Article: 3 Key Takeaways From Wild's Disheartening Overtime Game 4 Loss

[Thomas Williams]

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[Citizen Strife]

4th Takeaway: If you're Vegas, you can punch and trip Minnesota players in critical moments with impunity.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Wild still haven't lost a game due to 5v5 hockey. Vegas has scored 2 power play goals in both of their wins. Keep grinding and play more mistake free hockey. If the Wild didn't gift them game changing power play opportunities from high sticking penalties, they might have won the series in 4.

 

[greg]

It's always a shame that when the Wild lose part of the blame goes to the officials.  I'm not really disagreeing with it but we seem to have the mentality that if we lose it can't just be that we were beaten by a better team and nit by the officials.  I agree some of the callas and non calls were pretty egregious.    UT we sometimes over look some of the calls and non calls that favored the Wild.  However after watching the NHL playoffs around the league the game is becoming unwatchable in a large part to officiating.  The playoff philosophy of "let them play" is turning a great sport into a spectacle.   The sticks to the face and punches and players ripping off helmets and not getting penalized is disgraceful.  The announcers claims that this is playoff hockey adds to the lunacy. The NHL appears eager to return to the days of "goon " hockey.  The NHL on ice officials are certainly doing their part in degrading a great sport.  They are embarrassing.   The NHL should be embarrassed.

[OldDutchChip]

We're obviously big fans of Rossi here on this website, but it feels absolutely insane to have him down on the fourth line - some bigger than others 😉 i personally feel he is where he belongs.

To make the point even stronger, he's still scoring goals and impacting the game positively with fourth-line linemates and barely any minutes. 

it's more than goals. what positive impact besides scoring two goals has he brought? his overall play still does not merit a bump. would you put him over hartman? no i wouldn't. L4 is fine for him. trenin has been playing very good and him and braz allow rossi to be somewhat safe out there. we cannot afford to line him up on top lines. vegas has elite skill L1-4 - if Rossi is as you describe him - let him take the control of L4 and drive the results - this will be better for the team overall - and that always takes priority over individual results

the take-aways is that we should not have played zeev and should have added merrill in there. there needs to be a stability  and bogo's running to cover for the kid is not helping. we also need MJ back (yes we do).  

[SkolWild73]

2 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

We're obviously big fans of Rossi here on this website, but it feels absolutely insane to have him down on the fourth line - some bigger than others 😉 i personally feel he is where he belongs.

To make the point even stronger, he's still scoring goals and impacting the game positively with fourth-line linemates and barely any minutes. 

it's more than goals. what positive impact besides scoring two goals has he brought? his overall play still does not merit a bump. would you put him over hartman? no i wouldn't. L4 is fine for him. trenin has been playing very good and him and braz allow rossi to be somewhat safe out there. we cannot afford to line him up on top lines. vegas has elite skill L1-4 - if Rossi is as you describe him - let him take the control of L4 and drive the results - this will be better for the team overall - and that always takes priority over individual results

the take-aways is that we should not have played zeev and should have added merrill in there. there needs to be a stability  and bogo's running to cover for the kid is not helping. we also need MJ back (yes we do).  

I pretty much agree with you ODC.  Having Rossi and line 4 has been good for that line so not sure we need to shake it up.  Nojo back would help.  Maybe giving Rossi a couple of extra shifts would be helpful

[IllicitFive]

2 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

We're obviously big fans of Rossi here on this website, but it feels absolutely insane to have him down on the fourth line - some bigger than others 😉 i personally feel he is where he belongs.

To make the point even stronger, he's still scoring goals and impacting the game positively with fourth-line linemates and barely any minutes. 

it's more than goals. what positive impact besides scoring two goals has he brought? his overall play still does not merit a bump. would you put him over hartman? no i wouldn't. L4 is fine for him. trenin has been playing very good and him and braz allow rossi to be somewhat safe out there. we cannot afford to line him up on top lines. vegas has elite skill L1-4 - if Rossi is as you describe him - let him take the control of L4 and drive the results - this will be better for the team overall - and that always takes priority over individual results

the take-aways is that we should not have played zeev and should have added merrill in there. there needs to be a stability  and bogo's running to cover for the kid is not helping. we also need MJ back (yes we do).  

The only switch I would make is Rossi and Freddy. Freddy has 1 shot in 4 games. Maybe putting him between braz and trenin would afford him some chances with opened up space, and Rossi helping out Zucc to see if that line can get going, especially with MJ out. 

