Wild vs. Coyotes - Official GDT

Wild vs. Coyotes post-game article and much more

Missed opportunities early in the game haunt Wild in 4-2 home loss to Phoenix

Written by Derek Felska
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 08:31

The underdog, the up-and-comer, or an upstart; all euphemisms for describing a person who is either succeeding despite the odds or at least working hard enough to defy them. Many times when it is a team that pulls off a similar feat its called a Cinderella season. To quote a famous movie with a similar title, famed prize fighter Max Baer once told upstart challenger James Braddock (called Cinderella Man by the press), "Its no joke pal, people die in fairy tales all of the time." It will take a lot more than just a discouraging quote like this to keep any underdog down. Back during the 2003 NHL playoffs, with his team up 3-1 in their series with the Wild, Vancouver forward Todd Bertuzzi once told Wild fans that their team would be golfing soon enough. The Wild may or may not have taken that quote to heart, but either way the upstart Wild defied the odds by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit for the 2nd time to shock the Canucks in Game 7, 4-2. Braddock would go on to shock the boxing world by defeating Baer in a 15 round bout to become Heavyweight Champion of the World. Yet even for the Wild who managed to break an NHL record for this accomplishment its hopes and dreams were soon shattered in the Western Conference finals when they were upstaged by another Cinderella team in the 8th seeded Mighty Ducks of Anaheim who had shocked the hockey world with convincing series wins over Detroit and Dallas respectively. Braddock would eventually lose his title two years later when he was knocked out in the 8th round by an African-American boxer Joe Louis. So you never know when your Cinderella will end; just as the Ducks found out in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals when they were edged by the New Jersey Devils 3-0.

Last year, the Phoenix Coyotes were often called the Cinderella team of the NHL after shocking many experts by their surprising 2009-10 season that ended in the 1st round of the playoffs. Throughout the season, experts predicted the Coyotes would falter but they held strong and ended the year in 4th place in the Western Conference. The Coyotes were another shining example of how well executed, defensively focused team with great goaltending can go pretty far. Coyotes bench boss Dave Tippett did what 'the Great One', Wayne Gretzky could never seem to do; make Phoenix into a winner. It may not be the most entertaining style of hockey but it was pretty stifling most nights as their collection of speedy forwards would eliminate time and space and their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was a near impenetrable wall proved to be a winning combination. It is amazing how some things can change while others remain the same. The Coyotes are again near the top of the Western Conference standings, sitting in 7th place but despite the repeated success as well as the progress from last season the team still struggles through woeful attendance and the league still waiting for a buyer for the Desert Dogs. Just 12,708 showed up to their most recent home game, a 6-4 loss to arch rival Anaheim. Both the Wild and Coyotes are coming off 3-0 losses to the Flames and Predators respectively so which team will bounce back tonight, and which Cinderella hopeful will be left disappointed with the final horn sounds? (click on the link for the rest of the article)

There is a complete post-game report as well as prospect updates on Sean Lorenz and Kyle Medvec. Tough game to watch, although Havlat looks like he's finally becoming the player we want him to be. Enjoy!