Wild vs. Senators - Official GDT

Wild vs. Sens post-game and much more

Too many men penalty haunts the Wild in 3-1 home loss on a night dedicated to Dino Ciccarelli

Written by Derek Felska
Thursday, 16 December 2010 08:47

About three years ago I read the book Minnesota North Stars: History & Memories with Lou Nanne which was written by Bob Showers. It was and I still consider it to be a must have for any North Stars fan as it truly encapsulates the entire franchise's history from the guy who was there from Day 1 until the team abandoned the State of Hockey to go to Texas. I am 32 years old, I went to my first NHL game in 1982, I have fond memories of the North Stars but Lou Nanne's book really added a sense of perspective I never really had, it was from behind the scenes. The North Stars left Minnesota when I was 13 years old, so even though I loved hockey and followed the team closely I did not really fully understand all the issues as to why the team left the state, and all I knew was that "Norm Green Sucks" and not to sound too much like a lemming but I did not hesitate to join in the chant. However, after reading Nanne's book it became abundantly clear. Norm wanted a much better deal than what he felt he was getting from the Metropolitan Sports Commission, which either involved merging the Mall of America with the Met Center or new building altogether or he was going to move the team. The early 1990's was the middle of a recession and since the State of Minnesota had just built the Target Center for the NBA expansion team Minnesota Timberwolves it just wasn't going to build a new arena and the construction of the Mall of America was already over budget so they did not wish to add another $180 million building project. Toss in a sexual harassment scandal and lagging attendance after years of fielding a bargain basement roster and it made Norm Green's decision to take the team to Dallas a pretty easy one (in his opinion). A few years ago, KARE 11 news' Scott Goldberg had an interview with Norm Green which made me want to puke, where he justified his decision to move the team and said that all he wants Minnesotans to know about him is that "he tried." Here's the interview in case you are curious.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=498582

Yet tonight isn't about the North Stars leaving Minnesota; it is about a former North Star coming back. Perhaps the most beloved and admired North Stars player of all time, Dino Ciccarelli coming back to the Twin Cities to be honored by the Wild for his recent induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame. My earliest memories of the North Stars was watching Dino battle his way near the top of the crease; being knocked down and getting up again and taking yet another hit as he somehow managed to jam home a goal. He wasn't the most skilled player but few were as determined nor had they overcome a tremendous level adversity when he broke his femur while playing for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, requiring him to have a metal rod to be inserted into his leg. With such a severe medical procedure; it isn't a giant shock that the league passed up on drafting the 5'10", 180lbs right wing in two drafts. However, not all of hockey's establishment had given up completely on Ciccarelli as then Buffalo's head coach Scotty Bowman who made him a contract offer at the end of his overage season, but Lou Nanne did one better and flew up to Sarnia, Ontario to meet with Dino and his family. This was perhaps one of my favorite stories from Nanne's book; where it was Nanne that convinced Dino's father, Victor to have his son sign with the North Stars. Dino would start his pro career with the Oklahoma City Stars but earn a call up and was an instant boost of offense scoring 18 goals in just 32 regular season games. His 14 goals and 21 points in the 1980-81 playoffs where the North Stars qualified for the Stanley Cup Finals is a rookie playoff record that was finally tied when Philadelphia's Claude Giroux managed to score 10 goals and 21 points last spring. Dino would become an instant fan favorite who admired his dogged determination and knack for scoring dirty goals. After playing 21 seasons in the NHL, where he had accumulated 608 goals and 1,200 points many North Stars fans like myself felt his induction was long overdue but now will be the time he finally gets the praise from the city that learned to love him first. Unfortunately for Dino, his father, the man who he had so admired for all his sacrifices for his hockey career did not live long enough to see his son's induction, but I have no doubt he'll hear the roar of the crowd when Ciccarelli gets a long and well-deserved ovation. So can the Wild take advantage of the good feelings to earn a win tonight against the Ottawa Senators, the team ironically I last saw the North Stars play in person back in 1993? Or will the Senators manage to sour those feelings? (click on the link for the rest of the article)

There is a complete post-game report, Houston Aeros update, prospect report on Kris Foucault and a Boys High School Hockey report on Wayzata and Hermantown. This game was pretty sad at the end, we looked dead tired...(shakes head in disgust) Enjoy!

..sigh..

the Wild are who we thought they were. They teased us early in the season with playing pretty well, but now, this is all starting to snowball into disaster pretty soon.

I think the Sens are worse. I'll give the Wild a 4-3 win.