The Masked Fan

Wild set series tone with Game One win

ST. PAUL – In a furious tilt that just concluded, the Minnesota Wild have beat the Vancouver Canucks in Game I had several spirited online exchanges with Canuck fans who weren’t enjoying my analysis of the It takes more than talent and skill to In Round Robin play Philadelphia outclassed Boston in a 4-1 win and the Avalanche beat the STL Blues 2-1 One of their qualifying round series in the 2020 Stanley Cup tournament. Wild veterans, with their experience and abilities to defend strongly as fivewin in the playoffs on a PP score with 1/10th of a second remaining on the clock and the tally Head Coach Dean Evason gets his first playoff win as an NHL Head Coach and in electing to go with Big man units likely winning this series due to the youth and inexperience of the Canucks upper level stars. in the NHL and some Canuck fans held up under review. It was a bit on the crazy side, just like SC play in August! Al Stalock in goal, made a good MASKED I just don’t like the chances of young skilled players in this tournament without being game tested in the I encountered just didn’t want to hear PEACE choice and got Stalock a FAN pursuit of a Cup. It IS that hard of a tournament to win. that. I understand. shutout win Just look at the Maple Leafs in in the series opener. MARC consideration of this. They have some of the top young players in the game Wild just put it in their column. The This game had an edge ELLIOT today. They also have lost in the first round of their last three playoff youthful Canucks just might be about to learn a most painful lesson. to it from appearances. IN OTHER NHL ACTION, the the get-go when after a minor bit of Just consider how many seasons Hurricanes beat the NYR on Saturday bumping in the corner after a whistle, it took the Detroit Red Wing core to in their G1 by a 3-2 score. the Wild’s Marcus Foligno and the mature enough to consistently win I had the Rangers here as they were Canucks’ Michael Ferland dropped playoff series. Same for the Penguins. one of the best clubs going at the time the gloves for an early dustup to get It takes more than talent and skill of the shutdown. They didn’t show the juices flowing for their respective to win in the playoffs in the NHL and that in G1. teams. Even though Foligno suffered some Canuck fans I encountered just The Blackhawks surprised the Oilers a minor cut to the bridge of his nose, didn’t want to hear that. I understand. in a 6-4 win and chased EDM goalie I believe I’d have to award him a split decision in this one. Years back, before I had accumulated many years of wisdom from watching Mike Smith in the 2nd after only making 18 saves on 23 shots. Since 1991

I was somewhat surprised to see this league, I was the same way. I’m CHI outshot the Oilers 42-29. Ferland get into this as he missed a still lousy at prognosticating and The Isles beat Florida by a 2-1F. The great deal of the past regular season this series has a ways to go, but I’m victory here was courtesy of the Isle’s due to concussion symptoms. But hanging with the Wild here. stifling defensive play. make no mistake, he is a tough, hardFrom the box score, the Wild outshot The Canadiens surprised Pittsburgh nosed player that you have to respect. VAN 31-28. They were 2 for 4 on the with a 3-2 OT win to take a 1-0 lead in You’d like him if he was on your team. PP while Van went 0 for 1. VAN won that series. I am quite anxious to see He made a name for himself while the faceoff battle 36-25 and outhit how the Pens respond to this. playing for the Calgary and Carolina the Wild 40-28. The Wild had more Also on Day one of the tourney clubs. blocked shots 15-14. Calgary beat the Jets 4-1 in a game

Tonight’s actions didn’t play out The two clubs will meet again on where the Jets lost star player Mark for the Canucks though as the fight Tuesday eve for Game 2, with Game 3 Schiefele early and Patrick Laine late in seemed to disrupt any chance for them slotted for Thursday, gametime TBD. the game to injuries. Their G2 status is to get some early rhythm and Ferland At this point I’m not certain what unknown at this time. never seemed to be that effective adjustments the Canucks could make Schiefele’s loss appeared to be a freak afterwards either. before G2. injury in a way, but since Flames player

Then as soon as Foligno and Ferland Their checking game was somewhat Matthew Tkachuk was very close to • ICF Basements went into the penalty boxes the Castrong, albeit not at its strongest him, perhaps it wasn’t that freakish at nucks took a tripping call and the Wild scored 3 seconds into the PP to take an when they needed it the most. They got shots, but the shot chart for the all. Jet Coach Paul Maurice stated as much in his postgame presser. Either • Patios & Walks early 1-0 lead. This isn’t a path the Canucks wish to game shows that the Wild mostly negated any prime high percentage way, the Flames had the upper hand for most of this tilt. • Stamped Concrete be on in a short five-game series. With a strong veteran presence on opportunities. They dominated the faceoff circle for Also today, the Arizona Coyotes held on to beat Nashville 4-3 in their • Heated Slabs the Wild with a load of playoff experience besides, the Wild already had the most part, and Jacob Markstrom played fairly well in net for them. It opening game and the Preds started Juusi Saros in goal, breaking an 89 • Closed Cell Spray Foam established game control. would be merely cliche-like to state game streak of playoff appearances by But the Canucks do have a lot of skill and talent and they showed it in that the young Canuck skill players need to “step up” but that’s what needs long time netminder Pekka Rinne. As I had thought, the Columbus FREE ESTIMATES spurts at times this eve, but every time they did Stalock was there to gobble to happen and with the Wild vets in the way that just might not happen. Bluejackets beat Toronto by a 2-0 final with Joonas Korpisalo getting the References up shots and rebounds. In fact, Big Al We’re right back to that experience shutout for the CBJ. This is another Louis Bonneville played such a controlled game I don’t thing and the guys that VAN needs to matchup where the veteran experience remember an instance where he had to do any significant scrambling to shut come through the most do not have that. It’s the playoff hockey ‘X’ factor. favors the Jackets. It’s just the way I see it. TOR actually played a respectable 218-391-0856 down a Vancouver opportunity. Give credit to the Wild D-corps for that. In a short best of 5 series, G1 couldn’t be more important and the defensive game and still came up empty. BonnevilleCFS@Gmail.com