Congratulations to the Burns Family
A big Wild Nation congratulations to Brent Burns and his wife Susan.
Susan gave birth to the couple’s first child this morning at 6:42 a.m., a 7-pound, 11-ounce girl named Peyton Gabriann.
Burnzie was apparently so excited that, when he texted people letting them know the child’s name, he misspelled it “Peynton.”
In any event, congratulations to the Burns family and we wish them all the best and, don’t worry Wild fans…He’s expected to be in the lineup tonight for the Wild.
And maybe he’ll score a goal for little Peyton.
Chuck Norris Fears Greg Zanon
{Author’s Note: Thanks to @wildmn34 on Twitter for the title idea for the article. I wish I could take credit for the awesomeness that is enclosed in the title of the article, but I just can’t.}
Seriously.
The title says it all.
If you want to know who the biggest off season acquisition was for the Minnesota Wild, look no further than the man with the number six emblazoned on the back of his sweater.
Even if Martin Havlat wouldn’t have had his slow start and would have come on like gangbusters like he has, it would still be Zanon.
You need proof?
How does the tune of 180 shots blocked sound? That’s good for third in the league behind Andy Sutton and Dennis Seidenberg and almost 30 more than Nick Schultz blocked all of last season.
Maybe second on the team with hits (behind guess who) with 169 sounds a little better? Last season, the only player who had over 100 hits was our very own cult hero, Cal Clutterbuck.
How about leading the team in ice time, with 18:53 per game, more than even iron man Kim Johnsson averaged this season with us? Last season, the only player with more than 18 minutes of ice time was, once again, Johnsson with 19:36.
What about that Zanon is averaging almost 20 seconds more per game on the penalty kill than anyone else on the team?
If that last one doesn’t have you convinced, try this on for size:
With the playoffs out of reach for the season, Greg Zanon has been playing his last handful of games on a broken ankle.
Why?
Because he refuses to be shut down by the coaching staff.
In Monday’s victory over the Los Angeles Kings, Zanon blocked a grand total of six blocked shots. Six!
That’s not even mentioning that one of said blocked shots was a 90+ mph slap shot that ricocheted off of his lil’ Zanon’s.
His response after the game?
“Good thing I have kids already,” said in a high pitched, squeaky voice.
And the best part about all of this is that he’s rubbing off on players. He’s leading by example.
Now, most people would comment and say that Zanon is an idiot for not shutting it down at this point in the season. The Wild have no real shot of making the playoffs, they’re primarily playing for pride now, so why should he risk it?
Admittedly, the same thought crossed my mind as well, but I came to one conclusion.
It’s for the same reason why teams begin to play more physical during big losses.
To send a message.
Zanon is sending a message to his team for next season.
This is what we need to do. This is the type of warrior you need to be. This is the type of dedication that we need to win.
The Wild anthem, played during the first intermission of every home game, has a line that says, “We will fight to the end, We will stand and defend, Our flag flying high and free,” and there is no better example of this than Greg Zanon this season.
Zanon is not going to give up—he’s not going to “pack it in.”
He’s going to stand and fight until the end of the season. He knows that in just a few short weeks, he’ll have all off season to let his bumps and bruises heal. But for now, he’s a hockey player in the NHL and he’s going to do the best thing that he can do.
Just play.
This is why Zanon is the most important acquisition of the off season. This is why he might even be one of the most important players on the Minnesota Wild.
Because Greg Zanon doesn’t shave, he kicks himself in the face. The only thing that can cut Greg Zanon is Greg Zanon.
The Infernal Ramblings of an Incoherant Mind
Look, I’ll be honest here. There’s really not a whole heck of a lot going on in the Wild universe to talk about.
I didn’t catch all of last night’s game, as I turned it off after the second due to a combination of my wife being sick, my daughter being on a sugar high (without any sugar, go figure) and my disgust at the way the Wild were playing.
