Fireworks on the horizon?
Posted on November 20th, 2007 – 3:10 PMBy Michael Russo
I’ll be on KFAN at 3:30ish with Chad Hartman. Lots of smack being talk between the Wild and Canucks heading into tomorrow night’s game and stemming from Mattias Ohlund breaking Mikko Koivu’s leg.
Get this. Mick McGeough, the most theatrical referee in history, is calling the game with Greg Kimmerly. McGeough always likes to be the show, so tomorrow could get ridiculous. He’ll probably rehearse his animated, over-the-top hand signals in the mirror tonight, as somebody joked this morning.
Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows ripped into Derek Boogaard. Boogaard was taken aback by the comments today. Lots of good stuff will be in tomorrow’s story with maybe mild-mannered Pierre-Marc Bouchard saying the most interesting stuff about agitator Burrows. But Gaborik talked about Cooke, Boogaard about Kesler, etc, etc.
I also talked one-on-one to Mikko Koivu. It was the first time he’s talked publicly since having his leg broken. He’s upset and still in a bit of pain and I can’t see how he’ll be back by Sunday, which would be a week from when the Wild said he’d be out about a week. I think it’ll be awhile longer.
The Canucks brought up agitator/tough-guy Mike Brown, which should add to the intrigue tomorrow. Again, I point you to tomorrow’s story for more stuff on him.
Hopefully it’s at least a good game. I think the reason why these games get ugly is because the league has the schedule so condensed. The Wild, dead tired the other night in Vancouver, fall behind big early and the game gets chippy.
The same script could be written tomorrow. Vancouver plays in Edmonton tonight. Probably the earliest the Canucks take off is 11:30, 12:30 our time. Three-hour flight, and the Canucks might crawl into bed around 4:30, 5 a.m.
So it’ll be another ugly NHL contest between a rested team vs. a dead tired team, possibly.
How about Todd White’s overtime winner last night? It’s his second there in Atlanta and he assisted on another. I have to look up how many OT winners he has, but it’s a good amount. White had a few here.
Speaking of white, the Wild will wear its white jerseys Friday. Because there are no third jerseys anymore, teams can sometimes wear their whites at home to give the home crowd a chance to see the other uniform. I know some of you have asked about that.
116 Responses to "Fireworks on the horizon?"
Russo, any idea why the Blue Jackets ALWAYS seem to wear their whites at home??
McGoo? Oh, now I’m getting tix!!!
I hope Koivu returns soon, but I agree with most people that Koivu won’t be back next week. GO WILD. Lets get 2POINTS tommorow night and then whatever happens..HAPPENS
Nobody tell McGeough the game in PPV in Canada - he might tone it down a notch.
plenty of good seats still available!
http://teamexchange.ticketmaster.com/html/seatlist.htmI?l=EN&team=wild&EVNT=71121VAN&CNTX=
McGeough.
Gawd.
Nothing like another notch in his belt at our expense before he skates off into the sunset.
I wonder if Kesler or Burrows is man enough to talk smack to Boogey on the ice.
But, for that matter, would PMB or Gaby be either?
I’m still saying Gaby drops the purse tomorrow night with Kesler, though. Just a little premonition.
What are the odds Little PMB could drop Cooke in a fight? God I would love to see that tomorrow night.
mcgoo sucks.
he’s theatrical to cover for his ineptitude.
y’know, don russo is pretty good on the radio y’know because well y’know he likes to talk a lot, y’know.
FYI - Russo told Hartman that there is nothing new on the Walz front. However, Russo thinks it will be hard for Walz to return to the team soon given the recent struggles. However, management would have no problem welcoming him back.
Hey cas…that might even be better than Gaby v. Kesler.
We’ve got a two-fight undercard before the big heavyweight feature fight!
as for the whites, i really hoped the league went back to the home whites now that there are only two jerseys again. it would be nice to see the various colors of the nhl.
i understood it made travel difficult with the alternate sweater but that isn’t a problem anymore
GreenStar, it is just another thing in the long list of things the NHL powers that be have messed up on.
I really wish there was a way we, as the fans, could get Bettman fired.
Go Wild, make it a good one tomorrow!
Occasional fighting, and more importantly physical play are essential to good hockey.
