Minnesota Wild vs Phoenix Coyotes: Game Re-Cap

For Phoenix perspective, call the Winnipeg Free Press. I kid, I kid. Head over to Five For Howling

The mighty momentum was all on the Wild's side at this point. The fans were re-energized, the team had some hop in their step, and there was hope yet again in Saint Paul.

Hard to find too much fault here. This was a classic bad bounces, mixed with some brain cramp moves leading to goals that the Wild just could not fight back from. The shots on goal finished 36-35 in favor of the Coyotes, so the Wild had their chances. They simply didn't finish them. Thirty or more shots on goal in three straight games for the Wild, but the chances aren't there, and the defense just is not there.

Still not sure how many nights they can push the 40 shots against before they start to realize they need to limit those chances.Still a ton of questions surrounding this team, who have now lost three in a row, and five of the last six.

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

1. Jason LaBarbera (33 saves)
2. Scottie Upshall (2G, 1A, +2 in just 13:04 TOI)
3. Brent Burns (1A, 22:44 TOI, 1 Save)

Five Questions

How does Bouchard look in his triumphant return? Expectations were low, but once he got on the Cullen / Havlat line, he looked really good. Butch is back.
Over / under on Wild shots is again set at 20. Can they win with fewer than that? They put 35 on net. The law of large numbers should kick in eventually, right?
The Wild didn't completely hose up the second period against the Flames. Is the curse broken? Eh. Still not there in the second period. Need to be better.
Can Team Mikko get going again? Indeed. Koivu had a goal on the night, though he still looks like he is missing a step.
Can JovoCop resist the temptation to maim someone? JovoCop was well behaved tonight. Good for him. Someone buy him a cookie.