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MINNESOTA
ST LOUIS |
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Final
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| Western Conference Quarterfinals - Best of 7 - Game 5 - Series tied at 2-2 | |
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| 85 | MINNESOTA | +120 | Ov 5,+100 | +120 | Ov 5,+100 | | 86 | ST LOUIS | -140 | Un 5,-120 | -140 | Un 5,-120 |
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| All Games | 48-38-0 | +1.3 | 48-38 | +1.3 | 32-39 | 2.8 | 30.4 | 2.5 | 27.4 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 25-18-0 | +9.2 | 25-18 | +9.2 | 14-22 | 2.5 | 29.6 | 2.4 | 29.7 | | Last 5 Games | 2-3-0 | -1.3 | 2-3 | -1.3 | 3-1 | 2.2 | 24.2 | 3.2 | 22.8 | | Playoff Games | 2-2-0 | -0.3 | 2-2 | -0.3 | 2-1 | 2.2 | 24.0 | 3.0 | 22.7 | | vs. Division | 19-14-0 | +3.9 | 19-14 | +3.9 | 14-14 | 2.8 | 30.2 | 2.5 | 28.4 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 86 | 240 | 66 | 75 | 91 | 8 | 16 | 2618 | 9.2% | 254 | 42 | 16.5% | 396 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 43 | 109 | 25 | 31 | 48 | 5 | 9 | 1271 | 8.6% | 112 | 14 | 12.5% | 171 | | Team Stats (Last 5 Games) | 5 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 121 | 9.1% | 13 | 4 | 30.8% | 19 | | Team Stats (Playoffs) | 4 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 96 | 9.4% | 9 | 3 | 33.3% | 15 | | Team Stats (vs. Division) | 33 | 93 | 21 | 33 | 36 | 3 | 6 | 996 | 9.3% | 98 | 16 | 16.3% | 154 | | Stats Against (All Games) | | 213 | 56 | 79 | 70 | 8 | 10 | 2356 | 9.0% | 241 | 33 | 13.7% | 364 | | Stats Against (Road Games) | | 103 | 17 | 47 | 37 | 2 | 5 | 1278 | 8.1% | 116 | 18 | 15.5% | 179 | | Stats Against (Last 5 Games) | | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 14.0% | 9 | 2 | 22.2% | 26 | | Stats Against (Playoffs) | | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 91 | 13.2% | 7 | 1 | 14.3% | 20 | | Stats Against (vs. Division) | | 84 | 19 | 35 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 936 | 9.0% | 100 | 13 | 13.0% | 135 |
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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) | 62 | 60 | 1706 | 1580 | 92.6% | 4 | 38-22 | +13.4 | 38-22-0 | +12 | 23-25 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (Road Games) | 31 | 30 | 896 | 836 | 93.3% | 1 | 21-9 | +15.8 | 21-9-0 | +15 | 13-12 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (vs. Division) | 29 | 28 | 814 | 758 | 93.1% | 3 | 18-10 | +9.3 | 18-10-0 | +8 | 10-13 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 81 | 70 | 86.4% | 1 | 2-2 | -0.3 | 2-2-0 | 0 | 2-1 | | DEVAN DUBNYK (Playoff Games) | 4 | 4 | 81 | 70 | 86.4% | 1 | 2-2 | -0.3 | 2-2-0 | 0 | 2-1 | | 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) | 32 | 28 | 727 | 659 | 90.6% | 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) | 12 | 9 | 259 | 241 | 93.1% | 1 | 7-2 | +5.5 | 7-2-0 | +6 | 4-4 | | DARCY KUEMPER (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 1 | 66 | 63 | 95.5% | 0 | 1-0 | +1.6 | 1-0-0 | +2 | 1-0 | | DARCY KUEMPER (Playoff Games) | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 100.0% | 0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0-0 |
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| All Games | 53-33-0 | +8.9 | 53-33 | +8.9 | 38-31 | 3.0 | 30.5 | 2.4 | 27.1 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 28-15-0 | +3 | 28-15 | +3 | 20-14 | 3.1 | 29.4 | 2.3 | 25.1 | | Last 5 Games | 3-2-0 | +0.9 | 3-2 | +0.9 | 3-1 | 3.2 | 22.8 | 2.2 | 24.2 | | Playoff Games | 2-2-0 | -0.1 | 2-2 | -0.1 | 2-1 | 3.0 | 22.7 | 2.2 | 24.0 | | vs. Division | 19-14-0 | +0.9 | 19-14 | +0.9 | 13-14 | 2.7 | 28.8 | 2.6 | 28.0 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 86 | 260 | 61 | 99 | 86 | 14 | 20 | 2626 | 9.9% | 258 | 57 | 22.1% | 440 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 43 | 132 | 32 | 46 | 48 | 6 | 9 | 1266 | 10.4% | 134 | 26 | 19.4% | 228 | | Team Stats (Last 5 Games) | 5 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 14.0% | 9 | 2 | 22.2% | 26 | | Team Stats (Playoffs) | 4 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 91 | 13.2% | 7 | 1 | 14.3% | 20 | | Team Stats (vs. Division) | 33 | 90 | 18 | 42 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 949 | 9.5% | 99 | 15 | 15.2% | 145 | | Stats Against (All Games) | | 210 | 55 | 78 | 70 | 7 | 12 | 2329 | 9.0% | 266 | 45 | 16.9% | 355 | | Stats Against (Home Games) | | 100 | 24 | 35 | 39 | 2 | 7 | 1079 | 9.3% | 128 | 21 | 16.4% | 171 | | Stats Against (Last 5 Games) | | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 121 | 9.1% | 13 | 4 | 30.8% | 19 | | Stats Against (Playoffs) | | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 96 | 9.4% | 9 | 3 | 33.3% | 15 | | Stats Against (vs. Division) | | 86 | 25 | 33 | 27 | 1 | 5 | 925 | 9.3% | 109 | 20 | 18.3% | 145 |
