Minnesota Wild vs. Anaheim Ducks: Game Recap

The Wild picked up right where they left off, playing a brutal first two periods tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. They were getting a decent number of shots (17 through periods 1 and 2), but not many were quality scoring chances, and they were still letting far too many opposition players enter the zone and get free down low. Each of the three Anaheim goals were a result of poor defensive positioning, something many of us anticipated as the team learns a new system and starts to grow out of old habits.

The defensemen were lax in their zone, seemed to be confused as to what to do with the puck on the breakout. There were miscommunications in taking the zone. The forwards were hanging the defensemen out to dry by forechecking too deep and getting caught out, then they weren't backchecking hard enough. To make matters worse, they weren't taking the zone with speed when they should be, and dumping when they shouldn't. The power play was sloppy, with the Wild hardly getting enough time in the offensive zone to set anything up. It was a comedy of errors.

A beautiful ending to the night. Let's hope Richards can get these guys concentrating on playing the way they did in the third period. It's time to hit the road for a brutal West Coast swing.

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