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MINNESOTA
ST LOUIS |
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| Western Conference Quarterfinals - Best of 7 - Game 2 - MIN Leads 1-0 | |
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| 25 | MINNESOTA | +120 | Ov 5,-115 | +120 | Ov 5,-110 | | 26 | ST LOUIS | -140 | Un 5,-105 | -140 | Un 5,-110 |
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| All Games | 47-36-0 | +2.7 | 47-36 | +2.7 | 31-38 | 2.8 | 30.7 | 2.4 | 27.5 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 25-17-0 | +10.2 | 25-17 | +10.2 | 14-22 | 2.6 | 29.7 | 2.4 | 29.8 | | Last 5 Games | 3-2-0 | +1.5 | 3-2 | +1.5 | 3-2 | 2.4 | 28.6 | 2.2 | 29.0 | | Playoff Games | 1-0-0 | +1.2 | 1-0 | +1.2 | 1-0 | 4.0 | 29.0 | 2.0 | 21.0 | | vs. Division | 18-12-0 | +5.4 | 18-12 | +5.4 | 13-13 | 2.9 | 31.0 | 2.5 | 28.9 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 83 | 235 | 66 | 72 | 89 | 8 | 15 | 2551 | 9.2% | 249 | 41 | 16.5% | 388 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 42 | 108 | 25 | 31 | 47 | 5 | 9 | 1246 | 8.7% | 111 | 14 | 12.6% | 169 | | Team Stats (Last 5 Games) | 5 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 143 | 8.4% | 13 | 4 | 30.8% | 23 | | Team Stats (Playoffs) | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 13.8% | 4 | 2 | 50.0% | 7 | | Team Stats (vs. Division) | 30 | 88 | 21 | 30 | 34 | 3 | 5 | 929 | 9.5% | 93 | 15 | 16.1% | 146 | | Stats Against (All Games) | | 203 | 51 | 76 | 68 | 8 | 9 | 2286 | 8.9% | 236 | 32 | 13.6% | 348 | | Stats Against (Road Games) | | 99 | 15 | 47 | 35 | 2 | 4 | 1251 | 7.9% | 113 | 17 | 15.0% | 173 | | Stats Against (Last 5 Games) | | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 145 | 7.6% | 11 | 2 | 18.2% | 18 | | Stats Against (Playoffs) | | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 9.5% | 2 | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | | Stats Against (vs. Division) | | 74 | 14 | 32 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 866 | 8.5% | 95 | 12 | 12.6% | 119 |
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| NIKLAS BACKSTROM (All Games) | 19 | 14 | 452 | 401 | 88.7% | 1 | 5-9 | -4.5 | 5-9-0 | -4 | 7-5 | | NIKLAS BACKSTROM (Road Games) | 9 | 8 | 243 | 214 | 88.1% | 1 | 3-5 | -1.7 | 3-5-0 | -2 | 4-3 | | NIKLAS BACKSTROM (vs. Division) | 8 | 6 | 211 | 186 | 88.2% | 0 | 1-5 | -4.3 | 1-5-0 | -4 | 3-2 | | NIKLAS BACKSTROM (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 116 | 100 | 86.2% | 0 | 0-4 | -4 | 0-4-0 | -4 | 2-2 | | NIKLAS BACKSTROM (Playoff Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | JOHN CURRY (All Games) | 2 | 1 | 25 | 20 | 80.0% | 0 | 0-1 | -1.5 | 0-1-0 | -2 | 1-0 | | JOHN CURRY (Road Games) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 50.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | JOHN CURRY (vs. Division) | 1 | 1 | 23 | 19 | 82.6% | 0 | 0-1 | -1.5 | 0-1-0 | -2 | 1-0 | | JOHN CURRY (Last 4 Games) | 2 | 1 | 25 | 20 | 80.0% | 0 | 0-1 | -1.5 | 0-1-0 | -2 | 1-0 | | JOHN CURRY (Playoff Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (All Games) | 59 | 57 | 1646 | 1529 | 92.9% | 3 | 37-20 | +14.8 | 37-20-0 | +13 | 22-24 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (Road Games) | 30 | 29 | 870 | 813 | 93.4% | 1 | 21-8 | +16.8 | 21-8-0 | +16 | 13-12 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (vs. Division) | 26 | 25 | 754 | 707 | 93.8% | 2 | 17-8 | +10.8 | 17-8-0 | +9 | 9-12 