When you can’t separate the two however, like last Friday in Vancouver and probably like tomorrow night, you get into a lot of trouble (see: Mikko Koivu’s leg).
I’m watching tomorrow night because I’m a Wild fan, but if its as chippy as already anticipated, it’ll be hard to watch. Like watching wrestling or something.
So…we get Mr. Magoo tomorrow night. Oh Goody. If DB even so much as passes gas tomorrow night he’ll get 2 and 10.
I am having a hard time understanding Russo’s infatuation with White. I mean, if he were a former Panther or something…
I wonder how Willie Mitchell feels about all this smack talk…having been on one side and now the other?
Remember…it’s ‘just’ a November regular season NHL game…:P
Not McGoo!! Cripes, he’s such a loser. Well it will be out of control before you know it.
My list of combatants:
Boogie - given
Voros - given
Burns - probably
Radio - maybe
Gaborik - doubt it
SRV - unhealed
Skoula, Johnson - not a chance in ….
Here’s guessing that, despite all the talk, the game will not live up anywhere near the hype, at least in terms of fights, etc.
I wonder what Willie thinks about Boogie grabbin’ him the other night?
I kept saying to the tv screen “Drop it Boogie, drop it”. The dogs couldn’t figure out what to do. They looked at me like “drop what?”
Bring up Pouliot to play center.
Hockeydad…with ALL the smack talk (did you read the columns in the Vancouver Sun?) I cannot believe it will be disappointing. True, it may not be a bloodbath, but I guarantee it will have the intensity of a playoff game.
Pinky and the Brain will be shaking…
Naslund was at the center of the whole Moore/Bertuzzi crime. So IF someone were to go after Naslund would they get Bertuzzied?
Kesler doesn’t think Boogie is much of a hockey player. Well that’s too bad because I know for me I think Kesler is a pretty good cheap shot. Not as good as Cooke of course but he’s up there.
Let’s just hope that JL keeps the boys some what under control. We get a good lead, say 4-5 goals and then beat the s&*t out of them. Sounds like a good game to me. 
But McGoo is my worst nightmare. Complete clown yet somehow it seems to fit that he would get this game. It should be ridiculous with him there. Just hope the Wild focus on hockey and let the ‘Nucks be the ones who lose their cool. Problem is McGoo can never tell the difference.
kevbear:
According to any stats I’ve seen, Pouliot has not appeared in a game since the wild last sent him down (injured?). I have to think they will call someone up tomorrow, playing with a pressbox more like a hospital wing is uncomfortable.
McGoo is incompetent. How does he keep his job? He must know something about somebody.
What are the odds for a scrap at the opening face-off, just to try and settle things down? (Ex.- Matt Johnson vs Brad May, Game 3, 2003 playoffs).
Boogaard was quoted on yahoo sports as saying he is going to go after the “Pinky and the Brain twins.” Hilarious!
Uff da! McGoo?!? Jeez… He’s ruined more than one game I’ve seen him ref.
I’m sorta with Hockeydad on this one in terms of hype. I’ll say two fights max, both in the first period. Ohlund will be asked to fight 12/2 for certain. Not sure who will ask as I don’t see Ohlund even considering Boogaard. Hopefully not SRV. He needs to stick with the welterweight division.
Brown will almost certainly play, and I do expect an intense game. At least I should hope so all things considered.
And Todd White… still don’t miss him, Russo. Not at all.
LOL LOL I just read that, dwkamin. Too funny.
And that note earlier about Foster leading the team in hits… that’s terrible. Does that count all the times he goes into the corner and falls down, hitting the ice?
lol, toivo!
Honestly, there’s no way this game can match all this hype.
But it sure is fun to get this amped about a regular season game.
Seriously, is there any other player that seems to go down as easily as Kurtis Foster?
And then there’s Russo talking about how he’ll have all these great stories up tomorrow. I’m still trying to figure out which Sunday article he was talking up earlier last week. Has anyone else noticed he’s been dropping more teasers for his articles in here lately?
And by the way, I’m working on a very witty post that should appear soon after I get done watching the game wednesday night on Tivo (probably about midnight Pacific time). It’s all about how the fine city of Vancouver has been forever corrupted by it’s pro hockey team, and how the U.S. should annex Vancouver before the next Olympics, deport all of the Canadians and Swedes and move the Nashville Predators there. The Canucks can play in Kelowna.
toivo is on a roll…
I’m making up for all of the times I get that 15 second message in error. (-:
toivo - slow down cowboy
Yeah, that’s the one!
in reading the vancouver sun i appreciate what naslund had to say.
“It’s probably Boogaard’s job to say that [stuff],” Naslund commented. “If he wants to run around, we’ve just got to keep our heads up and hopefully he takes some stupid penalties and we can capitalize on them.”
he could have went the way of burrows or kesler but he is looking for denny green on the high road.
doesn’t mean i like him but i will give him a little respect.
in finishing the article, it appears messr pap has an infatuation with derek boogaard. he even asked sanford if he would fight him.
Russo: “The same script could be written tomorrow. Vancouver plays in Edmonton tonight. Probably the earliest the Canucks take off is 11:30, 12:30 our time. Three-hour flight, and the Canucks might crawl into bed around 4:30, 5 a.m.
So it’ll be another ugly NHL contest between a rested team vs. a dead tired team, possibly.”
IOW, maybe a re-run of last Friday’s game but this time with the skates on the other feet.
My listening to the Canuck announcers last Fri., and in most games I’ve had the “privilege” of hearing them broadcast, has as much interest as a two-car funeral.
They lamented the Canucks having to travel to Minny after tonight’s game and losing another hour while on board.
I should have made a video of my rolling on floor, LMAO.
Go Wild!
Well I’m gonna have to use the tivo tomorrow night, class until 10. thanksgiving eve nontheless. This is a few days late, but does anyone know anything about clayton stoner from the Aeros being taken off the ice on a stretcher after being charged? I saw today that the Wild finally released one of the commercials that I was in.
Denny: At the risk of P.O.’ing Vancouver trolls everywhere, I’ll say this about Vancouver’s announcers; they are the most monotone, boring, unexciting duos (radio & TV) anywhere. It sounds like they are doing the broadcast with a schoolmarm right over them (the “penguin” from ‘The Blues Brothers’?) ruler in hand waiting to rap their Canuck-les if they say anything less than glowing about any Canuck player…while not always the most insightful, D & D’er at least act like they are into the game. Not these guys.
I warned you all in the last thread that Mick McGeough was coming…is this Bettman’s answer to the ‘Special Guest Referee’ in World Wrestling Entertainment? Did Gary Bettman (and NHL Referee head Stephen Walkom) actually copy Vince McMahon, who employed ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin in the same role during a pay-per-view?
(BTW: the game is only available on the BC Lower Mainland as a PPV event. Open the theatres!)
Now all we need is WWE’s Jim Ross to replace the Wild’s Jim Cunningham as emcee, and we’d be all set!
I just hope the Wild remember…WIN THE GAME FIRST.
I hope there are a hundred fights tomorrow night! I can’t wait to go.
Of course, Boogey will get thrown out for nothing before he even has the chance to wax those chumps.
McGough is worthless…
WIn the game first, or lose but beat the snot out of the Canucks, either way.
those nucks people are sure afraid of DB. even the color guy for nucks broadcasts is afraid of him. low character to have to sink to calling derek stupid and of low IQ. i almost feel bad for him.
At least ferraro understood.
the other cat is a tool.
Yeah GreenStar I didn’t catch that other guys name but he sure was tool. Saying things like Boogaard isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
Vancouver fans are such victims! Does anyone recall how the Canucklehead fans reacted after the Bertuzzi/Moore crime…they were actually saying on websites that Moore got what he deserved, and it was frontier justice!
Hey maybe Ohlund will get what he deserves (Vancouver style). I’m not saying Boogaard should break his neck however I would love to watch Koivu fight him on Dec 2nd.
On a slightly different note:
I just read Frei’s article from ESPN
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=frei_terry&id=3118766
on Gabby and his injuries, what he’s capable of and so on. I have to say that you would think that after 7 seasons of JL’s system and the Wild continuing to improve, that the rest of the hockey world would find something to talk about besides our defensive style of play. Further, the questions surrounding Gabby about what if he was let loose are completely irrelevent if he can’t play more than two-thirds of a season. But again and again, every article thats written (besides Russo and Kent) and every opponents telecast I watch, all the hockey world can come up with is what if the Wild weren’t who they are. And who are they? there that boring defensive team that is sometimes mistaken for the Northstars.
they’re
On the nucks color guy (I am in dvr time) - is Greenlay, a Boogie fan, obliged to go after him after those charged comments?
