those team to win so that we may possibly move up in the standings.

How crazy is that... I get to my desk with 6mins left in the 3rd and the Wild are down 3-1... I grab something from my locker and come back, and it's in OT tied at 3! About to go to a shootout!

Shootout is tied at 1 after 4 shooters each...

Still 1-1 after 5 rounds...

Mittens off the post...

Wow, Detroit also rings it off the post... still tied at 1 after 6.

Zidlicky scores...

Filppula scores... tied at 2 after 7 rounds.

Belanger is denied... Miller scores, Detroit wins.

Wild In-Game & Post-Game article & More


The State of Hockey News
An objective and balanced view of Minnesota Hockey
Detroit’s Drew Miller thwarts Wild’s comeback in 4-3 road shootout victory for the Red Wings

As the old hippies anthem from the 1960’s; Turn, Turn, Turn the lyrics seem somewhat similar to the pattern of the Wild’s 2009-10 season. “A time to be born, a time to die, A time to plant, a time to reap, A time to kill, a time to heal, A time to laugh, a time to weep” seem to describe the Wild’s fortunes as of late after winning 4-straight home games against some of the best teams in the Eastern and Western Conference only to then lose 3-straight road games. It is a team that is almost like Dr. Hekyll and Mr. Hyde as it could change mentalities so fast and how its fortunes seem to improve so much at home and become so poor on the road.

There was some roster movement earlier this week when the return of Brent Burns from injury forced the team to make a tough decision to place Robbie Earl and Petr Sykora on waivers. Normally, waivers indicates a player wasn’t quite fitting in and thus was sent down to the minors. Yet the feelings about the demotion of both players could hardly be more different. In the case of Robbie Earl, many Wild fans seemed to enjoy his great skating and energy, and were pulling for him to stay with the team while veteran Petr Sykora and his agent likely whined their way out of Minnesota as they were unhappy over playing time. Both players passed through waivers so what other moves could be in the works as Minnesota hopes to climb back up the standings after a winless 3-game road trip had the Wild drop to 13th place in the Western Conference. Earl has stayed with the team, and while Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher looks to deal Petr Sykora, Robbie Earl is back playing with the Wild. So can Minnesota re-establish its winning ways? Or will Detroit’s traditional domination of the Wild be seen once again? (click on the link for the rest of the article)

There is a complete in-game and post-game article as well as Houston Aeros Update and Boys High School Hockey Report...well we certainly realize that Backstrom is weak stopping the wrist shot, stick side after tonight!

Really tough loss after we outplayed them towards the end of the 3rd and the entire OT period....although it really shows how we have too many playmakers/grinders and no snipers when we have shootouts.

Dee Oh Cee wrote:

Really tough loss after we outplayed them towards the end of the 3rd and the entire OT period....although it really shows how we have too many playmakers/grinders and no snipers when we have shootouts.

that may be the case but if we actually show up for 60 minutes we can beat a lot of teams in this league, we had 3 shots in the first, cannot have that happen and expect to win.

Yeah the first period was unacceptable...beginning of the 3rd was terrible too and we cannot play only half a game and expect to compete every night...as shown by our past 4 games.

Dee Oh Cee wrote:

Yeah the first period was unacceptable...beginning of the 3rd was terrible too and we cannot play only half a game and expect to compete every night...as shown by our past 4 games.

yup, its so sad, when we work had we can make up a large deficit, if we played the whole game we would be a force in the playoffs.

Dee Oh Cee wrote:

Really tough loss after we outplayed them towards the end of the 3rd and the entire OT period....although it really shows how we have too many playmakers/grinders and no snipers when we have shootouts.

Well it doesn't help when the coach puts in a guy who's been on the shelf the majority of the year early on. Burns would've been down at the bottom of my list in his first game back, especially after the mistakes he was making all game. Missthenetagain actually changed it up but he missed the net this time instead of the soft wrister right into the pads. Koivu, Zidlicky, and the hot-hand should be our first 3 every time.

Yep and I think even though every goalie probably knows about Koivu's backhand shelf it's still his best move and more than often it works...instead of his shot which I haven't seen work consistently.