Sorry no preview post. A little busy today. Having a beer on the porch right now.
Should be interesting to see if someone tries to run Cook.
It will also be interesting to see how they start the year compared to last. Remember how they dominated, but would still some how lose many of those first 10-15 games.
Déjà vu…
Playing just like the start of last year. Hopefully better results this year.
Wild freaking owning the Avs. Zach just made it 3-0.
Avs looking dazed and confused. Varlomov is the only reason this isn’t 6-0.
I like this new addition of Carter. He’s a tough customer.
Grouse
Just logged on to see if there was a Wild post yet. This.is some great hockey being played.
DT
They did this last year at the start too, but they couldn’t finish. I think they corrected that. Sure its one game, but this has been impressive.
That fifth goal was amazing!!!!!
DT
Pug are you going to be able to stay up to the end out there in EST? Hang in there.
Total domination by the Wild. Avs are trying, but this is not the Wild they were playing dead even in the playoffs last season. This is a Wild team that found a new level.
Did you see that shot by Suter? That puck is still flying after it busted throgh the back of the net. Booooooom.
Announcers are asking why Roy hasn’t pulled Varlomov. WTF??? Varlomov is the only reason this isn’t 8-0 or worse. He’s breaking his buttski out there. I hate it when the goalie gets blamed for the rest of the team imploding.
Avs are going to go after Cooke in the 3rd. That’s my prediction.
Grouse
Very solid play by the Wild. They look like they are taking off right from where they left off last year. Our speed is going to be hard to stop. The GPP line is not going to be an easy line to contain. They cycle the puck so well together. Watch out as this team is definatly on the road to the CUP. GO WILD
Wallster ><((((>
Tomorrow I am going to check out the stats from the first dozen or so games last year. It just seems really familiar.
Just one game. Yes, a really good game, but still just 2 points. I am really interested in the first 10 games.
I think I’ll be DVRing west coast games and staying off the internet.
Pug are you going to be able to stay up to the end out there in EST? Hang in there.
Total domination by the Wild. Avs are trying, but this is not the Wild they were playing dead even in the playoffs last season. This is a Wild team that found a new level.
Did you see that shot by Suter? That puck is still flying after it busted throgh the back of the net. Booooooom.
Announcers are asking why Roy hasn’t pulled Varlomov. WTF??? Varlomov is the only reason this isn’t 8-0 or worse. He’s breaking his buttski out there. I hate it when the goalie gets blamed for the rest of the team imploding.
Avs are going to go after Cooke in the 3rd. That’s my prediction.
Grouse
I agree that the Wild look great and that it’s not Varlamov’s fault whatsoever, but as a former goalie the coach doesn’t pull you because he thinks it’s your fault, he pulls you to get you out of the hailstorm he’s experiencing right now. Getting pulled isn’t always a negative expression from the coach, it’s often a sigh of relief.
Alright, another former goalie on the site. There are a few of us around. I still play 3 to 4 times a week. Where did you play?
DT
As another former goalie, I agree with the statement above as well. Give the one guy on the team that is playing well a break. It’s kind of a respect thing.
Or, leave the guy in if he really wants to stay in. Sometimes when you are getting sheled like that, it can make you better. I find it fun sometimes. Maybe Roy new that.
I’ve noticed that a lot of D1 goalies from the area are usually from some pretty pretty crappy high school teams.
I missed 100% of the game last night because I played. I’ll be catching Saturday nights game for sure.
Yes, it wasn’t the concept of pulling Varlomov to give him a break from the shelling, it was the way the announcers said it like Varlomov’s play was the reason they were down 5-0. When your D allows 48 SOG, what the answer isn’t changing the goalie.
It’s just one game, but this is one of those rare cases where the Wild showed everything that fans wanted. Faster, more accurate, more depth, tougher D, using the whole ice, entering the zone with speed and control, etc, etc. They put it all on display. Wow.
Can’t wait for my first live game.
Grouse
Alright, another former goalie on the site. There are a few of us around. I still play 3 to 4 times a week. Where did you play?
DT
I played varsity at Fargo north my freshman year and then played three years at Russell stover which is a AAA team in Kansas City. Played a
Month of junior the next year before having hip surgery. I mostly skate out now which I find to be way more fun!
Traitor 
I see that with a lot with guys after they play competitively. Not sure what it is but I still really love it when I rob someone on a tap in.