Imagine my surprise when I pulled up the boxscore on my Blackberry later on in the night only to see the Wild pulled out a win in overtime.
“@#$!. @#$%. @#$!.”
That was about what it sounded like when I found out I turned the game off about 20+ minutes of game time too early.
Buuuut, win we did. And it was a big one too, at least in terms of confidence. We won with Koivu out of the line up, we beat a Flyers team that is still pretty decent, even with the injuries that they are suffering through and Casey Wellman proved that he is a beast (or, in the immortal words of our almost-GM, a MONSTER).
Wellman was our most impressive player on the ice for about 75% of the game that I saw, and that’s not a knock on him or on the team — he just played that good.
He also proved that he’s a good teammate too, jumping Carcillo after his hit on Latendresse despite being a buck-seventy, soaking wet.
But, since I’m not able to speak to much of when the Wild played well last night, I’ll instead focus on thoughts on tonight’s game.
* Not that there’s ever a GOOD time to face the Red Wings, but tonight’s tilt could be a very poorly timed one for the Wild. Why, you ask? Because Detroit has lost just twice in regulation since the Olympic break and just once more in overtime. That’s right, they’re 9-2-1 during that time and haven’t lost a game in regulation in over two weeks.
And you know what else? They’ve scored 41 goals in these 12 games while giving up just 30. And since their last regulation loss? 23 goals in seven games, giving up just 13.
* Josh Harding is probably going to get the nod in nets tonight for the Wild and I wouldn’t expect another disaster like the last time the Wild visited Motown. Harding knows that he didn’t play his best game that night and he’s probably had this game circled on his calendar since. He’ll be ready.
* Playoff probability reports need to start taking reality into their equations as well.
I understand that the Wild could theoretically still make the playoffs, but come on…Can’t we all just agree that 0.2% means there’s a snowball’s chance in Hades that they’ll make it and stop giving people unrealistic hope?
* I was knocked out of one of my two fantasy leagues this season — the one run by Justin Bourne. I feel like I should get a part of whatever he’s going to give out as a prize though if he wins it because, after all, it was my spectacular collapse in the waning weeks of the season that allowed him to sneak in at the 7 spot.
* Is there any question that Latendresse for Pouliot is the best trade in the NHL, bar none? Here are their stats prior to and since moving to their new teams:
The Tenderness w/ MTL: 23 GP, 2 G, 1 A, -4, 11:21 TOI
The Tenderness w/ MIN: 49 GP, 25 G, 11 A, +4, 16:33 TOI
{Author’s Note: Yeah, Latendresse’s work ethic was definitely the reason he wasn’t producing, not a lack of ice time or a stifling coach…}
Pool Boy w/ MIN: 14 GP, 2 G, 2 A, E, 11:56 TOI
Pool Boy w/ MTL: 32 GP, 15 G, 8 A, +11, 16:53 TOI
{Author’s Note: See Previous Note}
Imagine that. They both start getting more ice time and quality line mates and they both start producing. Who woulda thunk it?
* Can I gush some more about Wellman? I’m absolutely amazed that this kid has just one point with us. He was given more ice time last night and he responded by playing just a fantastic game.
In fact, I would say that he played the type of game that’s been expected of a certain other young center all season long. (Hint: It rhymes with Games Peppered.)
* Speaking of good trades, Cam Barker is quickly falling into that category as well.
He’s not flashy, he’s nothing spectacular, but he’s got a great shot, he’s played D well for us and he’s proving to be an effective partner for Mr. Burns.
* And speaking of Mr. Burns (eeeeexxxxcellent), I think it’s safe to say that he’s starting to get back to form.
His defensive mistakes have been drastically cut down on and he’s starting to play like Brent Burns can play. It’s only a matter of time before he gets hot and starts burying the puck on a regular basis.
Well…That’s it from me for now. Enjoy the game tonight all! The puck drops at 6:30 and it’s on FSN.