Canucks have six penalties through two periods. Oilersscored three in the first, van one. At the end of 2 its tied 3-3.
Here’s hoping we see OT and a 15 man SO
Or just an Oilers win. No free points to Vancouver! Maybe a power outage or lots of broken plexi-glass?
Nucks and Oil tied at 4 late in the third.
OT it is - a point for the nucks at least but they will have to work a little bit longer.
Overtime.
Now we hope for the 15 player shootout!
Let the NHL record SO commence!
Adam, Now 15 shooters and I owe you a beer.
3 point games in the West are never good.
no, not ideal. But arriving in Minny at 6 am for an evening game isn’t all bad.
woodcock - too true, and there have been a rash of them lately it seems. The point or points to the Oil are probably OK though.
Kessler = lame, Let’s get another sofety Hemsky!
Calgary is on its way to a win over Colorado, thats a good thing for now.
Very good goal for Hemsky.
Not watching so any play-by-play is nice!
Isbister miss, Horcoff wins it.
Here’s a link to the intermission interview with Ray Ferraro and John Garrett (the aforementioned tool).
alright, we’ll take that.
EN goal for the Flames
Since it wasn’t a “tough loss” for the Nucks this was probabaly a good outcome for the Wild in terms of Wednesday’s game given the extra skating and travel delay. However, as we know from last year, points like these haunt.
The big difference so far for the Wild this year is how few of those give-away points we’ve allowed other teams to take. Looks like Calrgary will hold on. Let them beat on each other all they want.
Whoa, that other dude with Ferraro IS a tool. First of all, is he not taking DB a little out of context? Second, is it that crazy that DB, as the Wild’s enforcer, would be just a tad hot after last Friday night? Then he says DB isn’t the sharpest tool in the drawer (must make more sense in Canada)? Hey, pot, meet kettle.
At least Ferraro offered some sense.
Man I can’t wait for tomorrow night!
The article for tomorrow talks about JL not knowing who to take out so Hill could play. A suggestion: SKOUBA!!! Let the guy who has been a top physical presence the last few years play in what is going to be the most physical game so far this year.
Our boys need to play a great game and make a strong statement to the low level canucks and the NHL, we’re one of the top 5 teams in the league. When times are tough they need to play tough. Should be a great game. Go Wild!!!
That’s quite a list of clashes Russo has compiled, I can’t believe I actually forgot about some of those. Not that I was lacking a reason to hate the canucks, but this just makes me hope we beat them and then kick them a couple times while they’re down.
Any bets that Veillux, tired of listening to Cooke yap, offers to remove the cage and drop the gloves, broken face and all?
Into, I could see that.
Cooke’s not dropping anything.
BTW EVERYONE is obsessed with DB. I was at a game in LA earlier this season and some boxing broke out..and the LA fan next to me appologised that it was not as good as Boogie. lol And repeat in SAn Jose AND even Anaheim. So that is nothing to be said.
What IS to be said is that Vancouver is 2 points from tying us. They lost in a shootout last night. And Thus they are 9-0-2 in our division. WE need to have a cool head and win this game.
The other battles can be for after the cup is firmly placed in Gaby’s hand
The bet for those who detest betting: The guaranteed no-lose bet…
Cooke vs. Skouba! The fight which will NEVER happen!!
RogueGopher: The chances of Skouba being out of the lineup so Hill could be in the lineup tonight are about as small as Osama bin Laden showing up at the White House for Thanksgiving dinner…
…and Missy, I am sure the NHL will be as obsessed tonight about Boogaard as the fans in other cities are! How many penalties will Boogaard get primarily because he’s Boogaard?
Remember everyone…WIN THE GAME FIRST!
“Let the guy who has been a top physical presence”
Seriously, Hill is not scott stevens, as someone said earlier. my recollection is he likes to cross check in the back, facewash, act bigger than he is and then hide behind his face shield. So he got 5000 hits last year in long island. Foster is leading the wild this year.