I still play in 4 different leagues in the winter. I play goalie in three of them and skate out for one. It is fun to change it up but prefer to flash a little leather now and again. 
DT
I loved playing in a beer league the couple of years I did it. Then the league at the sports center became sticklers to the age rule. I was in my 30s playing in an over 40 league. Not that my age made me any better then them.
Growing up I was the last boy and my dad was a star basketball player for his high school, so I was swayed in that direction. Also I have poor circulation, so when my dad put me in skates one time to skate outside while my brother had a practice, I cried like a wuss when they thawed. That was the end of that.
Then when I was in 8th grade, my brother went to state so I tried hockey the next year. Started out not being able to skate backwards to ending up skating backwards by the end of the season. We’d do full rink figure 8s and I would not give up or quit on the parts we skated backwards. Then I played summer hockey. The next year I wanted to make the B squad and when I didn’t I quit.
I really miss the competition, I am very competitive. I miss playing all sports. And I do not like to lose, yes I am a sulker even at 44.
Michelle wanted to throw out the skates and equipment thinking I won’t need them anymore, I haven’t used them for years. But I think at some point I am going to look into some beer leagues down here.
I’ve always loved watching hockey. Whether it was the North Stars or my brother, I really like watching the action. My brother went on to play in the USHL and a year at Stephen’s Point. I wish he would have gone further, he was more of a grinder than a scorer.
Thank you for indulging me by reading my coffee induced trip down memory lane.
Go Wild!
Good story. Good luck finding hockey in FLA.
Can I be devils advocate here. I know the Wild had a great win on Thursday, and I finally got to watch the condensed version of the game on the NHL network. Is anyone concerned about the fact they still seemed to have some teoyble scoring?
I was watching other game highlights and it seemed other games had much more creative and skillful goals. I’m a betting mam and I’m gonna bet that there will be some points during the season that we’ll be talking about our lack of scoring again.
I’m very confident we have by far the best Wild team in history, but Fletcher still has some work to do.
Sure the first line did most of the work, but I take exception to the comment they aren’t being creative. I’ll take goals by hard work and driving the net over skilled goals
Tonight will be interesting. A road game against a team you embarrassed. If they win tonight convincingly it will be pretty indicative of how the season will go.
I got a rink 12 miles from me. I bet there is a league. I probably meet as many non-natives as I do natives.
FL and CA are alike. Nobody is from there.
One thing I don’t really understand is that we have some kind of goaltending problem. Really? We have 3 #1 goalies. Where’s the problem?
Looking forward to a good game.
Here we go again.
DT
Man, Roy really has those guys throwing their weight around. Seems to be making a difference, but the Wild still seem to have more talent and speed, overall.
Keep an eye on this MacKinnon kid. He might be something someday.
And for you Mike, keep an eye on this Drouin kid, he might be better. Got to see both of these guys in person in Hali. Both are Crosby caliber players. No joke.
Mckinnon is more a Lemiuexe kind of player. Drouin, I’m not sure. Time will tell. Crosby? I hate spud, but that is a high bar.
Even though the PP has nothing to show for it, I like how they are playing it. No pussy footing around with the puck like last year. More attack.
MacKinnon already is something. At 18 years old he was a team leader in the playoffs last year. He also played for Shattuck.
DT
I’m kind of a closet fan.
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Great road win. They could’ve beat anyone. Parise sure earned that empty netter.
MacKinnon is no doubt going to be an elite player. He looks like he is a 27 year old player in his prime. Its a no brainer, the guy will be a scoring leader in 1-3 years.
Not sure about Drouin, I haven’t watched him enough to know.
Decent game by the Wild. I thought they were out played most of the game, but you find a way to win on the road, especially after embarrassing a team, that’s pretty good. Not to mention shutting them out 2 games in a row. It didn’t hurt that the Avs had to stretch 5 defensemen after Johnson got tossed.
Too bad now they have 5 days off. A lot of weird things can happen in that amount of time.
The PP has to be able to make adjustments. If they are aggressive an standing up at the blueline, they need to recognize that and dump the puck in. I know the emphasis is to carry the puck this year, but if it isn’t there then you need to loosen them up by dumping the puck. Right now, that appears to be there achilles…not scoring on the man advantage.
Ouch. That one hurts. Decent performance but they just couldn’t score. Sound familiar? Vanek looks like he’s ready to take off on a streak.
… And the PP woes continue. They need to get that figured out to be the best.
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