Post-Game Thoughts
So…We lost 4-1…BUT, we actually didn’t play too bad.
We limited their chances and, were it not for a couple defensive gaffes, we might have been able to force overtime. One goal was an empty netter and two of the remaining three were one timers where Backstrom didn’t have much of a chance on because he was moving laterally from down low to face a shooter that was up high – this is one of the hardest shots for a goalie to stop because they have to change both their positioning AND their angle. The d-men have got to break up those passes to help Backs out, and they just didn’t tonight.
Here are some thoughts:
* Burnsie is starting to look like the old Burnsie again. He got chances, he created plays, he played physical and he wasn’t a huge liability in the defensive zone. A funky bounce got him caught pinching on Heatley’s beautiful goal and he just flat out gave Mitchell too much space on his goal, but he played much better than his minus-4 would indicate.
* I’m always the first to jump to Backstrom’s defense, and I don’t think there was much that he could have done on all three of San Jose’s goals last night, but the Wild needed him to come up with a big save in the third and he couldn’t do it. He made a couple really nice saves, and the goal in the third was by no means his fault…But that’s the biggest difference this season from last is that last season, he came up with the big save(s) when the team needed him to. This season, for whatever reason, it’s just not there right now.
* You could definitely tell that Wellman was a rookie last night. He definitely didn’t play his best game. He was all over the place (not really in a good way) and there were a few times where he extended his shifts when he really shouldn’t have. It’ll come, and he’s got a ton of promise, but he’s got a lot to learn yet.
* Latendresse continues to just be absolutely amazing. He scored the lone goal last night and, honestly, if he doesn’t have an A on his chest sometime in the next couple years there’s something wrong. You can tell that he’s getting more and more comfortable with the team and with the coaching staff because he’s much more vocal on the bench and on the ice now. The thing that I love most about him? He doesn’t have any flashy goal celebrations. He pumps his fist, then he waits for his teammates to get there. None of this jumping into the boards crap, no skating past the guy that fed him the puck to pretend he’s shooting an arrow off of his stick…He just wants to celebrate with his teammates. THAT is why he’s going to be a successful player for us for years to come.
* Clutterbuck was absolutely invisible last night. I don’t know if he even got a hit…That’s how invisible he was.
* The Wild need to find a consistent finisher to play with Koivu and Brunette. Miettinen is good, but he looks lost out there with those two at times. They need a Bertuzzi-like power forward to play with them (Bertuzzi back when he actually was a force to be reckoned with, not now)…Someone who can get to the tight areas on the ice. The Sharks clamped down last night, but there were small openings around the net…We just need a player willing to get into those small openings and get the puck.
* Richards was mixing and matching lines so much last night that I thought Lemaire was back behind the bench. He was trying ANYTHING to get some offense going. At one point, he even stuck Sheppard in on the first line between Bruno and Miettinen and put Koivu between Wellman and Nolan.
* While we’re not mathematically eliminated, it’s going to be pretty darn hard for us to make the playoffs. Essentially, we have to win out and even then we still aren’t guaranteed a spot. The good news is, though, that we’ve got a very young team and next year will look a lot better.
More Wild Kiss-Cam Hilarity
If you’re a Wild fan, you likely know of the team’s “fondness” for the Kiss Cam.
Last season, in a game in Colorado, the kiss cam was on the big screen. As opposing arenas often do, they focused on two opposing players towards the end.
Most of the time, this just results in the player’s awkwardly pretending that they’re unaware of the ruse. But that time, the Avs picked their spot perfectly, selecting noted team goofball Stephane Veilleux. Veilleux grabbed the teammate it was centered on, James Sheppard, and gave him a spirited smooch on the top of the helmet.
Platonically, of course.
Click the link below to check out Puck Daddy’s post about the hilarity that ensued last night between Papa and Mama Wellman, two of the newest members of the Wild family:
Brilliant.
