Minnesota-Colorado: Wild Turn the Table on the Avalanche in Game Two

My goodness, I'm going to stop making defibrillator jokes, lest the need for one comes true! Tonight the Wild won 3-2 in overtime, in a game that had the most back and forth we've seen yet from these teams.

Though the teams tailed off a bit late in the third, I was still impressed that they could keep up that level of intensity for so long. You've got to love playoff hockey!

Recap

The Wild again gave up the first goal in the game. However, they got the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead.

Mikko Koivu's goal came with just 1:51 left in the game and I was curled on the couch in the fetal position, wishing it wouldn't end that way. With the Avalanche, I should have known better.

The Wild took what could be described as a phantom penalty, giving the Avalanche a six-on-four. With Ryan Smyth parked in front of the net, Milan Hejduk deflected a John-Michael Liles point-shot through Niklas Backstrom's legs, and we were headed to overtime!

Unfortunately, the excitement ended early for Avalanche fans. Mikko Koivu did a great job shielding the puck from Joe Sakic and ended up getting it back to Keith Carney. Carney dusted himself off and fired a puck that was headed about 80-feet wide. However, Ruslan Salei and Brian Rolston were tangled up in front, and the puck bounced off of Salei and in.

After a quick review by the refs to make sure it was good, the Wild walked away with a 3-2 win and—more importantly—a one-one series tie.

If they had gone down 2-0 heading back to Denver, they'd be measuring out their own caskets right now.

Full Disclosure

I missed most of the first period (thanks TSN or NHL or whoever makes the schedule,) caught a majority of the second while cooking/eating dinner, and missed half of the third stuck with a chatty clerk at the grocery store.

So I really didn't take a lot of notes and will forgo an in-depth look at individual plays and players. However, I will say that I couldn't be happier with Smyth so far this series, and I'm loving the energy line of McLeod, Guite, and Lappy.

Jones Injured?

I missed this play, but apparently David Jones left favoring his right leg midway through the game. That's not good news for the Avalanche, though in all honesty, it could have been worse.

Jones has been working hard, but hasn't been terribly effective in the series up to this point. However, I still hope to see him back in the lineup on Monday.

Coaching

I've got to give it to Q, he's been doing a great job coaching so far. From the timeout in game one after the comeback, to the timeout tonight to tell his boys what to do on the six-on-four, he's been rock solid behind the bench.

Actually, maybe all he has in his arsenal is timeouts. I kid, I kid. Mostly.

Home ice advantage

The series shifts back to Denver for back-to-back games on Monday and Tuesday. The Wild have time to rest up, but I don't see the back-to-back games doing them any favors unless...

Scheduling

Who is the idiot that made the schedule this year? Why do we have to wait until the first period is almost over before TSN/VS cuts-in to cover the second half of their double-header? The CBC games have been flawless, so you know it can be done.

I'd like to blame the league since they're obviously the ones who make the schedule, but at the same time, I don't get how CBC gets perfect coverage and TSN/VS are left twiddling their thumbs.

Heck, Wings and Preds fans had to wait an hour for the Masters to end before TSN cut to their game. Yes, golf pre-empted hockey...in Canada! Ridiculous.

Related Links

NHL.com Event Summary