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I honestly don’t think that anyone deeply believed that the Minnesota Wild would be any good this season. After finishing dead last in the Central last season, one game over .500, the Wild did nothing over the off-season to re-tool the squad. This season they’ve stumbled out of the gate as expected, with a 4-8-0 start. They were shredded by the Dallas Stars last night, 6-3, and have the other half of this home and home (for Minnesota, at least) up against the Blues on November 2nd.
“We go right out there, make a bad play, take a penalty, make a bad play, don’t get it deep from a guy that has played great for us, but there was no reason to try and carry it over the blue line. And then they just had the adrenaline, the crowd and everything else,” Boudreau said. “The first period and three quarters, we worked harder and we were getting opportunities and that was it. But once the pendulum turned, they started going to the net and everything we touched was going wrong.”
If the Blues ever get to a point tonight where they look like they’re out of the game, it’s all good. The Wild will let them right back in. Even sans Vladimir Tarasenko (and maybe Alexander Steen), tonight shouldn’t be a loss - unless it is. The Blues had control over the Red Wings on Sunday before allowing them to tie the game and force overtime. Seven of the Wild’s eight losses have come on the road, so they offer the Blues an opportunity for one of two things today: a win or an opportunity to play down to their opponents.
Choose wisely. The Wild have traditionally been a difficult opponent for the Blues and they’re more than motivated to get another road win. Tonight’s game is a national broadcast on NBCSN, who are probably wondering why, on a night featuring... Tampa Bay and New Jersey? No, wait, Edmonton and Columbus? No...
Yeah, this was the best early game on the docket. Win or lose, the Blues will be seeing the Wild again on Saturday night.