Sheppard’s Inspired Performance Too Little to Late?
I remember quite clearly the message that was being sent to Minnesota Wild fans about James Sheppard following the 2006 Entry Draft.
“He’s going to be the next Joe Thornton.”
“He’s going to be a carbon copy of Ryan Getzlaf.”
“This kid’s going to be good.”
Now hindsight is always 20-20 (and if it’s not, you need to get your hindsight checked), but through 211 games in his NHL career, Sheppard has been none of these things. Call it a mismanagement of assets by Wild management, call it caving under the pressure, call it a bust—call it whatever you want. The fact is that Sheppard has not lived up to his billing.
Last night’s tilt against the Edmonton Oilers saw an inspired Sheppard. He forechecked with a purpose, he was stronger on the puck than I ever remember seeing him before and he created opportunities for he and his linemates and he was rewarded with the most time on the ice he’s seen since the game coming out of the Olympic break.
But with the signing of young Casey Wellman, might this be too little to late?
The truth is that, yes, Sheppard played a great game last night. He was aggressive, he was on the puck and he was physical. The problem is, the Wild’s other two centers (Kyle Brodziak and Andrew Ebbett) both played better.
Sheppard has been a healthy scratch for more than his fair share of games this season but, with no other options at center after the trade of Eric Belanger, he has been inserted into the lineup regularly as the team’s third or fourth line center (depending on the situation and his play).
He’s responded well, especially over the last handful of games, but has nothing to show for it. Not a single, solitary assist. Not even a plus rating. In fact, in the eight games since the trade deadline, he is a minus-two, with just five shots on goal.
For comparison’s sake, here are the stat lines of the three centers not named Mikko Koivu since the deadline:
James Sheppard: 0 G, 0 A, -2, 4 PIM, 5 SOG
Andrew Ebbett: 3 G, 2 A, E, 2 PIM, 18 SOG
Kyle Brodziak: 1 G, 1 A, E, 2 PIM, 11 SOG
Now, given the decision, which one would you scratch? Take your time. There’s no rush.
Did you say Sheppard?
I thought so.
Now, as hockey fans we all know that goals and assists aren’t always indicative of the quality of their play, which is why I included the shots-on-goal number. For a forward, especially a center, creating plays and creating scoring chances has a lot to do with getting shots on net. The more shots you can get towards the net, the more scoring chances your team is likely to have.
Even though Brodziak and Ebbett aren’t necessarily the biggest offensive powerhouses on the team, they’re getting shots on goal—they’re creating.
Sheppard, on the other hand, is not.
I’ll break it down further for you. Let’s look at their shift breakdown:
James Sheppard: 8 GP, 110 shifts, 10:12 TOI
Andrew Ebbett, 8 GP, 200 shifts, 18:10 TOI
Kyle Brodziak: 8 GP, 178 shifts, 15:05 TOI
Looking at the breakdown, Sheppard is averaging roughly 14 shifts per game, Ebbett is averaging 25 and Brodziak about 22. In otherwords, Sheppard’s average shift length is about 44 seconds, as is Ebbett’s and Brodziak’s average shift length is about 49 seconds.
To make it simpler, it boils down to this. Ebbett and Brodziak are averaging a shot once every 11 shifts and every 16 shifts respectively, while Sheppard is averaging a shot once every 22 shifts.
Now, this may not seem like a huge disparity, but when you’re averaging just 14 shifts per game, it’s not the best way to endear yourself to anyone involved when you’re supposed to be an offensive threat. It gets even worse when you take the average shift time into account. He’s averaging just one shot every 16:08 of playing time.
Now if he were getting 16 minutes of playing time per game, we might not say boo about it. But he’s not. He’s in a situation where he needs to earn his ice time and, quite frankly, he isn’t.
This long statistical diatribe is leading me to one conclusion and one conclusion only.
