Series Talk: Minnesota Wild v Dallas Stars Playoff series thread | DAL Wins 4-2

[BuiumSaveUs]

Special teams are killing us. I will say this: something is still not right about how the Wild approach playoff hockey. I was at the Kings/Oilers game last night and Fiala looked unbelievable. Such a contrasting game to when he was in the playoffs here. It’s like none of the stars can show up here, and they have no problem being dynamic in other markets. I just think we play too much not to lose and that it’s not a sustainable style of hockey. You have to marry the hard/defensive hockey with sufficient skill and pace and we don’t have that currently.

 

[Spurgeon]

Johansson needs to be off the PK and Dewar or Hartman should be our #1 PK guy right now. Also, why the hell is Steel being used on the PK?

GA by PKers:

Johansson - 4
Gaudreau - 4
Steel - 2
Foligno - 1
Duhaime - 1
Dewar - 1
Hartman - 0

Stats are likely skewed due to matchups, but I just don’t think either of Johansson or Steel need to be on the PK.

I’d be using some combination of these 6:

Gaudreau - Foligno
Dewar - Duhaime
Hartman - Sundqvist

We’re barely 50% on the PK this series, Dean needs to make changes.

 

[Sweetnut]

Johansson needs to be off the PK and Dewar or Hartman should be our #1 PK guy right now. Also, why the hell is Steel being used on the PK?

GA by PKers:

Johansson - 4
Gaudreau - 4
Steel - 2
Foligno - 1
Duhaime - 1
Dewar - 1
Hartman - 0

Stats are likely skewed due to matchups, but I just don’t think either of Johansson or Steel need to be on the PK.

I’d be using some combination of these 6:

Gaudreau - Foligno
Dewar - Duhaime
Hartman - Sundqvist

We’re barely 50% on the PK this series, Dean needs to make changes.

This makes sense. MoJo was not great last game. Some changes is needed

 

[Spurgeon]

This makes sense. MoJo was not great last game. Some changes is needed

He’s just not who I’d be using in a defensive situation. He’s been great for us offensively and that’s where we should be using him (PP + Top 6). He certainly shouldn’t be leading the team in PK time. Looks like he was the 7th forward for PKs on the Capitals, so not sure why Dean is utilizing him like he’s the #1 option. If anything, I’d be using Nyquist as he was much more of a PK player with the Blue Jackets.

Gaudreau has been bad for us on the PK too, especially on draws. Currently sitting at 22% on FOs while on the PK.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Word on the street is that the refs that did last night’s game were already kicked out of another series, believe it was Toronto-Tampa Bay, for their horrendous officiating. Nashville, during their run to the Cup Finals, petitioned the league to fire them.

 

[f7ben]

Word on the street is that the refs that did last night’s game were already kicked out of another series, believe it was Toronto-Tampa Bay, for their horrendous officiating. Nashville, during their run to the Cup Finals, petitioned the league to fire them.

Basically it’s a tacit admission by the league that fans are noticing their blatant mandated game management. Last nights moron refs aren’t good enough to at least give some semblance of fairness and it’s causing fans to be outraged. I wish I could just quit watching and going to games but I can’t.

 

[Frobbo]

Word on the street is that the refs that did last night’s game were already kicked out of another series, believe it was Toronto-Tampa Bay, for their horrendous officiating. Nashville, during their run to the Cup Finals, petitioned the league to fire them.

Word on the street, yeah I'd go to the bank on that....not.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Word on the street, yeah I'd go to the bank on that....not.

 

[ujju2]

Word on the street is that the refs that did last night’s game were already kicked out of another series, believe it was Toronto-Tampa Bay, for their horrendous officiating. Nashville, during their run to the Cup Finals, petitioned the league to fire them.

Sorry to jump in as an Oilers fan, just wanted to say it was the Oilers/Kings series that they got kicked out of. Feel bad for you guys - the officiating in the first 3 games of the Oilers' series was some of the worst I've ever seen. Game 4 last night was a lot better with different refs.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

I’d prefer not to take the “easy” victim-like mentality about the refs last night.
There are some other truths about the game that affected the outcome as well.
1) Otter played lights out for them
2) We had a myriad of chances we didn’t take advantage of
3) Our PK needs to be markedly better, bad officiating or no

That aside, Dallas hasn’t shown me anything special to where the doom-and-gloom of not winning last night should affect my perspective in a best of 3.
We keep playing like we did, improve our PK, and stay 5 on 5? I like our chances.

