Series Talk: Playoff Qualifier Series: Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks (VAN wins 3-1)

[BuiumSaveUs]

The Canucks were smothered all game, but we didn’t generate a whole lot either. We took no risks, which is the way we’re going to beat this team. That said, if we’re going to make any noise, we also need to be able to capitalize 5 on 5. Zuccarello is my x-factor in the playoffs. He looked atrocious last night, and we need him to be creating. We need to have 2 lines that can bring it offensively. If Zucc can step up, we’re in a good spot. I just haven’t seen him be able to create consistently in his time here yet.

 

[57special]

JEE was quiet, but I don't think it was a coincidence that Petersson was, too.

 

[TaLoN]

JEE was quiet, but I don't think it was a coincidence that Petersson was, too.

I've seen you type his name that way a few times... maybe it's just a repeated typo, but incase it's not, his name is Pettersson, not Petersson.

 

[57special]

OK, Tylonn!

 

[Dickie Dunn]

Sweet win, I was surprised how good they looked. Spurg played like a Norris candidate.

 

[a79krgm]

Men versus boys last night.
-Pettersson on his butt a lot.
-Hughes played like it was his first NHL playoff game.
-Roussel has mental issues.
-Keeping it simple and staying out of the box is the best strategy for the qualifying round.
-Fans around the league have discovered that the Wild actually are a good team when they get the goaltending.

 

[Lapa]

I thought Hartman played really well last night. Did his job and was physical.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I can see why Donato isn’t top 6. He’s always falling over and getting knocked off the puck. Needs more strength! He’s got the skill set to be a really good player.

 

[grN1g]

When you hold Pettersson and Horvats lines to just 5 shots and give them only 1 powerplay all game you're doing something right.

 

[grN1g]

Even though the smaller guys like zucc or donato are gettung bumped around alot I like their presence on each line. Gives that extra quickness and slight skill to elevate the weaker side of the other line mates games.

They just cant start floating. If they stop hustling and battling even though they're smaller and start pedestrianing it will get ugly quick.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

I can see why Donato isn’t top 6. He’s always falling over and getting knocked off the puck. Needs more strength! He’s got the skill set to be a really good player.

wasn't this said before and it seems to just stick with him? even though we enjoy his skill set maybe it wont be so bad to expose him to Seattle so they take him off our hands instead of a different player.

 

[Minnesnota]

I thought Hartman played really well last night. Did his job and was physical.

He has a good argument of being our best forward last night. He played great. Evason seems to be able to get a lot out of him while ensuring he keeps a cool head.

He could be a great asset for the Wild if he continues to play like he did last night.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I keep forgetting he's only 25.

 

[2Pair]

The Canucks were smothered all game, but we didn’t generate a whole lot either. We took no risks, which is the way we’re going to beat this team. That said, if we’re going to make any noise, we also need to be able to capitalize 5 on 5. Zuccarello is my x-factor in the playoffs. He looked atrocious last night, and we need him to be creating. We need to have 2 lines that can bring it offensively. If Zucc can step up, we’re in a good spot. I just haven’t seen him be able to create consistently in his time here yet.

Zuccarello put 3 great chances on Foligno's tape last night.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Zuccarello put 3 great chances on Foligno's tape last night.

And 1 to Kunin on the PP.

 

[pfunk]

Yeah i didn’t think Zucc looked atrocious at all last night. Didn’t have an incredible game or anything but I though he played solid.

 

[Webster]

Zuccarello put 3 great chances on Foligno's tape last night.

If there's a guy on this team who can finish Zucc's passes it's Parise, that's why they should be on the same line. Can try Ek in the middle, simply switch Zucc and Kunin.

It does create another problem, 3rd line will look awful. But scoring is more important.

 

[57special]

Zucc is ok. Just looks slow, and needs to shoot a bit more. There is a value to pass first guys, but you've got to keep the other team honest. Bottom line is that he is a smart, and willing team player.

I thought Hartman showed poise out there also.

 

[SMTHook]

Zucc is ok. Just looks slow, and needs to shoot a bit more. There is a value to pass first guys, but you've got to keep the other team honest. Bottom line is that he is a smart, and willing team player.

I thought Hartman showed poise out there also.

