Minnesota Wild vs. Nashville Predators: Game Recap

For the Nashville perspective, please visit On the Forecheck.

A few interesting notes for the game tonight, as both the Wild and the Predators have gotten away from their game. The Wild aren't relentless on their forecheck, and the Predators haven't been sharp in their zone.

To the game:

The Wild came out in the 3rd and continued where they left off in the 2nd, getting pucks in deep and forcing turnovers. Brodziak rang one off the pipe, and anything else directed towards the twine was blocked by Rinne. Jonathan Blum put the Predators up 1-0 on a wrist shot from the blueline that Harding never saw. To their credit, the Wild did not get down on themselves. They sucked it up and kept coming at Rinne and the Predators defense. The Wild stuck to the forecheck, and finally got paid off when Heatley snuck a wraparound in to tie it up, 1-1. A late powerplay for Nashville couldn't get it done in regulation, so both teams readied themselves for overtime.

The Wild chose to unleash in the overtime. They had the better chances in the OT, but this guy named Rinne kept getting in the way. Might as well give the fans extra "hockey" with a shootout.

Wild lose this one in a shootout, but there's some signs of life. The Wild got a point, a fanbase did not boo Dany Heatley all night, and no one was hit from behind and left on a stretcher. Progress, I suppose.

Five Questions: