Game story
Here's the Associated Press story on tonight's game. There's a cool note at the bottom about Tom Preissing getting a nice ovation from the Minnesota crowd.
-----
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Just how long had it been since Niklas Backstrom shut out an opponent?
"I don't even remember (the last one)," Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said with a smile. "That's how long it's been."
Backstrom's drought lasted more than five months, and the end couldn't have come at a better time for the stumbling Wild.
Backstrom's first shutout since October and Marian Gaborik's 200th NHL goal helped the Wild snap a five-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
Backstrom made 24 saves for his first shutout since Oct. 10 against Edmonton, and Brian Rolston also scored for the Wild, who leapfrogged Colorado for first place in the Northwest Division.
"If we want to make the playoffs, that's the way it has to be," Backstrom said. "I have to be there and make the saves when the team needs that and help them so they don't have to score four or five goals every night."
It's been 14 games since the Wild scored at least four goals, so they're going to need Backstrom to resume the form that made him the NHL's best goaltender last season.
Saturday night was a start, and he got a little help from the newly bald Gaborik, who had his girlfriend shave his head after getting a bad haircut earlier in the day.
Gaborik, who had played a sloppy game for the first 56 minutes with two penalties and two turnovers in Minnesota's zone, sealed the much-needed win on an odd-man rush with 4 minutes to go.
He snapped a wrist shot over Erik Ersberg's glove for a 2-0 lead, then received a standing ovation from the crowd when his milestone was announced.
"Especially to score it in a winning game when we haven't won in a while," Gaborik said. "This is a huge two points for us. It's nice to get that goal in a two-point game. It's huge."
Ersberg made 27 saves for the Kings, who went 0-for-5 on the power play.
"You get five power-play chances," coach Marc Crawford said, "and you've got to connect on one of those five. ... So this is one where our power play has to take some ownership of our performance."
With just 10 games remaining, the Wild need all the points they can get in the jam-packed Northwest Division. When the night began, just four points separated first place from fourth in the division. The Wild got some help from New Jersey earlier Saturday when the Devils beat Colorado.
The Wild and Avalanche have 84 points, though the Wild technically are in the lead because they have played one fewer game than has Colorado, which comes to Xcel Energy Center on Monday.
Nine of the Wild's final 10 games are against Northwest opponents, setting up what is sure to be a white-knuckle finish.
If that weren't enough, the sixth-place Wild also have ninth-place Nashville on their heels, just four points away.
"As always, the next game is the biggest one for us," Backstrom said.
The Kings stopped thinking about the playoffs a long time ago and have an NHL-low 62 points. They're hoping to build around a talented young core of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan, obtained from the Wild in a trade for Pavol Demitra two years ago, to get back to respectability.
Despite their poor standing in the West, the Kings haven't gone quietly. They beat Nashville 4-1 on Thursday night to make the Predators' climb into the playoff race a little more difficult, and played Minnesota tough for most of the night.
"We look at it almost like playoff games for us, trying to spoil something for these teams that are fighting for a playoff spot," Ersberg said.
But they missed too many opportunities on Saturday, including an open net off a rebound by Derek Armstrong and two power plays in the final 6:16 of the game.
"Our team is trying to battle as if we're in a race and as if we're in the situation Minnesota is in," O'Sullivan said. "We played a really good team, and they're obviously playing important games. I thought we matched their effort."
Notes: Kings D Tom Preissing, a native of the Twin Cities suburb of Rosemount, had plenty of friends and family in attendance and received a loud ovation when he was introduced in the starting lineup. ... Kings LW Kyle Calder played his 500th NHL game. ... Former Wild C Wes Walz, who abruptly retired a few weeks into this season, watched the game from the press box.
16 Comments
Leave a comment
About the bloggers
J.P. Hoornstra writes about NHL and IHL hockey for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. He welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
E-mail J.P. at jp.hoornstra@inlandnewspapers.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews
.com.
Vincent Bonsignore is a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. E-mail Vinny at vincent.bonsignore
@dailynews.com.
Copyright Notice |
Privacy Policy |
Information |
Subscriber Services |
Site Map |
RSS 
MNG Corporate Site Map | Newspaper Media Kit
MNG Corporate Site Map | Newspaper Media Kit
| For more local Southern California News: | Copyright ©2011 |
| Los Angeles Newspaper Group |
Too bad our prospects aren't around to get this much needed experience during this stretch.
