Game #15: Minnesota Wild at Florida Panthers, Friday November 12, 2010 at 6:00pm (CST), Bank Atlantic Center [GAME PREVIEW]

I feel like I brought on a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.  On the Wild.com message boards, there was a poll started by fans predicting the date of termination of head coach Todd Richards.  Yours truly picked Monday, November 15 as it would be the day after this four-game roadtrip, much of it through the normally abysmal Southeastern Division.  Most fans have come to the conclusion that it is highly unlikely that Richards will be going anywhere this season.  However, after last night’s no-show of a game (on many levels, and I’ll get to that), I’m almost nervous as to how the rest of this trip will go.

Last night in Atlanta, it seems that it wasn’t only the Wild players that failed to show up at Philips Arena.  The official attendance last night was listed as 10, 005.  First off, that’s terrible attendance for any team.  I don’t care what team is visiting or what day of the week it is, but that is unacceptable.  On top of it all, yesterday was a holiday for many people.  While 10, 055 was the official attendance, if you happened to look at the television shots of the crowd, one almost had to wonder if the attendance was really 55.  The Wild have had some of their own attendance woes of their own this season.  At least we haven’t had a number that embarrassing.  Reminds me of the time my husband was in Atlanta on an educational trip and stopped in a sporting goods store in downtown Atlanta.  In that huge store, the only Thrashers gear they had was one lone ball cap.  While NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman refuses to think of relocation or contraction, one has to wonder if a team that can only pull in 10, 055 fans is pulling its own weight.

However, none of that excuses the poor performance by the Wild.  It seems that they had a great morning skate on Thursday, but fell flat come game time.  In fact, they not only fell flat, but one could say they fell flat on their face.  Seems that Richards was even hesitant to mention the great energy at the practice, because he knows that what happens in the morning doesn’t always hold through to the evening.  Things got so bad, that assistant coach Rick Wilson ended up breaking up several of Minnesota’s defensive pairings.  The only one that survived the length of 60 minutes was that of Greg Zanon and Clayton Stoner.  With Marek Zidlicky sidelined back in Minnesota with an injury and the less that impressive play of both Cam Barker and Justin Falk has forced General Manager Chuck Fletcher to call up Marco Scandella.  Scandella was the Wild’s second round pick in 2008 and will be making his NHL debut tonight in Florida.  This means that either Barker or Falk will most likely be a scratch tonight.

With all the changes in the pairings and the call up from Houston, it makes me think of a classic Red Green quote:

And remember, this fix is only temporary, unless it works.

Of course if we’re going to talk hockey and Red Green, it is important that we talk about his best line.  And it’s one that the Wild should take to heart tonight:

Keep your stick on the ice.