James Sheppard’s “inspired” effort last night was not enough to save his season and to save his job. He will get another chance, to be sure. The Wild are too thin at the forward position to think that his good game against Edmonton won’t be rewarded with another shot against Nashville, and he may make good on that reward and build on his performance.
But the bottom line is that Sheppard is a restricted free agent. In order to stay on the Wild, he will require a qualifying offer of ten percent more than he currently makes (roughly $935K).
He has had all season to prove that he is capable of being the player that the Wild needs him to be and, to me, a handful of games down the stretch with a player behind him breathing down his neck for a chance to do his job better is not worth a second chance at his current pay, let alone with a raise.
This is the exact reason why I believe that James Sheppard will not and should not be wearing a Minnesota Wild sweater when the Wild open up next fall in training camp.
Wild Signs Wellman; The Extreme Wild Makeover: Chuck Fletcher Edition Continues
When a season is as rocky as the Minnesota Wild’s, you take any victory you can get.
University of Massachusetts forward Casey Wellman is on his way to Minnesota today to sign a free agent, entry level contract with the Minnesota Wild. Wellman, one of the most sought after collegiate level free agents, was pursued by 21 other teams but chose Minnesota in the end—a victory, to be sure.
The 22-year old Wellman is tied for sixth in the nation in goals with 23 for UMass this season and, according to Mike Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, will not be going to the team’s AHL affiliate Houston Aeros making it increasingly likely that he could play in Tuesday night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Wellman’s signing is yet another step in the right direction for the Wild, as he is continuing to be active in taking steps to improve the team now and down the road. Wellman is a skilled center with a projectable frame that can skate very well.
The bottom line?
Even if the youngster doesn’t pan out, we’re not out much. It’s a low-risk, high-reward type of move.
But what does Wellman’s signing mean for the current Wild roster?
He was sold on the Wild by the organization’s lack of depth at center, both in the NHL and in the organization. This is pretty much saying one thing: he will be getting a good amount of playing time somewhere next season. He’ll get a fair amount of minutes on the team this season and be given a fair shot at making the squad next season but, even if he doesn’t, he’ll be getting solid minutes in Houston.
But what’s more is that this is likely another nail in the coffin that holds James Sheppard’s career in a Minnesota Wild sweater. There’s a very good chance that Wellman could come in and tank, but even if he does that he’s a better cap option at center than Sheppard, who is looking at the qualifying offer raise that is afforded to all restricted free agents this off season.
The bottom line is that if Wellman displays even a shade of the offensive talent that he showed at UMass, it is an upgrade over Sheppard who has been ineffective at absolute best this season.
Me, personally? I love this move.
I’ve never understood why the Wild didn’t dip into the collegiate free agency market more and go for more players with the potential to be impact players, and that is exactly what Fletcher has done with this signing.
When you look at the undrafted collegiate free agents, as Russo points out, most are role players in their NHL careers. Andrew Ebbett and John Scott are very good examples of that.
But every once in a while, you find a diamond in the rough—a player who is either a late-bloomer or who slipped through the cracks somewhere along the way.
Every once in a while, you’ll find a player like a Chris Kunitz or a Dustin Penner or a Dan Boyle—someone who can thrive in the NHL.
So what this boils down to is that, at worst, Wellman will have a brief stint with the Wild and not stick and we’ll be out the league’s minimum salary. At best, he’ll turn into an impact player for the Wild. But most likely, the Wild will be getting a solid third or fourth line, young center who has a bit of a scoring touch.
And all without using a draft pick.
Class A Recap: Zephyrs Down Cardinals in Quarter Finals
Charlie Adams had a hat trick, while his linemates each had two goals apiece to lead the Mahtomedi High School Zephyrs past the Alexandria Cardinals in their Class A quarterfinal game on March 10.
Adams scored his first on the powerplay midway through the first period and completed the trick with two goals in the first two minutes and 15 seconds of the third to give the Zephyrs a 6-0 lead at that point.