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 102 | 94 | 92.2% | 0 | 2-2 | -0.1 | 2-2-0 | -1 | 2-2 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (Playoff Games) | 1 | 1 | 21 | 19 | 90.5% | 0 | 1-0 | +1.2 | 1-0-0 | +1 | 1-0 | | JOSH HARDING (All Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | JOSH HARDING (Road Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | JOSH HARDING (vs. Division) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | JOSH HARDING (Playoff Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | DARCY KUEMPER (All Games) | 31 | 28 | 718 | 650 | 90.5% | 2 | 14-14 | -2.4 | 14-14-0 | -1 | 11-14 | | DARCY KUEMPER (Road Games) | 16 | 14 | 432 | 397 | 91.9% | 0 | 6-8 | -1.6 | 6-8-0 | -1 | 4-8 | | DARCY KUEMPER (vs. Division) | 11 | 9 | 250 | 232 | 92.8% | 1 | 7-2 | +5.5 | 7-2-0 | +6 | 4-4 | | DARCY KUEMPER (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 2 | 83 | 76 | 91.6% | 0 | 1-1 | +0.2 | 1-1-0 | +1 | 2-0 | | DARCY KUEMPER (Playoff Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 |
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| All Games | 51-32-0 | +7.6 | 51-32 | +7.6 | 37-30 | 3.0 | 30.8 | 2.5 | 27.3 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 27-15-0 | +2 | 27-15 | +2 | 20-14 | 3.0 | 29.5 | 2.4 | 25.1 | | Last 5 Games | 3-2-0 | +0.6 | 3-2 | +0.6 | 2-3 | 2.0 | 26.4 | 1.8 | 29.2 | | Playoff Games | 0-1-0 | -1.4 | 0-1 | -1.4 | 1-0 | 2.0 | 21.0 | 4.0 | 29.0 | | vs. Division | 17-13-0 | -0.3 | 17-13 | -0.3 | 12-13 | 2.7 | 29.3 | 2.7 | 28.6 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 83 | 250 | 56 | 96 | 84 | 14 | 19 | 2556 | 9.8% | 253 | 56 | 22.1% | 424 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 42 | 128 | 30 | 46 | 46 | 6 | 8 | 1239 | 10.3% | 131 | 25 | 19.1% | 222 | | Team Stats (Last 5 Games) | 5 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 7.6% | 14 | 3 | 21.4% | 18 | | Team Stats (Playoffs) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 9.5% | 2 | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | | Team Stats (vs. Division) | 30 | 80 | 13 | 39 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 879 | 9.1% | 94 | 14 | 14.9% | 129 | | Stats Against (All Games) | | 205 | 55 | 75 | 68 | 7 | 11 | 2262 | 9.1% | 261 | 44 | 16.9% | 347 | | Stats Against (Home Games) | | 99 | 24 | 35 | 38 | 2 | 7 | 1054 | 9.4% | 127 | 21 | 16.5% | 169 | | Stats Against (Last 5 Games) | | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 146 | 6.2% | 16 | 3 | 18.7% | 16 | | Stats Against (Playoffs) | | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 13.8% | 4 | 2 | 50.0% | 7 | | Stats Against (vs. Division) | | 81 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 1 | 4 | 858 | 9.4% | 104 | 19 | 18.3% | 137 |
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| JAKE ALLEN (All Games) | 38 | 33 | 936 | 855 | 91.3% | 1 | 22-11 | +8.6 | 22-11-0 | +10 | 14-12 | | JAKE ALLEN (Home Games) | 19 | 16 | 431 | 392 | 91.0% | 1 | 11-5 | +3.7 | 11-5-0 | +4 | 10-5 | | JAKE ALLEN (vs. Division) | 14 | 12 | 381 | 351 | 92.1% | 0 | 7-5 | +0.6 | 7-5-0 | +1 | 4-6 | | JAKE ALLEN (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 119 | 114 | 95.8% | 0 | 2-2 | -0.4 | 2-2-0 | 0 | 1-3 | | JAKE ALLEN (Playoff Games) | 1 | 1 | 27 | 25 | 92.6% | 0 | 0-1 | -1.4 | 0-1-0 | -1 | 1-0 | | MARTIN BRODEUR (All Games) | 7 | 5 | 169 | 152 | 89.9% | 1 | 2-3 | -1 | 2-3-0 | -1 | 4-1 | | MARTIN BRODEUR (Home Games) | 2 | 2 | 50 | 48 | 