Friday’s battle for first in the division
Posted on March 21st, 2008 – 3:20 PMBy Michael Russo
The server was down; that’s why there was a delay.
Here are your multitude of skate updates:
– Jacques Lemaire was in his typical surly mood when dealing with the Vancouver media. He’s not a fan. Was a little better after they cleared out.
He pulled the team over for a talk after the skate and told them he expects them to come out strong tonight. He said he’s tired of opponents who played the night before outskating the Wild early in games. And the Canucks were in Edmonton last night. He brought up recent San Jose game, recent LA game, etc. The Wild might be the king example. The Wild is 10-3-2 in the second of back-to-backs.
He also said the Wild might be seven points up on a playoff spot, but they haven’t made it in his mind.
– Lemaire said there will be forward changes tonight and to wait for warmups to find out. I have a suspicion Chris Simon will be in, and I have a funny feeling it’ll be for Mark Parrish. Just a wild guess. I’m not sure if Aaron Voros will be back in, but I definitely think Simon will be in and I definitely think it’ll be for Parrish. The players didn’t know though, but I’ve got a feeling.
– Kurtis Foster continues to rest comfortably, according to close friend Mikko Koivu, who talked with Foster yesterday. He said Foster’s in a lot of pain and actually had eight hours of surgery, not six.
– After talking with Doug Risebrough, Lemaire told me the Wild will not call up a defenseman until Erik Reitz has recovered from a sprained ankle. That could happen by next week. He’s missed five games since March 9, but clearly, there’s no interest in bringing up guys like Clayton Stoner, John Scott and completely-off-the-map Shawn Belle.
– Stephane Veilleux took a puck to the kisser during the skate after Josh Harding made a save. Veilleux got a nasty cut on his lip, but he’ll be fine. Vancouver media thinks Ryan Kesler will play after taking a puck to the foot last night in Edmonton. Willie Mitchell also has got fat lips and has been wearing a full cage.
– Tomorrow’s notebook lead will be on the shootout debate. I know for a fact that the coaches have debated whether or not to pull Niklas Backstrom in the next shootout. He’s the worst NHL goalie in the shootout’s short history.
The problem is the Wild would be worried about Harding coming in cold off the bench. That happens all the time when the starter is pulled, but you usually don’t face three breakaways immediately — as Harding pointed out to me. And this has backfired before. I have to look it up, but didn’t Edmonton do it once and I think Kari Lehtonen got hurt coming in cold in the shootout.
But Lemaire admitted he’s most worried about what that would do to Backstrom’s psyche. Is it worth messing with a goalie’s mind when it could affect him mentally next time he plays? And Backstrom’s been on a roll recently.
This was just emailed to me from a reader. Here’s one take on pulling a goalie in the shootout.
Here’s the most interesting thing: Jacques’ more perturbed with the shooters, and if the Wild has a shootout in the final eight games, Lemaire indicated he planned to pick three new shooters.
I told him to go on YouTube and watch Benoit Pouliot’s shootout move vs. Syracuse, so if Pouliot gets a try and misses, blame me.
And no, Lemaire didn’t react, “What’s YouTube?”
You people are so cynical.
Later.
FYI. Wrote this last season. Note Manny’s reaction to my query (oh man, I miss Moody Manny).
Thought I’d throw on here. Risebrough isn’t with the team now, so I don’t know if he feels the same way.
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
December 13, 2006 Wednesday
Metro Edition
WILD NOTES;
Risebrough says he’d swap goalies in a crucial shootout
BYLINE: Michael Russo, Staff Writer
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 8C
LENGTH: 499 words
DATELINE: Calgary, Alberta
Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough has taken note of the distinctive early-season difference between starting goaltender Manny Fernandez and backup Niklas Backstrom in shootouts.
Fernandez is 6-0 this season with a .720 save percentage (seven goals on 25 shots), and 10-2 in his career. Backstrom is 1-2 and ranks 41st out of 46 goaltenders with a .300 save percentage (seven goals on 10 shots).
It got Risebrough thinking. Later this season, if points are essential and Backstrom got the team into a shootout, he wouldn’t mind seeing coach Jacques Lemaire replace Backstrom with Fernandez.
“If you’re going to put your best shooters out, why wouldn’t you put your best goalie out?” Risebrough said. “If it came down to late in the season and it was a needed game … the general manager’s already decided.”
In October against Philadelphia, Thrashers coach Bob Hartley pulled backup Johan Hedberg before a shootout in favor of Kari Lehtonen, who went 5-0 in shootouts last year. Lehtonen lost, but Hartley said, “If you have Mariano Rivera sitting in the bullpen, you use him.”
Last season, Edmonton yanked Jussi Markkanen and Ty Conklin for Mike Morrison. Conklin was furious.
Fernandez didn’t seem thrilled with the hypothetical idea.
