It’s amazing, you talk to Brad May in the locker room, and he’s as nice as can be. And then you watch what he did late in the third period tonight.

Turn around and punch Kim Johnsson. Now you know why his reputation these days is a guy who used to be a tough guy.

Nevertheless, the Wild likely won’t have to worry about him in Game 5 because I can’t imagine the league will let him play after getting a match for intent to injure. NHL VP Mike Murphy emailed me last night saying he’s been suspended upon review today by discipline czar Colin Campbell. I would have put it in the paper if my blackberry cooperated last night.

The Wild was livid after the game. Derek Boogaard ripped into May, as did a number of other players and GM Doug Risebrough. The Wild now could be without its top minute defenseman Thursday. According to the Wild, he sustained a head injury, is under observation and his status for Thursday is unknown. This is frightening because Johnsson has a history of concussions.

The Wild dominated this game from start to finish, only it found itself trailing 1-0 38 minutes in until Nick Schultz pinched in, beat Corey Perry to a puck and Derek Boogaard took it from there. Strong on his skates, he wheeled around the net and set up Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who had his first shot blocked by Ryan Getzlaf.

The puck came right back — the type of bounce this team didn’t get in the first two games. He scored his first of the series.

Then Boogaard drew a holding penalty from Kent Huskins early in the third to set up the power play that led to Marian Gaborik’s winner. Brian Rolston and Mark Parrish, both scoreless in the series, each scored their first goals of the series.

Rolston and Parrish goals were beauties. Rolston completed a give and go with Pavol demitra from a tight angle and Parrish executed a nifty redirection of Nummelin’s wrister.

Martin Skoula had his first goal in more than a year on a completely bogus “skate in the crease” violation by the zerbras. The call doesn’t even exist anymore.

The Wild kept pressuring and went on for the rout. And finally this thing is a series. Hard hits, fights, intensity. Should be fun in Game 5.

Talk to you very late tomorrow as practices are noon and 2 p.m. Pacific Time, and then I have to write for the paper obviously.

The Wild is 7-1 all-time in elimination games, 6-0 in Games 5, 6 and 7 and somebody told me they’ve been in this 3-1 spot before.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 at 12:25 am and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.