Shoot a bit more. Absolutely. Invariably when I yell "shoot" it's on his stick.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

Yeah i didn’t think Zucc looked atrocious at all last night. Didn’t have an incredible game or anything but I though he played solid.

I thought he made a couple of nice passes as well to create a few better than average quality scoring chances. I personally think that the Wild should play Donato or at least rotate Donato in with Zuccarrello. I don't think that Foligno can do anything offensively. I'd love to get the chance to see Donato and his shot/speed with Galchenyuk & Zuccarrelo. Maybe the Wild do not feel comfortable with that line defensively.

If that's the case then I would love to see Kunin instead of Foligno and Donato with Parise/Ek. I just think Zuccarrelo could benefit from another player who has the ability/speed to get to certain areas on the ice and the hands/shot/touch to be dangerous from those areas in a way that Foligno is not.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

I wanted to add that I thought Soucy played pretty well. With the amount of time off, you can sort of get a fresh first impression on some players. I thought Soucy looked like a guy who skates and moves really well and has a lot more puck skills and a little more offensive creativity than I had previously thought.

Soucy is not a Clayton Stoner. He may overhandle a little bit which I can see leading to some troublesome outcomes--but I came away impressed. I saw a lot of third party fans asking who Soucy was because he was all over the ice.

 

[Digitalbooya]

If there's a guy on this team who can finish Zucc's passes it's Parise, that's why they should be on the same line. Can try Ek in the middle, simply switch Zucc and Kunin.

It does create another problem, 3rd line will look awful. But scoring is more important.

Kunin plays on that line because he’s good at defense and defense is pretty darn important in the playoffs. Remember all those scoring chances for Boeser/Pettersson/Miller/Horvat/etc last night? Me either. You can thank the Parise-Ek-Kunin line for doing a great job shutting those players down.

 

[2Pair]

If there's a guy on this team who can finish Zucc's passes it's Parise, that's why they should be on the same line. Can try Ek in the middle, simply switch Zucc and Kunin.

It does create another problem, 3rd line will look awful. But scoring is more important.

Parise is the last guy on the roster that you would want playing with Zuccarello. Ek is definitely not the center you want Zuccarello with. Do you even watch the games or do you just check up on Zuccarello's stats?

 

[2Pair]

I thought he made a couple of nice passes as well to create a few better than average quality scoring chances. I personally think that the Wild should play Donato or at least rotate Donato in with Zuccarrello. I don't think that Foligno can do anything offensively. I'd love to get the chance to see Donato and his shot/speed with Galchenyuk & Zuccarrelo. Maybe the Wild do not feel comfortable with that line defensively.

If that's the case then I would love to see Kunin instead of Foligno and Donato with Parise/Ek. I just think Zuccarrelo could benefit from another player who has the ability/speed to get to certain areas on the ice and the hands/shot/touch to be dangerous from those areas in a way that Foligno is not.

I would like to see Donato with Zuccarello as well. There's just no chance you can try them together if Galchenyuk is the center. That might be the worst line in Wild history defensively. Zuccarello is basically the odd man out at this point and I get the feeling that Evason is just hoping that Zuccarello can bounce the random goal off of Foligno/Galchenyuk and Foligno can be good enough defensively to keep that line from getting scored on.

 

[pfunk]

I thought he made a couple of nice passes as well to create a few better than average quality scoring chances. I personally think that the Wild should play Donato or at least rotate Donato in with Zuccarrello. I don't think that Foligno can do anything offensively. I'd love to get the chance to see Donato and his shot/speed with Galchenyuk & Zuccarrelo. Maybe the Wild do not feel comfortable with that line defensively.

If that's the case then I would love to see Kunin instead of Foligno and Donato with Parise/Ek. I just think Zuccarrelo could benefit from another player who has the ability/speed to get to certain areas on the ice and the hands/shot/touch to be dangerous from those areas in a way that Foligno is not.

Yeah I am sure that donato-chucky-zucc line is concerning as far as strength and defense go... though one of the recent athletic articles highlighted how solid Galchenyuk’s defensive numbers actually have been, which surprised me.

In general I agree... it would be nice to see Donato get more ice time in a scoring role. He certainly showed he can score when he came over in the trade initially. Having said that, that line he was on was one of our best lines last night so I wouldn’t move anything around right now.