Dan Wallace: Lines Drawn On Both Sides, Game 2 Tonight!

Looking forward to a good Game 2 tonight. Thinking I should rush home from work today (yeah, I have to go to the office twice a week) and take a nap before the game. Only good thing is I will be working from home tomorrow, so I can get about an extra hour of sleep tonight before jumping online.

As for how this game is going to go, I expect the hits to keep coming from both teams. I just heard a stat on KFAN a little while ago, in that the amount of hits in game 1 were twice as many as are in a normal playoff game. So that should keep going. I know Wild fans are hoping Foligno fights Suter tonight, but I do not. I would prefer it to happen in MN (with the Wild holding a 2-0 series lead) then it happening tonight. I also heard that Foligno tried to get Suter to go in the 3rd period of game 1, and Suter wouldn't do it. I hope it Reaves that gets Suter cornered on the ice and forces Suter to drop the gloves.

As for the Stars going after Dumba for retribution for the JoPa hit, this is where I am hoping Foligno is on the ice and intercepts whoever is going after him. I am guessing Marchment, but would not be surprised if it is Benn. And I would be a tad worried even for Foligno if it is Benn...he is one tough SOB.

Looking forward to a good Game 2 tonight. Thinking I should rush home from work today (yeah, I have to go to the office twice a week) and take a nap before the game. Only good thing is I will be working from home tomorrow, so I can get about an extra hour of sleep tonight before jumping online.

As for how this game is going to go, I expect the hits to keep coming from both teams. I just heard a stat on KFAN a little while ago, in that the amount of hits in game 1 were twice as many as are in a normal playoff game. So that should keep going. I know Wild fans are hoping Foligno fights Suter tonight, but I do not. I would prefer it to happen in MN (with the Wild holding a 2-0 series lead) then it happening tonight. I also heard that Foligno tried to get Suter to go in the 3rd period of game 1, and Suter wouldn't do it. I hope it Reaves that gets Suter cornered on the ice and forces Suter to drop the gloves.

As for the Stars going after Dumba for retribution for the JoPa hit, this is where I am hoping Foligno is on the ice and intercepts whoever is going after him. I am guessing Marchment, but would not be surprised if it is Benn. And I would be a tad worried even for Foligno if it is Benn...he is one tough SOB.
- Gusrichards

No way it’s Benn, unless the game is out of hand, and even then, I don’t believe it. He’s too valuable. It would likely be a scrub that can throw em, like Reeves is for the Wild.

I’ve watched that hit a few times. I’d have done the same thing, and don’t blame Dumba, except it was a little late. The fact that Pavelski hit his head on the ice was unfortunate. I love the rough stuff.

If you’re going to take retribution, come a bit late after Kaprizov. The code has always been, you go after our important players, we go after yours.
Now that, would be even better for this series! Maybe even a line brawl in the playoffs!! Old time hockey, Eddie Shore, aye?!?!

Don’t much care who wins this series, I’m just enjoying it. Reminds me of the old days. They were great!!

The refs need to get control of the retribution stuff early. Targeting Dumba could work for the Wild if it gets the Stars off their game. I don’t want anyone fighting Suter. I want him on the ice soaking up minutes becoming more of a liability with the extended minutes. Suter and his teammates targeting Kaprizov should be matched by the targeting of Robertson.

The Stars need a win so targeting Dumba may come if they get a safe lead or later in the Series. The Wild are pretty banged up so this will be challenging. A 2-1 or 3-2 game plays better for the Wild than more scoring.

Outside of the first period I personally think the Wild were heavily out played in game one. More of the same will not bode well for them. I was surprised at how gassed they looked from the end of the 3rd and on.

They have to dig a little deeper and bring more if they plan to get out of round one because I believe the Stars will be pouring on the coals from here on out.

Gustavsson is going to have to stay hot and as far as the paybacks are concerned, I think the Wild need to stay in check for now. I firmly believe Dallas is the better overall team and getting caught up in taking dumb penalties to avenge will only lead to the detriment of this squad.

I would be shocked if the Stars made an attempt to run at Dumba as they are only down 1 game. With Pavelski already out, they can not afford any suspensions for undisciplined play. That being said, if Dumba is their focus, all that much better for the Wild as that means they are more focused on one player than attempting to win the series!

In a way this series reminds me of the 2015 playoff series against the Blues. The Wild were a faster team and skated around the Blues on their way to a series victory. The Blues could only chirp as memories of Steve Ott trying to draw cheap penalties were comedic. In this series the Wild are the more physical team while Dallas like to play pretty. If the Wild stay on the body and make it tough sledding for those Stars, you have to like the Wild's chances of advancing.

In a way this series reminds me of the 2015 playoff series against the Blues. The Wild were a faster team and skated around the Blues on their way to a series victory. The Blues could only chirp as memories of Steve Ott trying to draw cheap penalties were comedic. In this series the Wild are the more physical team while Dallas like to play pretty. If the Wild stay on the body and make it tough sledding for those Stars, you have to like the Wild's chances of advancing.

Wow! MAF starting. No Hartman. Steel on 1st line and Sundqvist in. Boldy centering Jojo and Foligno.

I guess I just don’t understand why the hell Evason would start Flower after Gus’s performance in game 1? and just when I said I can never doubt Evason again

Flower proving he is a backup

I guess I just don’t understand why the hell Evason would start Flower after Gus’s performance in game 1? and just when I said I can never doubt Evason again
- MnGump

Absolutely no reason to start MAF! With all respect due to MAF, Gus just turned away over 50 shots in his first playoff start! NO reason to start MAF! Wild play a much better game with Gus not the track meet this game has turned into.

Aaaaaaaaaaand it's gone.

Well I’m not necessarily going to hang the loss on Flower, because he did have some tremendous saves. I mean let’s face it, the game could have easily ended 10 - 3. But that aside it’s very curious as to why Evason decided to bench the hot hand. My intuition tells me it’s all about admiration/man crush of a soon to be HOF’r.

Regardless of that questionable choice, the Wild were not prepared for the onslaught unleashed by Dallas. They looked unorganized, undisciplined and quite simply out matched.

Hopefully the rest of the MIA’s can recover soon enough in time to save the series because I don’t see them advancing or even making the rest of this series a contest if Deano continues to ice last night’s lineup…

So seeing Evason say that switching to Fluery "is what we have been doing all year long" is kind of a copout. I think old Deano has made some terrific decisions this year on lineup moves and such. But this excuse of "we always rotate goalies" won't cut it for the playoffs. This is where we find out if Evason is as good of a coach as we all think he is/can be. Learn from the prior mistakes (staying with MAF to long last year) and change it up a bit in the playoffs. You can have your system that helped you get to the playoffs...but this time of year, I think gut feelings (in GOOD coaches) are used more often.

I know that Evason can do this when the need is there, ala playing Boldy at C with the top 2 out. That was unexpected. But it goes to show he can change things around on how the "system" works. Ride the Gus Bus now in the playoffs. I sure those that are injured right now can make they way back to the lineup soon....very soon...like Game 3 soon.