The Zephyrs rowdy student section littered the ice with hats immediately after Adams third goal crossed the goal line.
Along with Adams trio of goals, his linemates Mike Rose and Brandon Zurn contributed two each, while Zurn had three assists to go along with his two goals and Minnesota Golden Gophers recruit Ben Marshall had four assists.
Mahtomedi goaltender Brad Wohlers stopped 27 of 28 shots, playing all but the last five minutes of the game when backup goalie Sawyer Marshall relieved him.
The difference of the game was certainly special teams, as Mahtomedi capitalized on all four of their powerplay opportunities while managing to kill off three of four Alexandria powerplays.
Ashton Gronholz scored the lone goal for Alexandria and goaltender Erich Murphy stopped 25 of 32 shots for the Cardinals who will play again tomorrow at 11am at Mariucci Arena at the University of Minnesota.
Mahtomedi advances to the semi-finals where they will face the winner of the Hermantown-Virginia/MI-B game on Friday at 11am.
Analysis of the Class A Quarter-Finals
Tomorrow marks the start of the Class A portion of the Tournament and, while I’ve posted my previews, I haven’t yet posted any real analysis of the games.
Sooooooooooo…
This should be a really good tournament this year. There are number of college committed players in the bracket, as well as a number of players that are ranked in the NHL’s CSS rankings. Let’s take a look at the Class A games, shall we?
Mahtomedi vs. Alexandria
Mahtomedi Regular Season Record: 20-5-0
Alexandria Regular Season Record: 18-6-1
Mahtomedi Sectionals Results
Mahtomedi 9 Chisago Lakes 2
Mahtomedi 5 Totino-Grace 2
Mahtomedi 3 St. Thomas Academy 1
Alexandria Sectionals Results
Alexandria 9 St. Cloud Apollo 3
Alexandria 3 Willmar 1
Alexandria 4 Sartell-St. Stephen 1
Mahtomedi Sectional Scoring Leaders
Brandon Zurn – 3 GP, 5 G, 4 A
Charlie Adams – 3 GP, 5 G, 0 A
Alexandria Sectional Scoring Leaders
Thomas Williams – 3 GP, 5 G, 1 A
Ashton Gronholz – 3 GP, 4 G, 0 A
Mahtomedi Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Brad Wohlers – 3-0-0, 1.67 GAA, .939 Sv Pct
Alexandria Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Erich Murphy – 3-0-0, 1.67 GAA, .922 Sv Pct
Analysis: This could be one of the most even first round match ups in the tournament, both teams are fairly evenly matched. Mahtomedi has a little bit more scoring pop from their top line, while Alexandria will rely on their defense and goaltending from Erich Murphy to put a stop to Mahtomedi’s attack. In the end, I like the scoring line of Mahtomedi and Brad Wohlers is starting to get hot right at the right time. Mahtomedi wins a close game.
Hermantown vs. Virginia/Mt. Iron-Buhl
Hermantown Regular Season Record: 22-3-0
Virginia/Mt. Iron-Buhl Regular Season Record: 15-7-3
Hermantown Sectionals Results
Hermantown 13 North Branch 1
Hermantown 6 Rogers 0
Hermantown 3 Duluth Denfeld 2
Virginia/Mt. Iron-Buhl Sectionals Results
Virginia/MI-B 22 Silver Bay 0
Virginia/MI-B 3 Duluth Marshall 2
Virginia/MI-B 3 Hibbing/Chisholm 0
Hermantown Sectional Scoring Leaders
Adam Krause – 3 GP, 2 G, 3 A
Charlie Comnick – 3 GP, 3 G, 1 A
Virginia/Mt. Iron-Buhl Sectional Scoring Leaders
Garrett Hendrickson – 3 GP, 3 G, 7 A
Jordan Krebsbach – 3 GP, 4 G, 5 A
Hermantown Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Tyler Ampe – 2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .950 Sv Pct, 1 SO
Virginia/Mt. Iron-Buhl Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Casey Myhre – 3-0-0, 0.63 GAA, .968 Sv Pct, 2 SO
Analysis: This could be the upset game of the first round. Hermantown is good and you can never count out this team, especially with Adam Krause leading the way, but Virginia’s Casey Myhre is getting hot exactly at the right time, and if Garrett Hendrickson and Jordan Krebsbach continue to lead the way, Virginia could sneak this one out. Virginia wins in overtime.
