THE WILD ARE IN A GOOD POSITION WITH THE SERIES TIED AT ONE WITH THE DALLAS STARS. THEY WERE ABLE TO “STEAL” A GAME IN DALLAS TO TAKE BACK HOME ICE ADVANTAGE. HOWEVER, NOW COMES THE DIFFICULT PART OF COMPLETING GOOD POSITIONING BY WINNING HOME GAMES IN THE PLAYOFFS. FOR EXAMPLE, JUST LAST YEAR THE WILD BLEW A 2-1 SERIES LEAD AGAINST LAS VEGAS LOSING THE SERIES EVENTUALLY IN SIX GAMES. HOPEFULLY, HISTORY WILL NOT REPEAT ITSELF AGAINST DALLAS.

OBVIOUSLY, TONIGHT’S GAME IS NOT A MUST WIN GAME. THE WILD WON GAME THREE A YEAR AGO AND STILL FAILED TO WIN THE SERIES. HOWEVER, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT THE WILD PLAY BETTER IN HOME GAMES IN THE PLAYOFFS. ALSO, MINNY NEEDS TO AVOID BE SO INCONSISTENT FROM GAME TO GAME. A KEY FACTOR TONIGHT IS TO STAY OUT OF THE PENALTY BOX. THE WILD TOOK SOME BAD PENALTIES IN GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTED BY MARCUS FOLIGNO RAMMING A STAR’S PLAYER INTO THE GLASS. BOTH THE WILD AND THE STARS HAVE GREAT POWER PLAYS THAT WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DUMB AND NEEDLESS PENALTIES.

I THINK THE WILD THIS YEAR ARE A DIFFERENT TEAM BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION OF QUINN HUGHES, BUT THEY NEED TO SHOW IT IN THE REST OF THIS VERY TIGHT SERIES WITH DALLAS. THE WILD NEED TO CAPITALIZE ON THEIR HOME ICE ADVANTAGE LIKE THEY DID THE LAST TIME THEY WON A FIRST ROUND SERIES AGAINST THE COLORADO AVALANCHE. IN THAT SERIES, THE WILD DOMINATED THEIR HOME GAMES AGAINST THE AVALANCHE IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN’T SEEN SINCE OUT OF THEM. THE CROWD WILL MAKE NOISE IF YOU GO OUT AND EXECUTE THE GAME PLAN. IF YOU TAKE NEEDLESS PENALTIES AND GIVE DALLAS A NUMBER OF POWER PLAY CHANCES ARE YOU WILL BE BEHIND AND THE CROWD WILL BE SILENCED. THE WILD NEED TO PLAY BETTER AT HOME, WILL SEE IF THEY DO IT TONIGHT.

BY: JASON GRANT