96.0% | 1 | 2-0 | +2 | 2-0-0 | +2 | 1-1 | | MARTIN BRODEUR (vs. Division) | 3 | 2 | 50 | 46 | 92.0% | 1 | 1-1 | 0 | 1-1-0 | 0 | 1-1 | | MARTIN BRODEUR (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 3 | 96 | 86 | 89.6% | 1 | 1-2 | -1 | 1-2-0 | -1 | 2-1 | | MARTIN BRODEUR (Playoff Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | | BRIAN ELLIOTT (All Games) | 46 | 45 | 1150 | 1054 | 91.7% | 5 | 27-18 | +0 | 27-18-0 | 0 | 19-17 | | BRIAN ELLIOTT (Home Games) | 24 | 24 | 567 | 516 | 91.0% | 2 | 14-10 | -3.7 | 14-10-0 | -3 | 9-8 | | BRIAN ELLIOTT (vs. Division) | 16 | 16 | 424 | 381 | 89.9% | 0 | 9-7 | -1 | 9-7-0 | 0 | 7-6 | | BRIAN ELLIOTT (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 94 | 81 | 86.2% | 0 | 2-2 | -2 | 2-2-0 | -2 | 3-0 | | BRIAN ELLIOTT (Playoff Games) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 |
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| | Average power rating of opponents played: MINNESOTA 3.13, ST LOUIS 3.16 |
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| 3/23/2015 | at TORONTO | 2-1 | W | 0, -230 | W | 5.5 un | U | | 3/24/2015 | at NY ISLANDERS | 2-1 | W | 0, +125 | W | 5.5 un | U | | 3/27/2015 | CALGARY | 4-2 | W | 0, -195 | W | 5 ov | O | | 3/28/2015 | LOS ANGELES | 4-1 | W | 0, +100 | W | 5 un | P | | 4/2/2015 | NY RANGERS | 2-3 | L | 0, -135 | L | 5 ev | P | | 4/4/2015 | DETROIT | 2-3 | L | 0, -155 | L | 5 ov | P | | 4/6/2015 | WINNIPEG | 0-2 | L | 0, -150 | L | 5 ov | U | | 4/7/2015 | at CHICAGO | 2-1 | W | 0, +130 | W | 5 ev | U | | 4/9/2015 | at NASHVILLE | 4-2 | W | 0, +155 | W | 5 ev | O | | 4/11/2015 | at ST LOUIS | 2-4 | L | 0, +140 | L | 5 ov | O | | 4/16/2015 | at ST LOUIS | 4-2 | W | 0, +115 | W | 5 un | O | | 4/18/2015 | at ST LOUIS | | | 4/20/2015 | ST LOUIS | | | 4/22/2015 | ST LOUIS | |
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| 3/22/2015 | at DETROIT | 1-2 | L | 0, +120 | L | 5.5 un | U | | 3/24/2015 | at PITTSBURGH | 3-2 | W | 0, +105 | W | 5 ov | P | | 3/28/2015 | COLUMBUS | 2-4 | L | 0, -250 | L | 5.5 un | O | | 3/30/2015 | VANCOUVER | 1-4 | L | 0, -150 | L | 5 ov | P | | 4/2/2015 | CALGARY | 4-1 | W | 0, -145 | W | 5.5 un | U | | 4/3/2015 | at DALLAS | 7-5 | W | 0, -110 | W | 5.5 un | O | | 4/5/2015 | at CHICAGO | 2-1 | W | 0, +135 | W | 5 ov | U | | 4/7/2015 | WINNIPEG | 0-1 | L | 0, -140 | L | 5 ov | U | | 4/9/2015 | CHICAGO | 2-1 | W | 0, -125 | W | 5 ov | U | | 4/11/2015 | MINNESOTA | 4-2 | W | 0, -160 | W | 5 ov | O | | 4/16/2015 | MINNESOTA | 2-4 | L | 0, -135 | L | 5 un | O | | 4/18/2015 | MINNESOTA | | | 4/20/2015 | at MINNESOTA | | | 4/22/2015 | at MINNESOTA | |
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| |  | MINNESOTA: LAST SEASON: 43-27-12, 98 points. Lost to Chicago 4-2 in Western Conference semifinals after beating Colorado 4-3 in first round.
COACH: Mike Yeo, fourth season, 104-82-26.
ADDED: LW Thomas Vanek, LW Brett Sutter, D Justin Falk, D Stu Bickel.
LOST: RW Dany Heatley, LW Matt Moulson, D Clayton Stoner, C Cody McCormick, LW Mike Rupp.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Vanek signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Wild after spending his first nine NHL seasons in the Eastern Conference, primarily with Buffalo. Vanek will be counted on for a scoring boost for a team that tied for 24th in the NHL in goals per game, but with Zach Parise and former Sabres teammate Jason Pominville among the top six forwards the onus is not all on him.
