Minnesota Wild Vs. Vancouver Canucks: Game Recap

For the enemy perspective, please visit Nucks Misconduct

On today's HW Facebook question of the day (don't forget to visit everyday, tell your friends), we asked for your predictions for tonight's game. I answered:

which was absolutely, and regrettably correct. Bryan jokingly answered that I was fired, but mere moments after the game, I received a box from Bryan from the Future (he mailed it two days ago... I don't know how he got his hands on a time-machine), that came with a note:

Well, it was an awesome ride. See you around everyone! I kid of course, they would never get rid of me. They need me! Who else could they ask to fill in when they need the recap done? Monica? Elise? Dan?... Oh wait... they could...RUH-OH!

Game Notes:

The Wild came into tonight's game tops in the league on the penalty kill since the new year with 91%

The Canucks' only regulation loss this season when scoring first? October 19th... against the Wild.

Wild are 16-9-2 with Spurgeon in the lineup, 14-12-3 without him.

Kesler's empty-net goal prevented the Wild from tying a team-record of 13 shots against and another team-record for shots against in a period.

Hockey Wilderness 3 stars:

2. Cory Schneider (28 saves out of a possible 29, singlehandedly kept the Nucks alive in the 3rd period)

3. Manny Malhotra ( He's officially a Wild-killer, goal, assist to make it 3 goals, 2 assists in 4 games against Wild this season)

Five questions:

1. Much need two points on the line. Can the Wild stay focused and get 'em? The Wild stay focused alright, but the Canucks stole 2 points they didn't even need in the first place.

 2. Big games breed heroes. Who will it be tonight? Looks like it was Cory Schneider, but for the Wild, it was Cal Clutterbuck, hands down. He was absolutely beastly tonight.

3. Is tonight Mikko's night? Nope, but he did get a few quality chances. It didn't help that Brunette was getting rocked left and right and Mittens had a frankly horrible game.

4. Cam Barker is facing some serious down time. Does he make it a difficult decision? Not from where I'm standing, that's for sure. Stoner rocked, Spurgeon got a point, Barker? Yeah... see you around.

5. Over / under on PIMs is set at 40. What you got? Ridonkulously under, 14 PIM to be exact, all minors.