As Andrew Brunette quipped, “A little bit of a tease last game and tonight we got back to the way we normally play.”

Before I get started, here might be the hockey picture of the year by photographer Carlos Gonzalez of the famed Derek Boogaard car ride blog (Carlos and I drove from Minot, N.D., to Regina, Sask., two summers ago for the Boogey Fight Camp; disappointedly, for some reason the photos are no longer on the blog, which is what made the blog really funny).

Well, obviously this Wild victory was quite the turnaround from last game, but it was not shocking. Last game’s atrocious Wild defensive performance was the biggest aberration since I went 4 for 4 and raced (OK, waddled) around third for the winning run in Camp Coleman’s intracamp showdown with Blue Ridge in 1989 (yes, it’s sad, but it’s my biggest athletic achievement, so just let me revel in the glory. And me scoring a winning run is a big deal because I was a power hitter who once ran the 100-meter dash in 3 minutes and 22 seconds).

The Wild’s one of the best defensive teams in the league. I just think the embarrassing loss can simply be explained by the six defensemen getting together the night before and chowing down the turkey in everybody’s fridge. Hey, it happens. They were hungry.

But Wednesday was more like the Wild. It was pretty spotless in its own zone, and after a nothing-at-all-is-happening first period, the Wild eventually struck in the second and ran away from there.

Niklas Backstrom, one game after getting torched for six goals in two periods, shut out the Blues for his 12th career blanking, and 10th at Xcel Energy Center, which puts Backstrom one home shutout short of Dwayne Roloson’s team record.

Brunette scored his 200th goal. Eric Belanger had an assist and scored his 100th goal (the winner) and was funny about it. The humor doesn’t really translate in print. For it to be funny, you needed to see Belanger’s deadpan facial expression and hear the French accent.

But he said, “I didn’t even know until 98. I think my dad told me. He said, ‘you’re at 98’and I said, ‘oh, great.’”

Marek Zidlicky scored a goal and an assist. Marc-Andre Bergeron had two assists for his third multi-assist game in his past six. Pierre-Marc Bouchard had an assist for six points in three games. And Mikko Koivu had an assist to extend his point streak to a career-high six games (10 points).

OHHHHH, AND ANTTI MIETTINEN SCORED!!! I said on a radio show a couple days ago north of the border that the next time Miettinen scored, it would be by accident, and did I get that prediction right! He was on a breakaway with an empty net and Carlo Colaiacovo tripped him from behind. Referee Paul Devorski (the best ref in the league) awarded Miettinen with the goal, his first since Oct. 27, to snap a 16-game drought.

Here’s something for you: When you’re awarded a goal, you don’t get a shot, so technically, you can score a goal without getting a shot. But, assists are awarded, so Belanger got an assist for the Miettinen goal. I’m sure nobody knew that except for “sunshine.”

Blues coach Andy Murray certainly wanted to spoil this shutout. He pulled his goalie down 3-0 with 2:44 left, and Miettinen’s awarded goal didn’t come until 28 ticks left. The Wild just couldn’t score with the empty net. It was kind of like the Wild’s employee hockey game today that was played with no goalies!

I’m on a roll. It must be the coffee, which is at about a baker’s dozen today.

What else about the game? Oh, the Wild’s power play. It’s 10 for its last 20 over three games, the most power-play goals the Wild’s ever scored in a three-game stretch. It’s ranked second in the NHL at 26.6 percent.

Here’s a good one from Wild PR guru Ryan Stanzel. Eleven of Marek Zidlicky’s last 12 goals dating to Nov. 2006 are on the power play.

The Wild is 12-3-1 in its past 16 against St. Louis and is 9-3-4 against the Blues at home. Also, the Wild’s 37 shots tonight were a season-high.

Cal Clutterbuck was indeed back in. Craig Weller and Colton Gillies were scratched.

Speaking of Gillies (I made you wait long enough), I talked to Tommy Thompson, the Wild’s co-assistant GM so to speak, this afternoon.

Last week, I reported that the Wild had not yet talked about whether Gillies should play in the world junior tournament but that Canada wanted him. Last month, Canada head scout Al Murray made that clear to Thompson. 

This afternoon, Thompson said the Wild has begun internal discussions on whether it should release Gillies next week to Team Canada (Canada can add players to its 38-player selection camp roster. Camp begins Dec. 11).

Thompson told me, “It’s Doug’s call,” so there is no doubt this is something the Wild is at least considering. Doug, being Risebrough, obviously. Gillies, who won gold with Canada last year, has been scratched in 10 of the last 13 games and 12 times this season. If he’s not playing or making an impact, this is something to consider for the Wild.

From 2002-04, the Wild let Nick Schultz, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brent Burns play, respectively. The Wild didn’t let James Sheppard go last season because Wes Walz retired and Mikko Koivu broke his leg.

Tyler Cuma, by the way, the Wild’s first round-pick from June, was invited to Canada’s selection camp. 

By the way, here’s Jacques Lemaire on Sheppard’s 9 minutes of ice time last game: “When I’m happy, the guy plays. If he doesn’t play, there’s something. He’s injured, got a headache, got a sore foot or I don’t like what he’s doing. If he’s not injured, then there’s something else. And he’s not injured!”

Benoit Pouliot’s moved to the second line tonight and Sheppard dropped to the fourth.

OK, I’m tired. I’ve been in this arena since 10 a.m. It’s 11:20 p.m. I must depart.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 6:46 pm and is filed under Game coverage. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.