“I mean, they’re my boss. If they decide I go, I go,” Fernandez said. “There’s a lot of positions that a goalie wouldn’t want to be in, but I’ve worked through it in the past. … It’s their call, obviously. I’m getting paid to stop pucks.”
49 Responses to "Friday’s battle for first in the division"
I have to say it. I’m surprised Simon will be in, not for Parrish because Parrish can’t do anything right it seems. But just that Simon will be in. He really hasn’t shown much and that could certainly be because of any number of reasons: isn’t comfortable yet, feels all eyes are on him waiting for him to screw up, knows that the fans weren’t thrilled about him coming, whatever. I’m trying to keep an open mind so it would be nice to see if he does have anything to contribute. If Simon were to turn out as pleasant a surprise as Fedoruk, I’d be thrilled.
JL doesn’t like Vancouvers media but loves the fans, huh.
Question. Koivu had one of the most lethal breakway moves a year ago. You know which one; when he rolls in on the forehad and flips a quick backhand into the top of the net. This year he gets his leg broke, misses 24 games and then comes back and his first shootout attempt is that same move, only it rolls off the end of his stick blade and he doesn’t get a shot on goal. Since then, he hasn’t gone back it. What the f@*%$. If you’re weekly Saturday night date continues to put out, you don’t abandon her for someone else. Mikko, buddy, give last year’s girlfriend a call and get back on track!
Ha love the analogy Deep Breath. Except maybe your moniker should be cough:Deep Throat:cough…
Another excellent report from the Don. Man is this guy good or what. Whatever the Strib is paying him isn’t enough. Hope all the local Starbucks are safe today. I remember what happened last time the Don and the Wild were in Vancouver…
Did anyone else experience some really weird stuff here about an hour ago? Instead of “Hockeydad” and my email address popping up under “please leave a comment,” I got sunshine’s and pieMcKenzie’s names and email addresses popping up in that space automatically. Weird.
Deep Breath - couldn’t agree more about Koivu going back to that move. No goalie really ever stopped it. He would only miss, puck roll off, etc. I can see coming up with an alternative move from the same set-up, just so the goalie doesn’t sit on the backhand, but he looks a little lost out there now.
Hockeydad: I got your name and email address but after changing it to mine, I couldn’t post. Hopefully they addressed the problem.
Will they play Backstrom back-to-back or will Harding in be one of the nights?
testing
is boogie playing tonight? anyone know?
As to previous blog comment about, isn’t it a shame that Reitz, a D, is tied for scoring lead for Aeros. You bet. That doesn’t bode well for future scoring help there. Kalus looks like he is having a tough year.
Having problems with the server. Haven’t been able to post and comment box shows up without my name or e-mail address.
I don’t think it’s necessarily bad for the leading scorer to be a d-man, what’s more of a shame is that the leading scorer has only 34 points.
Gees - now I just got Seamus email & name
testing — this is a disaster today.
I know that Backstrom hasn’t been great, but seriously…Our shooters are 5/19 in the shootout when he’s in the cage. There are a couple games where he didn’t give the shooters a chance to win the game, but our shooters need to at least give HIM a chance to win the game!!
Good afternoon from partly sunny Vancouver, where we were getting cussed out by the bums as we walked over from Pacific Central Station (where Amtrak arrives here from Seattle) to the SkyTrain to go to our hotel, then got booed by the street people as we went down Robson St. as we walked to get here.
O, what a tangled web we weave… 
JL is right in bringing in new shooters if we go to a shootout again. Maybe someone who will actually take a shot other than a slapper (sorry, Rolston) or just not shoot at all (sorry, Pavol).
Or better yet: let’s win the game in regulation so we don’t have to worry about the shootout!
1. This will be the first game with Fedoruk, Boogaard & Simon all dressed, yes? Any chance we’ll see that specific line combination?
2. Is Luongo a lock tonight? He’s been mediocre against the Wild this year, and played last night.
Someone needs to go kick that server again. This is infuriating.
fyi - I had sunshine’s credentials earlier.
No my posts are going into a black hole?
Also, Pouliot’s shootout goal is here:
I’m surprised someone didn’t mention using foster’s injury as a kind of motivational thing, the lets do this for him type of thing. Teams have done similar, granted for far more serious losses, but still. Just a thought.
I agree WRT about the shooters. Also I hope they don’t change goalies in a shootout. I think it would backfire in the worst way with Nick’s mind. I would rather just get the point and move on to the next game. With no shootouts in the playoffs I’m not as worried about it.
Must agree with Bill. Theres no shootout in the playoffs so I don´t think they should play with Backstroms confident. It will be much more important in games that is sent to OT in the playoffs.
LOL RUSSO, you got quite the comments.
Steph took a puck to the “kisser”… lol. i doubt he’s ever kissed anyone. 
JK
Hmmm… Who’s at fault for our poor shoot out record? The shooters or the goalies?