 

[Soldier13Fox]

I’d prefer not to take the “easy” victim-like mentality about the refs last night.
There are some other truths about the game that affected the outcome as well.
1) Otter played lights out for them
2) We had a myriad of chances we didn’t take advantage of
3) Our PK needs to be markedly better, bad officiating or no

That aside, Dallas hasn’t shown me anything special to where the doom-and-gloom of not winning last night should affect my perspective in a best of 3.
We keep playing like we did, improve our PK, and stay 5 on 5? I like our chances.

Thanks for this, the pessimism on this site has been .... something. Let's just win the next 2 and call it a day! Stay put of the box and Dallas doesn't worry me much.

 

[DC4MVP]

I have another GDT idea if nobody else wants to do the GDT tomorrow.

 

[f7ben]

I have another GDT idea if nobody else wants to do the GDT tomorrow.

I volunteered for Friday but if you or anyone else wants them I’m totally fine letting others do it. I thought yours were great

 

[Wild11MN]

Thanks for this, the pessimism on this site has been .... something. Let's just win the next 2 and call it a day! Stay put of the box and Dallas doesn't worry me much.

In the end, we just need to beat Dallas 2 out of 3. Something we did in the first three games of the series.

 

[DC4MVP]

I volunteered for Friday but if you or anyone else wants them I’m totally fine letting others do it. I thought yours were great

I don't think I'd be able to do Friday's so that's perfect.

I just got this really cool "3" theme in my head from watching TV.

 

[Roman Maroni]

Word on the street is that the refs that did last night’s game were already kicked out of another series, believe it was Toronto-Tampa Bay, for their horrendous officiating. Nashville, during their run to the Cup Finals, petitioned the league to fire them.

 

[BagHead]

I’d prefer not to take the “easy” victim-like mentality about the refs last night.
There are some other truths about the game that affected the outcome as well.
1) Otter played lights out for them
2) We had a myriad of chances we didn’t take advantage of
3) Our PK needs to be markedly better, bad officiating or no

That aside, Dallas hasn’t shown me anything special to where the doom-and-gloom of not winning last night should affect my perspective in a best of 3.
We keep playing like we did, improve our PK, and stay 5 on 5? I like our chances.

I agree, I just question our ability to stay at 5 on 5 when non-penalties are called penalties. If the refs want to make up penalties and find plays to call them on, it doesn't matter how clean either team plays, there will be penalties.

 

[TaLoN]

This series is as good as over

 

[NHL1674]

**sigh**

 

[Soldier13Fox]

Brutal game. I'll still hold out hope we can get it done Friday and then make a game of it back in Dallas for G7

 

[TaLoN]

Ready for the dramatic change?

Flower in net next game.

 

[f7ben]

The series was over the minute they failed miserably in game 4 , they weren’t coming back from that no matter what happened.

Brutal game. I'll still hold out hope we can get it done Friday and then make a game of it back in Dallas for G7

I’ll buy a powerball and have better odds

 

[NHL1674]

Ready for the dramatic change?

Flower in net next game.

And he'll founder, the crowd will start booing at the whole mess, and it'll be another perfect end to another perfect season.

I use to be a happy person...honest.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

I still hold to the Wild winning in 7. This doesn’t change that; special teams and Kaprizov/Boldy going MIA is very concerning however.
That can easily change in a game though.

 

[57special]

Special teams are killing us. I will say this: something is still not right about how the Wild approach playoff hockey. I was at the Kings/Oilers game last night and Fiala looked unbelievable. Such a contrasting game to when he was in the playoffs here. It’s like none of the stars can show up here, and they have no problem being dynamic in other markets. I just think we play too much not to lose and that it’s not a sustainable style of hockey. You have to marry the hard/defensive hockey with sufficient skill and pace and we don’t have that currently.

Absolutely.

I think Dean and BG still think that this is the 1990's, and overvalue toughness(Dumba, Foligno, and Reaves). I'm fine with toughness, as long as it doesn't cost us, but it did.

Well, it's not over yet. Two games ago i was hopeful we had turned the page, and was ready to jump on the new look, new feel, great dressing room, Wild bandwagon, but it's looking pretty grim for us now to win the next two games. I mean, we didn't even compete tonight. The shot totals flattered us.