- A frustrating thing for Wild fans has to be that James Shepard and Benoit Pouliot were both back on the ice after not playing the night before due to coach's decision and didn't respond with noticeably any more effort or crisp play. That being said there were times where the pair of under performing high draft picks were skating on a line with Cal Clutterbuck and that is a trio that could determine how quickly the Wild are able to turn this thing around.
- The game was nationally televised on Versus which does a good job of dealing with the Wild much more honestly than any broadcast typically done locally. And in the second intermission Keith Jones from Versus in the studio took time to point out the many mistakes made by Brent Burns. Burns never lacks effort, but sometimes doesn't pay attention to the details as much as needed.
- The line combinations used by Todd Richards gave the Wild more balance and could potentially yield more scoring eventually. I'd like to see them stick with it for the time-being and chalk Monday night's game up to Chicago being a really good team and playing very motivated.
- The last two goals of the game are a good example of the type of year it has been for the Wild. Andrew Brunette gets a mucky goal just feet from the net. It was his seventh of the year. That made the game 2-1 and the Wild didn't get much time to get back into the game because Patrick Kane had a cold-hearted sniper play as he took the puck from behind the net stick handling furiously to keep the defense guessing and then spun and fired a wrist shot over the shoulder on a non reactive Nicholas Backstrom. Dagger.
Read Michael Russo's Article about Shepard and Pouliot HERE
Read Star Tribune-Russo's Game Story HERE
Read Pioneer Press-Bruce Brothers Game Story HERE
Read Bruce Brothers Article on Wild team speed HERE
Read NHL.com Game Story HERE
Read Chicago Tribune Game Story HERE
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