By Nathan Eide -
The one positive I can take away from tonight is the relatively clean game, especially compared to how chippy the preseason games had been. With only two penalties, the Wild will have to maintain that as they embark on a nasty road trip after playing their home opener against Anaheim on Monday. The Wild definitely have to work harder in their own zone. Allowing 39 shots against Columbus is definitely not the way to start the season, and they left Backstrom out to dry on way too many occasions.
Todd Richards on his first game as an NHL head coach:
Questions to Answer
Can the Wild show consistency in the new system? Nope. Again, they had periods where things were clicking, but then it all broke down. Still have big trouble getting the forecheck right without taking too many chances, and have trouble taking the zone with speed.
Who is going to be the captain? 3 A's. I don't like this.
Who will try to take off Belanger's head? Actually, the Blue Jackets seemed to let things go.
Will the vets perform on little preparation? They seemed to be ok, but still need time to get chemistry.
Can the Wild win their 5th consecutive opener? Unfortunately, not.
Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.