Game #70: Minnesota Wild at Vancouver Canucks, Monday March 14, 2011 at 9:00pm CDT, Rogers Arena [GAME PREVIEW]

The hole is officially deeper than it was just a few days ago.  At the beginning of this road trip, I said this was going to be a make or break time in the season.  And while I’m at it, I might as throw another cliche into the mix.  Tonight may end up being the straw that broke the camel’s back.  Facing the very real possibility of another loss tonight, I don’t know if there is any chance of getting things back on track.

Heading in to Vancouver, there are some very dire numbers.  First off, the Canucks have essentially owned the Northwest Division, boasting a current record of 14-2-2.  If you’re a Wild fan, the only positive thing about the Canucks record in the division, is that the two regulation losses that Vancouver has are at the hand of the Minnesota Wild.  The thing that works against the Wild is that Vancouver’s losses happened in Minnesota, and not at Rogers Arena.  And to add insult to injury, at this point it won’t matter if Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider start.  On top of that, Vancouver is on a five-game winning streak, whereas the Wild have lost their past two.  I won’t be surprised if that streak is three losses in a row after tonight.

Injuries are supposedly the root of the chemistry woes for the Wild.  Guillaume Latendresse, has been sent back to Minnesota for testing due to soreness.  While he was starting to feel better, if it hadn’t been for the injuries to Mikko Koivu and Cal Clutterbuck, Latendresse probably wouldn’t have played on this road trip.  Desperate times calls for desperate measures, and right now it is possibly bringing injured players back early.  Hopefully, the soreness that Latendresse is feeling doesn’t set him back further.  I’m not sure I can call the loss of Koivu’s leadership a root of the problems.  The loss of his skill (when he actually uses it) is more of a loss than the leadership.  However the loss of team toughness with Clutterbuck and Clayton Stoner is probably far more detrimental.  Right now, teams have the ability to play a more physical game against the Wild with little fear of payback.  Although I am sure there are teams (and their fans) who have been on the receiving end of Clutterbuck’s numerous hits, that feel that his injury is a matter of karma.  However, no one (with perhaps with the exception of Sean Avery and Matt Cooke) deserves the careless antics of Trevor Gillies.  Just because the Islanders have been horrible for what seems forever, does not mean that your team is allowed to take that out on individual players.  One should notice that Gillies suspensions have come in games, where the Islanders crushed their opponents on the scoreboard.

And so here we go again.  I know it’s hard to even think about staying up as late as we have to when many of us have a bad feeling of the outcome.  Just know that if you do stay up late, and the Wild lose, you won’t be alone.  There will be those of us out there suffering along side you.  That’s the beauty of standing together with a group. 

Copyright © 2011 www.StateofHockeyNews.com – All Rights Reserved – Trademarks used herein are property of their respective owners.