So much for a “huge step,” as Jacques Lemaire put it Friday night after the Wild’s convincing win over maybe the worst team in the league, the Islanders.

Tonight the Wild faced the worst team in the West (at least in the standings) and that step turned out to be two steps back (again in the standings) as the Wild tripped from seventh to ninth because both teams immediately behind Minnesota, Nashville and Phoenix, won tonight.

It’s amazing how fragile the Wild is. David Backes scores a power-play goal after a careless tripping penalty from Kim Johnsson, and that was it for the Wild in the period. The Wild at one point in the first was outshooting St. Louis 9-3. The Blues outshot Minnesota 11-9 in the period as the Wild went the FINAL 13:12 of the first without registering a shot on goal.

Then 30 clicks after Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored a beautiful tying goal in the third, 3-on-2 and Roman Polak, who’s first NHL goal actually came on Nick Schultz’s first-period goal, scored his real first NHL goal, and winner (just like Colton Gillies the night before).

Read Nik Backstrom’s second quote in tomorrow’s gamer on that goal and how he compares it to the Wild’s, we’ll call it, bad luck this month (2-6-1).

The Wild is 2-for-30 on the power play in the last eight games, and a spitting mad Mikko Koivu said after tonight’s game, “that’s why we lost.” The Wild has also given up the first goal in eight straight games. Eight straight games of starting off by chasing. That’s a key to unsuccess.

Some weird stuff in this game, and I’m not even talking about Colton Gillies being scratched. How about Marian Gaborik playing the power-play point with Marc-Andre Bergeron hurt? How about Benoit Pouliot playing the penalty kill with Eric Belanger sick? How about the fact that three straight games now Gaborik doesn’t move off the third line until after the Wild’s trailing?

Just an idea, but maybe try him alongside Mikko Koivu and perhaps you’ll wind up leading.

How about Cal Clutterbuck again tonight? Seven more hits to give him 109, amazingly four less than the team leader of last season, Stephane Veilleux, in just 28 games. Clutterbuck was absolutely driving Carlo Colaiacovo loco tonight until he finally went loco. Hot cocoa or whatever his name, who fought Clutterbuck in the second, finally cross-checked him to the ice and began punching him in the face in the third with a 3-2 lead.

Just a total undisciplined penalty at a horrific time for St. Louis, and the Wild did nothing with it.

What else? The 49ers were at the Wild’s hotel today. The Blues have a Saturday “Fan Bailout” plan where it pays for the mortgage of a lucky fan for four months. Somebody in Section 105 won it. How about picking somebody from the nosebleeds, eh?

Ohhhh, and this poker fanatic was excited to see Dennis Phillips on the Jumbotron. He finished third in the most recent World Series of Poker after starting with the final day with the chip lead. I’ve got nothing else for ya.

I’m done, toast and miss my cell phone. Stensaas on for practice tomorrow, and yes, the Wild earned a practice with two days before the next game.

Here’s some David Backes (Blaine native) stuff. After three goals in the first 21 games, he’s got seven goals in 11 games and a four-game goal streak cooking:

“I’m not going to try and figure it out,” Backes said. “I’ll just keep riding it as long as it goes.”

Of Backes’ surge, Murray said: “I think the bottom line is ( at the net. We’ve got a few other guys that skate by the net. If you need an example of how to get goals, he’s at the net.”

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I’m a mess. Forgot my cell phone in my hotel, so already off to a good start. I cannot even convey to you the shakes I get when I don’t have that thing attached.

Only six guys skated this morning. Judging by the sloooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww walk around the arena, Niklas Backstrom is getting back-to-back starts for the first time this season.

In Game 2 of back-to-back starts in his career, Backstrom has made four appearances. He’s 2-1 with one no decision, a  4.00 GAA and .893 save pct.

Erik Reitz is obviously in for the injured Marc-Andre Bergeron. As for the forwards, Marian Gaborik is in.

If Gaborik plays, I assume Craig Weller will be up here in the press box writing my game story tonight

I don’t think you can scratch Mr. Gillies 24 hours after scoring the winner, eh? But stranger things have happened with Jacques.

And ’tis true. The winner last night wasn’t enough to earn Gillies consecutive appearances. Back down to the Earth for the rook. He’ll be the one writing my gamer. Weller in.

By the way, I think this note was cut out of my notebook in today’s paper:

subhed
Wild first-round pick Tyler Cuma didn’t make Team Canada’s world junior roster because of a sprained MCL. He’ll miss six weeks.
“[Coach] Pat Quinn told us Tyler would definitely have made the team,” assistant GM Tommy Thompson said. “He’s devastated.”

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 20th, 2008 at 6:08 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.