I am sticking with this until i am proven wrong.
the tool did get one thing right last night and that was the wild play in st paul and we don’t need the hype to sell tickets because we are not nashville, atlanta or even dallas and sell out all the time.
GreenStar: Marney can hit harder than Foster. Maybe when it all starts (if he’s even in the lineup, see my last post) Sean Hill can go up against Matt Cooke. If he is as ‘dirty’ as you say, then we have instigator vs. instigator (in your opinion).
Foster is like Skouba: marshmallow-soft. Johnsson ain’t much better. That’s why we need Hill out there tonight.
Grit. It’s what’s for after-dinner!
remember; WIN THE GAME FIRST!
my point WRT is that thinking hill is a top physical presence because he had 5000 hits last year is questionable because hits is not objective, case in point, Foster leads the Wild this year.
I don’t think I would go so far as dirty but I always thought the shield made him tougher than he was because he never had to pay up when the time came since shield wearer never fought. that has changed some in the last year.
crack reporting by the vancouver sun:
“The Canucks, by contrast, haven’t been chirping about Marian Gaborik’s elbow to Kesler’s head last week, nor Wild grinder Pascal Dupuis’ decision to shoot the puck at Vancouver players in the final seconds.
”
who is pascal dupuis?
GreenStar: Crack reporting…or reporting while on crack?
They report…you decide! ;-0
The Code requires Vancouver to answer for Ohlund’s actions. If alleged tough guy, Brown, agrees to answer, then the Koivu issue is resolved. If no ‘Nuck answers Boogie’s call, then mayhem will ensue. Boogie may have to answer for Gabby’s elbow as well. Willie Mitchell may have a target on him too for his hit on Boogie if he continues to do it again.
Notwithstanding all the talking on the ice that we don’t always hear, their could be plenty of small skirmishes in the first period along with the required fights to settle the score.
If you’re not watching the first period, you’re going to miss a majority of the fisticuffs. The game should settle down after that.
I heard that the turtles on the Comcast ads are Cooke’s parents.
thing is, brown and DB may fight and then it will all be settled but, the kesler-burrows-cooke types will continue to throw more gas on the fire. that is their game and they have made a decent living at it so far.
couple of possibilities tonight. if mcgoo can’t keep things under control, we could have mayhem. i seem to remember he like to let the scrums go.
if either team gets up 3+ goals, focus on winning the game will take a back seat to payback or antagonizing the opponent. it happened during game 4 last year. we go up 3 and the ducks decide to forget the puck and play bully hockey.
I am wondering what they put in that tool’s water. Garrett doesn’t have a clue. I think Marney could take him too.
I guarantee that JL has put DB on notice that he will be watched closely tonight and that he should be the ‘decoy’. Hopefully HE can get Vancouver off their game.
And Voros can pick up the GHHT.
Cowan will fight Boogey before Brown. He’s a more established “presence” in the NHL than Brown.
Brown may well try to engage Boogaard in fisticuffs, but it would be more in the vein of a rookie trying to get on the radar in the show. He has yet to appear in an NHL contest I believe.
Brown is 6 ft, 210 lbs (I think someone already posted his stats).
Cowan is 6-2 but 185.
The Nuks don’t have a true heavyweight.
kj: I think you just hit the nail on the head.
If DB doesn’t find a dance partner (because he’s out of all of their weight classes) then he should just pretend he’s playing the Oilers.
Maybe we can get a FatHead of MacT and put it up on the glass behind the Nuks’ bench.
i agree that cowan may fight DB. i think brown will go after him as well. there is DB’s 2 fighting majors and he is neutralized.
I know I’m way way way behind on the comments, but I have to agree with the terrible play-by-play/color guys for Vancouver. Their TV guy has also been the PBP in the PC version of NHL for the past million years or so too. ISH.
All I know is some purses better fall tonight.
With this kind of scrutiny, it will be a big test for Boogey to see if he can/is willing to prove to the league that he’s not just a mush head cretin.
That would be Jim Hughson, Wallshot. I find him to be just kind of arrogant, and Garrett is more homer than not.
At the start of the game on Friday night they were saying some decent things about the Wild (Gaby in particular), to be fair. But then their “analysis” deteriorated as the game did.