Breck vs. New Ulm
Breck Regular Season Record: 23-2-0
New Ulm Regular Season Record: 13-9-1
Breck Sectionals Results
Breck 8 St. Louis Park 0
Breck 8 Orono 0
Breck 5 Blake 1
New Ulm Sectionals Results
New Ulm 8 Windom Area 0
New Ulm 11 Luverne 1
New Ulm 5 Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 2
Breck Sectional Scoring Leaders
Nate Traina – 3 GP, 3 G, 4 A
Mike Morin – 3 GP, 4 G, 3 A
New Ulm Sectional Scoring Leaders
Zach Hoffman – 3 GP, 1 G, 6 A
Kaleb Juntunen – 3 GP, 3 G, 3 A
Breck Sectional Goaltending Leaders
John Russell – 3-0-0, 0.33 GAA, .978 Sv Pct, 2 SO
New Ulm Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Blake Burgau – 3-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .950 Sv Pct, 1 SO
Analysis: While New Ulm is playing good hockey right now, they’re no match for the Breck juggernaut. Led by John Russell and a deep, deep offense Breck should have no problem with this one. If New Ulm is to win, it’s going to be on the shoulders of Blake Burgau, who will have to steal the game. Breck wins big.
Warroad vs. Rochester Lourdes
Warroad Regular Season Record: 21-4-0
Rochester Lourdes Regular Season Record: 14-8-3
Warroad Sectionals Results
Warroad 9 Red Lake Falls 3
Warroad 9 Kittson Central 2
Warroad 2 Thief River Falls 0
Rochester Lourdes Sectionals Results
Rochester Lourdes 2 Northfield 1
Rochester Lourdes 4 New Prague 1
Rochester Lourdes 3 Red Wing 0
Warroad Sectional Scoring Leaders
Brock Nelson – 3 GP, 8 G, 4 A
Brett Hebel – 3 GP, 3 G, 6 A
Rochester Lourdes Sectional Scoring Leaders
Alex Funk – 3 GP, 2 G, 3 A
Jason Samuelson – 3 GP, 2 G, 1 A
Warroad Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Andy Foster – 2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .952 Sv Pct, 1 SO
Rochester Lourdes Sectional Goaltending Leaders
Nick Heimer – 3-0-0, .067 GAA, .953 Sv Pct, 1 SO
Analysis: Is there anyone more dominant in Minnesota High School hockey right now than Brock Nelson? Realistically, the only way that Lourdes wins this game is because of a strong defensive performance. Heimer will have to be solid, as Nelson is going to show up on the state’s biggest stage in a big way. Warroad wins big.
Wild Recall Kalus; Minnesota Debut Likely
The Minnesota Wild have recalled Petr Kalus in the event that Cal Clutterbuck is not ready to go for tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers. Clutterbuck was injured in Sunday’s loss to the Calgary Flames and is thought to be nursing a deep bruise to his thigh muscle.
View from the Lighthouse has reported that Clutterbuck was not at the morning skate and it is likely that Kalus will make his debut for the Minnesota Wild tonight, wearing #23.
Kalus, the main return in the trade with Boston for Manny Fernandez, has 15 points (11-4=15) this season for the Houston Aeros with 64 PIM and a minus-8 rating. Should he play in tonight’s game, it will be his first NHL action since 2007 where he had four goals and an assist in nine games for the Bruins.