In the Wilds 3 SO wins the shooters went:
2 for 3 (Harding)
2 for 6 (Harding)
2 for 3
In the Wilds 7 SO losses the shooters went:
1 for 2
1 for 3 (Harding)
0 for 2
0 for 3
1 for 3
0 for 3
1 for 3
We’re in the playoffs , yes playoff position matters, but I’m more conceared what happens when the Wild are playing real hockey, my attititude is we skated to a tie of a result and were play well enough that had the needed to detirmine the winner of the hockey game (and by the way real hockey is played 5-5 and never should be 3-3 unless it a result of 4 consecutive non coincedental penalties). 10 minute 5-5 OT will decide a fair percentage of games especially if the refs are calling it as close as possible in OT.
JK, it’s clearly both, and GJ researching those figures! I’m gonna use ‘em below…
To win a shootout, you actually have to score at least one. 30% of them they failed to score even one. You can’t win that way.
The next 40% they got one goal, but still lost.
But when they score 2, they’ve won, regardless of who was in net.
So, if you can get at least 2, by all accounts you should win, if the numbers hold. But the dismal shootout performance this year on both ends of the ice begs for some shootout practice maybe.
Now I haven’t been here to criticize lately (I’ve been busy), but I do need to take a moment and bring a few things up.
1. The loss of Foster, and the fact we have ZERO other capable D makes for a huge hole, one the Canucks themselves went through during the regular season. Someone is going to need to be able to step up big-time.
2. The Don mentions Gaborik’s slapper, and how he should use that more. I watched Gabby tee it up from the right circle, and had flashbacks to the Caps/Bruins the other day, when Fedorov did the same thing. He used to do that all the time in Detroit - winding it up from the top of the circle. The Don is right, Gabby needs to expand his repertoire a bit. Just about every netminder knows he’s going high glove side with a wrister.
3. Pulling goalies for the shootout. My take is this: Every goalie knows whether he’s good in the shootout or not. If he’s a team player, he’d gladly accept a swap for the shootout, providing the other goalie has substantially better stats than he does. Teamwork wins games, not just individual effort. If you are a coach, and you’re afraid of pissing off your goaltender by yanking him in the shootout, you need to sit him some more so he understands the concept of “team”, i.e. Conklin.
Michael Up North: do you know any goalies, any friends that are goalies? They are the craziest sob’s in hockey. They don’t think like that. I know it would be ideal for Backstrom to say take me out but that is a pipe dream. Goalies minds are fragile…it’s just a fact of the game.
I don’t mean that as a rip on goalies either. They gotta be a bit nuts to take 100mph slappers at their goarde.
it better be broadcast on DirectTV. Does anyone know if it is? It’s not showing up on my menu either but i’m thinking its becasue it’s later.
NHL Network MT Dave
Is the game not on the NHL Package tonight?? It is not coming up on my menu. Plaese tell me that of all of the games this is the one I have to miss!!!
Locally it’s also on KSTC Ch 45. No idea what that means for Direct TV but Comcast ch 12
I guess so. That sucks.
Would that be the same NHL network that I don’t get with Dish network?
So who would JL’s new guys for the shootout be? My choices:
SRV - scored a ton in junior and is hot right now
Pouliot
Shep
Colt, I do have a friend who used to play goal at SCSU. He’s not nuts, then again maybe that’s why he quit playing - but irregardless of that fact, it’s not about the individual, and if they’re feelings are hurt by it they need to look at the big picture: Allowing yourself to be pulled might just be the difference between making the playoffs, and not.
You gotta still ride Burns in the SOs - he’s the only thing going.
Bill and JK are spot on - the shooters have also been terrible. While Baks is the worst goalie, our shooting percentage this year also has to be at the bottom. Last year, the fairly regular rotation was Demo, Mikko and Roli and it seemed like we could always get 2 goals from those guys.
Final question before heading to GM Place:
Why has the coaching staff gone away from Koivu in SO’s? My first three for now…
Koivu
Pouliot
Sheppard
Keep Roberto (or Kipper or Roli) guessing!!
Go Wild!
I’d keep Koivu too and possibly Burns. But since JL says he’s going with new blood, I left them out.
WTF is this NHL network nonsense? I don’t pay for CI to not get Wild games. Especially ones that are critical at the end of the season. Stupid Comcast. Grr….
Ok so I was reading the game preview on Wild.com, and one of the linesmen’s names caught my attention, Thor, yes the mans name is Thor. I got a good laugh off that.
Hey some dude named “Jack” was in my name/e-mail spot! Get off of my cloud dude!
My prediction for the game tonight: unlike the SJ game, I’m actually feeling good about this one…4-2 Wild (empty netter, Backs lets in a softie).
Burrows gets destroyed by Boogard and Luongo starts cryin’ like a little girl cuz he’s lost his mojo!
Oh and I hope a ‘Nucks fan throws a beer on JL so he can “appreciate” them all the more.
so, how about if we go out and win the first period tonight? That would be something, wouldn’t it? Oh my god, could you stand it?
game time munchies from El Don.
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