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| JAKE ALLEN (All Games) | 41 | 36 | 1002 | 917 | 91.5% | 2 | 24-12 | +9.8 | 24-12-0 | +11 | 15-13 | | JAKE ALLEN (Home Games) | 20 | 17 | 456 | 416 | 91.2% | 1 | 12-5 | +4.7 | 12-5-0 | +5 | 10-5 | | JAKE ALLEN (vs. Division) | 17 | 15 | 447 | 413 | 92.4% | 1 | 9-6 | +1.9 | 9-6-0 | +2 | 5-7 | | JAKE ALLEN (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 93 | 87 | 93.5% | 1 | 2-2 | -0.1 | 2-2-0 | 0 | 2-1 | | JAKE ALLEN (Playoff Games) | 4 | 4 | 93 | 87 | 93.5% | 1 | 2-2 | -0.1 | 2-2-0 | 0 | 2-1 | | 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 3.16, ST LOUIS 3.16 |
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| 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 | 1-4 | L | 0, +110 | L | 5 un | P | | 4/20/2015 | ST LOUIS | 3-0 | W | 0, -135 | W | 5 ev | U | | 4/22/2015 | ST LOUIS | 1-6 | L | 0, -145 | L | 5 un | O | | 4/24/2015 | at ST LOUIS | | | 4/26/2015 | ST LOUIS | |
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| 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 | 4-1 | W | 0, -130 | W | 5 un | P | | 4/20/2015 | at MINNESOTA | 0-3 | L | 0, +115 | L | 5 ev | U | | 4/22/2015 | at MINNESOTA | 6-1 | W | 0, +125 | W | 5 un | O | | 4/24/2015 | MINNESOTA | | | 4/26/2015 | 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 KEVIN CHROUST STATS Writer
Minnesota At St Louis, Game Five, 9:30 p.m. EDT
The St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild have been trading blows, though the latest definitely contained the most force.
After running it up in Minnesota, the Blues return home Friday night for Game 5 with a shot at gaining their first lead in the first-round series.
Wednesday's 6-1 win was pretty well secured after the Blues imposed their physical style to build a three-goal lead in just over 10 minutes.
"When we check, we score. It looks like we've joined the tournament now, and we're dialed in," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "So we've got home ice back, we're dialed into our game and hopefully we're going to be hard to  ."
Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and Kevin Shattenkirk added three assists to run his series total to seven and to 11 in his last eight overall.
The Blues led 6-1 after two periods and chased goaltender Devan Dubnyk for the second time in less than two weeks after doing so in a 4-2 win in the regular-season finale April 11. The problem is they haven't been able to play with any consistency.
"We had to assert ourselves," David Backes said. "We've just got to stop this trend of every other game."
It might be preferable to how recent playoff series have gone. Over the last two seasons, St. Louis has gone up 2-0 in the first round before dropping four straight. Including a sweep in the second round the previous season and the Game 3 loss in Minnesota, the Blues had lost their last 11 playoff games beyond Game 2.
Tarasenko has fallen into the trend with his five goals in the series coming in the wins, while he's had no shots on goal in the losses. He had a hat trick in Game 2 and has eight goals and three assists in eight games against Minnesota this season.
Just one of those contests has been decided by one goal and the series numbers are tight. The teams have split four in Minnesota and four in St. Louis with 22 goals apiece.
However, after allowing a franchise-record six playoff goals in the latest, the Wild are rethinking things.
"We may have been a little cocky. We felt really good and rightfully so," left wing Zach Parise said. "We felt good about the way we played the last game. I don't know if we thought it was going to be an easy game or if we thought they were going to pack it in, but that wasn't the case at all."
Minnesota managed a season-low 18 shots and didn't score at even strength.
That made for an easy night for Jake Allen, who has provided some balance for the Blues with a .935 save percentage in the series as well as a .945 mark over a 6-3-1 span. He's won three of five starts against the Wild without allowing more than two goals.
Both goaltenders are starting their first playoff series. Dubnyk's numbers are more erratic with an .864 save percentage, and that includes a Game 3 shutout. He's faced St. Louis seven times in just under six weeks with four wins, though he's allowed three goals or more four times.
After getting off to an eye-catching start with Minnesota in which he won 26 of 34 starts with a .939 save percentage, the heavy workload could be catching up with Dubnyk during a 3-5-1 April with an .895 mark.
"I think none of us expected this to be a sweep in our favor or a short series, by any means," Dubnyk said. "We knew it was going to be a battle, and that's what its turning out to be."
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| | Last Updated: 4/20/2024 9:45:33 AM EST. |
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