I would rather have players like Matt Moulson. Teddy Purcell, and Brian Boyle play these final 10 games and get some experience that would prepare them for next season.
Remember what it did for Patrick O'Sullivan. He ended up scoring 12 points in his last 14 games. Look at his play this season.
Instead we are forced to watch or listen (this game in particular) to old, crusty, useless players like Derek Armstrong miss empty nets. I hope our gentle G.M. sends him packing before next season.
Great game by Ersberg again. He's beginning to prove to us fans that he's the real deal.
if the Kings lost and there was no one to see it on TV, did it happen?
Anthony,
To my understanding, the Kings have sent those players down to play in the AHL playoffs...at least, that's what I'm lead to believe. Oh well.
Anyone know when or if the Kings practice Monday or tuesday?
The reason the kids are in Manch and not up in LA is because they arent pretending that they are in a playoff race, they actually are in one. And then on top of it, if they can manage to make it into the AHL playoffs, then that experience of fighting for a spot then fighting it out in the playoffs will give them a much better experience then they can receive in LA right now. Let them fight it out for the rest of the year and then fight it out in rookie camp, then compete for a spot in training camp. And we end up with a top 3 draft pick in the process. I'm not seeing a problem with this at all.
Manchester is currently 3 points behind Springfield in the final playoff berth in their division. The players would gain valuable experience if they qualify for playoffs.
It's funny. The game wasn't on Center Ice either. I guess the Kings are not a ratings draw for the Twin Cities.
I'd rather have our prospects playing in some meaningful games. They are on the cusp of the playoffs at last look. They all got their call up. They got the feel for the NHL and what to expect now go learn to win big, important games with/against your peers down in the AHL.
The game was on HD Net, something my cable provider doesn't carry. The NHL Network did a couple of "live look-ins" during their NHL on The Fly show. From the pieces I saw it looked like a close game, despite the lack of Kings offense.
Ok. I decided I would not be lazy and looked up the Monarchs. They are 1 game over .500 and in 5th place in the Eastern conference. 3 Points behind Homer Simpson and the Springfield Falcons. I don't know how the playoffs work there but they may be a long way out of it if it's the best 8 in the conference. If it's the best 8 then they are in 11th place but 5 points out of the 8th spot. Again, I don't know how it works at the AHL level.
So who knows, if they get eliminated from the playoffs maybe we'll see a massive call up for the last couple of games.
Big Rob in Dallas.
I agree with Big Rob...they all got the chance to play up here and see what the NHL is all about..and for the most part they all looked like they belong. But I agree, let them get the experience of playing in big games and get a sense of playoff atmosphere...That's something they won't get playing up here.
Apparently another solid game for Ersberg.
Josh...10:30 a.m. both days. Monday practice and Tuesday morning skate.
I hope we can send Anthony packing down the freeway to quack land where he belongs after the season. He doesnt know that teams need players like army, calder etc. Players that have been around some years, u cant have a team of just 20-23 year old players.
To Big Rob:
The top four teams in each division qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs...so the only team the Monarchs are concerned with is Springfield. They beat the Falcons in a huge head-on meeting last Wednesday.
Add to last post...
Jon Quick shuts out Lowell Sunday, 1-0, drawing the Mons to within 1 point of that playoff spot. They are in Springfield again wednesday nite. This will give the young guys an opportunity to play in a desparation playoff-type game. Let's hope they're up to it.
So practice tomorrow is at 10:30? I actually have tomorrow off and I've read that some people go and see them practice sometimes. Is this possible to do tomorrow? How does that work? Do you just walk in and have a seat while they practice? How big is the Toyota Sports Center and if it's huge how do I find where they are practicing? Do a lot of people go or would I be the only person there being a pest? Sorry for all the questions but obviously I've never done this before and it would be a neat experience, but I don't want to go there having no idea what to do or worst yet be a bother.
Does anyone know?
1) Yes.
2) Yes.
3) Go on in and take a seat. Down below on the benches or up top if you don't enjoy being very cold.
4) Yes.
5) Not that big. You'll see the rink when you walk in the door.
5) Not a lot of people there. Mostly figure skaters, but you won't be considered a pest by any means.