OUTLOOK: After advancing past the first round for only the second time in franchise history with a dramatic upset of the Central Division champion Avalanche, the Wild are on track for more with the addition of Vanek and the development of young forwards Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter. The goalie situation is the biggest concern, with Niklas Backstrom and Darcy Kuemper returning as the top two after an injury-laden season at the position that forced the Wild to give four different players 19 starts or more in the net. | | ST LOUIS: LAST SEASON: 52-23-7, 111 points. Tied for third overall in Western Conference, lost in first round to Chicago.
COACH: Ken Hitchcock, third full season with Blues. 124-55-20. 657-405-178 overall in 18 seasons, seventh on career win list.
ADDED: C Paul Stastny, C Jori Lehtera, D Carl Gunnarsson, C Colin Fraser, F Robby Fabbri.
LOST: G Ryan Miller, D Roman Polak, F Vladimir Sobotka, F Brenden Morrow.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jaden Schwartz. Signing Stastny in free agency creates open ice for everyone else. Schwartz led team at plus-28 last season and scored 25 goals.
OUTLOOK: They've been among the NHL's best regular-season teams the last few seasons, and one of the stingiest, too. Last season they allowed the third-fewest goals, plus defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk are highly productive joining the rush. They appear to have enough firepower to contend for an ever-elusive first Stanley Cup, although as usual there's plenty of competition at the top of the Western Conference. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW (MINNESOTA-ST LOUIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Wild-Blues Preview* ====================
By JEFF BARTL STATS Senior Writer
Minnesota At St Louis, Game Two, 3:00 p.m. EDT
The popular excuse for the St. Louis Blues after a defeat in Game 1 centered around a four-day layoff that may have caused them to lose a step following the season finale.
The problem? The Minnesota Wild, who were the Blues' opponent in that finale, didn't seem to mind.
Minnesota now looks to head home with a 2-0 series advantage as St. Louis attempts to figure out what went wrong heading into Saturday's matchup.
Before three minutes had ticked off the clock Thursday, Jason Zucker had given the Wild the lead. Matt Dumba scored with just over four minutes gone in the second period, and Minnesota cruised to a 4-2 victory.
St. Louis ended the Wild's NHL record-tying 12-game road winning streak with a victory by the same score last Saturday. The break apparently had more of an effect on the Blues.
"I don't know if it was nerves or too much time off or what, but we didn't bring our `A' game from the drop of the puck," captain David Backes said.
Maybe coach Ken Hitchcock saw it coming all along.
"We have not played well off of layoffs all year. This is probably another example of that," Hitchcock said. "We're going to have to play better. Killer instinct comes in a number of fashions."
It's not to say Minnesota didn't feel the layoff, too. The Wild killed both power plays after they had a league-best 90.8 percent penalty-kill rate since the All-Star break.
"I think for both teams after many days off, it's like starting a season almost," captain Mikko Koivu said. "It's not an easy thing to do. Your emotions are high. After a couple shifts it goes down a little bit."
The Wild hadn't won Game 1 in any of their previous seven playoff series, and they came in having dropped 16 of their previous 18 postseason road contests.
"That's a good start for us," coach Mike Yeo said. "I think we have to make sure that we use this game, we look at the video, and there's certainly some areas where we know we can be better. But a lot of good things to take from it, for sure."
Devan Dubnyk won his playoff debut with 19 saves after going 27-9-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average in 39 starts after being acquired in January, leading Minnesota's charge to a third consecutive postseason berth.
"We have to leave this one behind and take the good things out of it but move to the second one," Koivu said. "We know the further it's going to go, the tougher it's going to get. We have to enjoy this one for a couple minutes and start to prepare for Saturday's game."
St. Louis won't be able to use the layoff as an excuse this time.
"It almost took until the third period until we finally got our legs going and played our brand of hockey," Backes said. "We need that for a full 60 in order to win games against this team and (we get) another chance on Saturday."
Hitchcock said that Jake Allen will be in net after getting the start ahead of Brian Elliott on Thursday. Allen, who went 5-1-1 with a 1.15 GAA in his last seven starts of the season, made 25 saves.
"I don't think we expected to win four straight," Allen said. "We got one out of the way, got the nerves or the playoff jitters or whatever you want to call it out of the way. Saturday's a new day."
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| | Last Updated: 4/19/2024 11:03:50 PM EST. |
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