They’re no worse than Dumb and Dumber, though.
Or Joe Micheletti, BTW. I don’t know how Sam Rosen puts up with that donkey. Biggest, whiny homer out there right now IMO.
careful NiNY, Joe is one of us.
i never minded the sportsnet guys that do the nucks games. they do think vancouver is the toast of canada. they must forget about their playoff record.
I always took it as just them screaming look at me since most of canada’s focus is on the east.
I am anxious to watch tonight’s game. The interest generated by Koivu’s broken leg is a shining example of why the NHL needs fighting. Talk about a compelling storyline! I’m psyched.
I know he is, GreenStar, which makes it all the more upsetting!
I thought he was fine at the Olympics in Torino and for the most part on Versus/NBC, but he’s just terrible calling Rangers’ games.
It would be one thing if he didn’t sound like a whiny old aunt when he speaks….
(GreenStar: that’s me not being a blind homer for all Gopher-staters!)
Yeah, Hughson…. he probably wouldn’t bother me if I hadn’t heard him thousands of times. 
I really played that game way too much.
I haven’t heard Micheletti, but could he really be more of a homer than Glen Sonmore? I have nothing against Sonmore, but he should NOT be in broadcasting. He just makes the whole broadcast sound completely amateurish.
The Gophers could lose 6-0, and he’d still pick all Gophers as the three “stars of the game”.
NiNY…
I agree that this is a chance for DB to show JL (and the rest of the league) that he can play smart. To me, smart for him tonight is to wait for the game to unfold before being aggressive.
Don’t be goaded into fighting the cementhead that the nucks called up just to neutralize him.
Pick your spot, challenge one of the turtles/rabbits (Cooke, Kesler, Burrows) and laugh when they run.
I think Burns, Voros and Foy will be ready to pick up the slack in the physical dept.
I ran across tsn.ca’s Player Rankings. They have Burns rated 9th in the NHL. I suspect in 2 years that contract he inked is going to look like a bargain for the Wild.
kj: totally agree. All the more reason for Gaby to drop his purse on the opening face off - to stent off some of this steam. Although…would Boogey feel he had to avenge Gaby (sort of like Parros avenged May earlier this year) if Gaby fought?
strange…a different form of this message got moderated:
wallshot: I agree. Sonmor would drive me crazy if I rooted for the other team.
Much as I would like to see Gabby drop the purse, what if his jaw is as fragile as his groin???
I’d hate to lose him AGAIN just because of a scrap.
Nick: He drives me crazy even as a Gopher fan! :-/
I hear you Wallshot.
If Gaby drops the purse his plan of attack will be one or two slaps at the other guy’s head and then hold on for dear life until the linesmen come in to save him.
I think a broken finger is about the biggest threat to him in a fight.
Voros was on the internet watching the callup’s (Brown) fights. With the Foy incident last season in Manitoba I think Voros/Brown is the one guaranteed fight we will see.
I’m not against scratching DB in the interest of adding more scoring potential. This is a tired Canucks team, a regulation win should be the focus. Ohlund will be back for a December 2nd game, worry about him then.
Try to keep cool against players like Cooke and Kessler because it is almost always the retaliation that gets the penalty. Play your game, keep a level head and put pucks in the net when Cooke and Kessler are on the ice, that is how you beat an agitator.
Someone asked about Clayton Stoner. He was taking off on a stretcher last Friday in a game at Peoria. He is expected to miss a couple to few weeks with a medium-severe concussion.
Pouliot is out with an undisclosed injury.
Petr Kalus is starting to look pretty good boys.
I would love to see Voros unleash himself tonight. He has a lot to prove in order to stay and this is a good time for him to show it. I like the possibility of him against Brown. Brown may be willing to go twice to prove himself too.
Will somebody who is going to the game please wear a turtle hat? IMO, the Canucks turtle the most of any time that I’ve seen this year. Maybe we should call them the Vancouver Turtles?
Aaron that was me that asked about Stoner, thanks for the update.
Hey Nik, isn’t that aunt remark a hint of bigotry toward aunts?
I meant, Hey Nick. Hard to keep goalies named Nik straight.
Thanks for sharing
I’d prefer reading in my native language, because my knowledge of your languange is no so well. But it was interesting! Look for some my links:
