Late last week I wrote a column about the Minnesota Wild's playoff chances.
After going 0-4 on their recent road trip, Minnesota's playoff hopes were on life support. However returning for a four game homestand, I felt that if the Wild got off to a solid start that they could stick around in the playoff picture.
Scratch that thought.
The Wild suffered back-to-back losses this weekend to Columbus & Montreal that all but ends their playoff hopes. Yes, they still are mathematically alive but I haven't seen anything from this team in the last six games that makes me think they can turn it around before the end of the season.
The Wild were down 4-2 against Columbus before coming back to tie the game with two minutes to play. Minnesota controlled action for most of the overtime until Brent Burns made a bad pass behind his net which led to the game winning goal by Antoine Vermette.
Last night against Montreal, the Wild fell behind early & never were a factor in the game losing 8-1 to the Canadiens. The one highlight of the game was P.K. Subban getting his 1st hat trick for Montreal & Candiens fans flooding the ice with hats.
The problem with the Wild is pretty clear. They don't have that one player that is capable of putting a team on his back & carrying them to a victory. Mikko Koivu is their best all around player but he needs a winger that is always a threat to score when on the ice. Playing on a line with Andrew Brunette & Antti Miettinen is not getting the job done.
The type of player the Wild needs is a player like Rick Nash in Columbus. Nash had two goals & two assist in the win over Minnesota on Saturday. Unfortunately those players aren't easy to find. Hard work can only carry you so far. It takes a combination of hard work & talent to be a playoff team. Right now the Wild are lacking in the latter category.
The Wild return to the ice tomorrow night trying to end their six game winless streak against Toronto. Unfortunately it looks like time has run out in regards to the post season.
Here is this week's Power Poll.
1. Vancouver 47 17 9 103 points
Manny Malhotra out for the season after suffering an eye injury. Big loss for the Canucks.
2. Philadelphia 44 19 8 96 points
Shootout win over Dallas clinches playoff berth for Flyers.
3. Detroit 43 21 8 94 points
Pavel Datsyuk is out indefinitely with a lower body injury.
4. Washington 42 21 10 94 points
Capitals decide to rest Ovechkin for the next 7-10 days to get him ready for the postseason.
5. San Jose 42 23 8 92 points
Joe Pavelski (3G, 8A) named 1st star of the week.
6. Pittsburgh 41 23 8 90 points
Matt Cooke suspended for the rest of the regular season & 1st round of the playoffs after his hit on Ryan McDonagh.
7. Tampa Bay 39 22 11 89 points
Lightning earn at least one point during each game of their road trip to stay near the top of the Eastern Conference.
8. Phoenix 39 24 11 89 points
It's too bad ownership issues off the ice are overshadowing the team's play on the ice.
9. Boston 39 22 10 88 points
1st place in the Northeast could be on the line with a match up against Montreal on Thursday.
10. Montreal 40 26 7 87 points
P.K. Subban's hat trick is one of the more impressive performance's I have seen.
11. Los Angeles 40 26 6 86 points
Kings have gone nine straight games without allowing a Power Play goal.
12. Chicago 39 25 8 86 points
Jonathan Toews has a point in 19 of his last 23 games.
13. Nashville 38 25 10 86 points
Blake Geoffrion's 1st career hat trick leads Nashville to win over Sabres.
14. Anaheim 40 27 5 85 points
Ray Emery (2-0-0 0.99 GAA) named 2nd star of the week.
15. Dallas 38 25 9 85 points
Stars are 2 for 27 on the Power Play in their last eight games.
16. Calgary 37 27 10 84 points
Jarome Iginla (2G, 2A) on a three game point streak for the Flames.
17. N.Y. Rangers 39 30 4 82 points
Rangers have won four in a row & six of their last seven games.
18. Buffalo 35 28 9 79 points
Derek Roy thinks he could be back from injury for the Sabres by May. Of course the Sabres have to be playing past mid-April for that to be a possibility.
19. Minnesota 35 30 8 78 points
I said everything I needed to say about this team at the beginning.
20. Carolina 33 29 10 76 points
Eric Staal (2G, 6A) in his last 15 games. Hurricanes need more from him to make the playoffs.
21. Columbus 33 29 10 76 points
After watching Rick Nash on Saturday (2G, 2A) I still say he's the best player nobody knows of.
22. Toronto 32 31 10 74 points
Three game road trip at Minnesota, Colorado & Detroit is the latest obstacle for the Leafs to overcome in their quest to return to the postseason.
23. St. Louis 32 31 9 73 points
12 points out of a playoff spot, The Blues are reduced to playing spoiler for the 5th time in the last six years.
24. New Jersey 34 34 4 72 points
Martin Brodeur records 115th career shutout in 3-0 win over Columbus.
25. Atlanta 30 30 12 72 points
8-2 loss to the Sabres should end any playoff hopes Thrasher fans may have had.
26. Florida 29 33 10 68 points
Evgeni Davadov had his 1st multi-goal game for the Panthers on Saturday vs. The Islanders.
27. N.Y. Islanders 28 33 12 68 points
Rick DiPietro plays his 1st game in goal in 6 1/2 weeks in win over Florida.
28. Ottawa 27 36 9 63 points
Senators sign Craig Anderson to a four year contract, so they have that going for them.
29. Colorado 27 36 8 62 points
There is only one thing keeping the Avs from the bottom of this list...
30. Edmonton 23 39 10 56 points
and it's the Oilers.
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