I am torn on Zeev myself, has he made some incorrect plays, yes, but Merril did too most of the season. To be fair, Merril was much better down the stretch. Zeev has also shown some flashes with his skating and puck movement, and isn't afraid of contact so far. A big issue was him sitting the whole OT time, Mids and Brodin had to be completely gassed, there is no way that is a better option than Zeev. I doesn't matter how good you are, if your legs go due to exhaustion it's over. If they would have played Merril in that situation then I agree with you that it would be better for the team overall, but that is a coaching error for the OT yesterday. 

[SkolWild73]

After calming down a bit now after yesterdays game I would like to add some positives.  Yes they were some questionable calls, but even so, we had our chances to win that game.  
 

1. Vegas needed a tackle on Hartman and a bank shot to get a goal
2. Trenin’s breakaway was inches from giving us the lead.  
3.  Although the first line didn’t score, they had their chances.  Kap was stopped on a one timer from what, 5 feet?  Ek almost ended it in overtime

4. We scored 3 goals without any points from Boldy and Kap.

A couple of missed clears, Boldy at the end of the 4 minute powerplay that led to the goal and Midds that led to the game winner.   Vegas seemed to get the breaks they needed and we did not.  

A couple days rest, let’s get game 5 and come back and close it out at home. 

[OldDutchChip]

6 minutes ago, IllicitFive said:

The only switch I would make is Rossi and Freddy. Freddy has 1 shot in 4 games. Maybe putting him between braz and trenin would afford him some chances with opened up space, and Rossi helping out Zucc to see if that line can get going, especially with MJ out. 

I am torn on Zeev myself, has he made some incorrect plays, yes, but Merril did too most of the season. To be fair, Merril was much better down the stretch. Zeev has also shown some flashes with his skating and puck movement, and isn't afraid of contact so far. A big issue was him sitting the whole OT time, Mids and Brodin had to be completely gassed, there is no way that is a better option than Zeev. I doesn't matter how good you are, if your legs go due to exhaustion it's over. If they would have played Merril in that situation then I agree with you that it would be better for the team overall, but that is a coaching error for the OT yesterday. 

oh right - freddy - i forgot he is not on the team.....maybe if MJ is back - you can scratch freddy?

i think you bring back merrill and let him play out the round - he earned it (Chissy too i guess) 

 

[OldDutchChip]

2 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

After calming down a bit now after yesterdays game I would like to add some positives.  Yes they were some questionable calls, but even so, we had our chances to win that game.  
 

1. Vegas needed a tackle on Hartman and a bank shot to get a goal
2. Trenin’s breakaway was inches from giving us the lead.  
3.  Although the first line didn’t score, they had their chances.  Kap was stopped on a one timer from what, 5 feet?  Ek almost ended it in overtime

4. We scored 3 goals without any points from Boldy and Kap.

A couple of missed clears, Boldy at the end of the 4 minute powerplay that led to the goal and Midds that led to the game winner.   Vegas seemed to get the breaks they needed and we did not.  

A couple days rest, let’s get game 5 and come back and close it out at home. 

ooh and i forgot braz getting raw deal on that breakaway! that's on refs right there! argh 💩

[TCMooch]

I hope Rossi tells this team to go fuck themselves and goes to a team that respects him for the top 6 Center he is

[OldDutchChip]

20 minutes ago, TCMooch said:

I hope Rossi tells this team to go fuck themselves and goes to a team that respects him for the top 6 Center he is

this is like santa barbara, let's start a fund me for rossi and pray for him

silly - just let the dude play - he is where he needs to be

[RedLake]

Don't worry the Bettman Rainbow show will be in the Conference Final. 

[Skomonkey]

Having watched most of the playoff games it does seem the officials are allowing almost anything but high sticks and some blatant trips. Which is why the slashing penalties the Wild have been called for are a head scratcher. 
 

I too believe the NHL ultimately wants VGK to advance for ratings. The Wild continue to play their game and they will win. We have been a much better road team all year so I don’t worry about home ice. 
 

True, Rossi has scored 2 goals. He’s been pulled because he loses every face off and he gets outplayed and outmuscled on the boards and is always chasing his guy in the D zone. He’s a liability in playoff hockey. 
 

he’s come a long way in 2 years and has scored a lot of key goals. I would go 11/7 and play Rossi on a wing and have Merril available for some shifts. 
 

if Middleton flips the puck the right way there is no goal. He was tired and have 6 D you can count on is necessary with the physical play of the playoffs.