Playoffs 2021-22 WCQF: (2C) Minnesota Wild vs. (3C) St. Louis Blues

[Morphinity 2.0]

(2C) Minnesota Wild vs. (3C) St. Louis Blues

REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS:

Wild: 53-22-7, 113 points 

Blues: 49-22-11, 109 points

SEASON SERIES:

MIN 0-1-2; STL 3-0-0

 

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GAME BREAKERS:

Wild: Kaprizov has been a handful since he arrived in the NHL at the start of the 2020-21 season, which ended with him winning the Calder Trophy voted as NHL rookie of the year. This season, he was better. He became the first player in Wild history to score 100 points. His 47 goals this season led the Wild and were fifth in the NHL.

 

Blues: Tarasenko reemerged as one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NHL after a two-year, injury-induced absence from the list. On a team full of prolific scorers, nobody has been more lethal than Tarasenko, who also led the Blues with 230 shots on goal. Tarasenko was limited to seven goals in 34 regular-season games during the past two seasons but is now playing at the level that saw him score at least 30 goals in five straight seasons from 2014-19.

 

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GOALTENDING:

Wild: It is an embarrassment of riches since the Wild acquired Marc-Andre Fleury before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. Fleury won the Stanley Cup three times with the Pittsburgh Penguins and went to two other Cup Finals, most recently with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. Since arriving to Minnesota, he is 9-2-0 with a 2.74 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. He has also lit a fire under Talbot, the incumbent who is 8-0-3 with a 2.25 GAA and .925 save percentage since the deadline.

 

Blues: It appears that Ville Husso has stolen the No. 1 job from incumbent Jordan Binnington, one of the heroes of the run to the 2019 Stanley Cup title. Husso earned the lion's share of the work down the stretch of the regular season and has been the better goalie, going 25-7-6 with a 2.56 GAA and .919 save percentage. Binnington went 18-14-4 with a 3.13 GAA and .901 save percentage. He is 9-8-1 with a 3.45 GAA and .891 save percentage since Jan. 1.

 

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X FACTORS:

Wild: Matt Boldy. The rookie did not report to the Wild until a callup from Iowa of the American Hockey League on Jan. 6. He has been virtually unstoppable as a second-line wing, scoring 39 points (15 goals, 24 assists) in 47 games. Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting, a candidate for the Calder Trophy given to the NHL rookie of the year, is the only rookie with more points (44) in that span. Boldy gives the Minnesota offense length it did not have before he arrived.

 

Blues: Nick Leddy. On a team full of offensive luminaries, it a defenseman, that could be the difference-maker. Leddy was acquired before the deadline for depth purposes but played 21:03 per game in a top-four role. He can provide a bit of offense, especially as part of the rotation on the power play and has been solid in all facets of the game.

 

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WILL WIN IF:

Wild: They stay out of the penalty box. Minnesota doesn't have the players on either side of the equation to win a series dominated by special teams. No team in the playoff field allowed as many 5-on-4 goals as the 60 given up by the Wild. The Blues led the NHL in 5-on-4 goals with 63.

 

Blues: They find adequate goaltending. The offense is all-world, and the defense is above average, so it will be goaltending that proves to be the difference-maker. Binnington is the incumbent and has experience making a long playoff run but was inconsistent. Husso has been more consistent but has never appeared in an NHL postseason game.

 

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MORE:

https://www.nhl.com/news/minnesota-wild-st-louis-first-round-playoff-series-preview/c-333632332?tid=333423772

[Phil]

"If my goalie is better than your goalie..."

 

Wild in 6.

[BrooksBurner]

Wild in 6. Might be the most underrated "top team" in the playoffs.

[fletch]

I'm reluctantly taking the Wild.  Blues are white hot, and Wild haven't won a playoff series since 2014-5.

[Phil]

11 hours ago, rmc51 said:

Wild in 6. Might be the most underrated "top team" in the playoffs.

 

No, that's the Flames, but agree with your sentiment.

[Morphinity 2.0]

40 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

No, that's the Flames, but agree with your sentiment.

The Flames are the "Barkov" of the playoffs. They were underrated until everyone and their mother started saying they were underrated. 

[Karan]

This is quite possibly going to be the best series of the 1st round. It's a crying shame one of these teams get eliminated. I'm going with STL in 7 but only by a hair. Their depth will be too much for MIN to overcome. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

This should be an awesome series!

 

Hoping for a run for Zucc, but I took Blues in 6 here. Their forward depth is just insane.

[Phil]

2 hours ago, Morphinity said:

The Flames are the "Barkov" of the playoffs. They were underrated until everyone and their mother started saying they were underrated. 

 

You just mad they all jumped on my coattails.

[phillyb]

Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc

[Scott]

@wyshynski: Can report the NHL Dept. of Player Safety is reviewing this incident involving @mnwild captain Jared Spurgeon. 

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by jsrangers

[Phil]

Yeah he’s getting games. My guess is two (equal to four regular season).

[Pete]

29 minutes ago, Phil said:

Yeah he’s getting games. My guess is two (equal to four regular season).

I'd go with 1 because games 2 and 3 are pivotal to any series so I don't think they take him out of those... Cuz NHLDPoS. 

[Valriera]

Literally attempting to cripple a guy - should be at least two games 

[phillyb]

Oh man, what the fuck. I check two threads about games from last night and the only “highlights” I see are this and Clifford’s hit. 

 

Fuck Spurgeon. 

[Phil]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

I'd go with 1 because games 2 and 3 are pivotal to any series so I don't think they take him out of those... Cuz NHLDPoS. 

 

I mean, he's lucky he didn't break Buch's leg. If he did, he's getting the entire series.

[Pete]

17 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

I mean, he's lucky he didn't break Buch's leg. If he did, he's getting the entire series.

Yea but DPoS.

[Phil]

DoP(e)S.

[Dunny]

Pretty obvious that he did it because Buchnevich fell on him awkwardly, and in the same spot he attacked.

 

Anybodies kids do this to them? They attack my achilles when I'm on my knees. Hurts like he'll.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Dunny

[Phil]

 

[Phil]

1 minute ago, Dunny said:

Pretty obvious that he did it because Buchnevich fell on him awkwardly, and in the same spot he attacked.

 

Anybodies kids do this to them? They attack my achilles when I'm on my knees. Hurts like he'll.

 

Yup. Or try to stand on my achilles to climb on my back when I'm playing with the other one. It's awful.

[Dunny]

Just now, Phil said:

 

Yup. Or try to stand on my achilles to climb on my back when I'm playing with the other one. It's awful.

 

I cringe just reading that.

[Phil]

1 minute ago, Dunny said:

 

I cringe just reading that.

 

I'd fine them the maximum allowable under the CBA, but it's pointless — I'd be the one paying it.

[Valriera]

More dps nonsense. I watched a bunch of  games last night and to be honest I liked how they were called. The game misconduct against Toronto was ballsy by the refs but it's the right call and set the precedent for the whole night - hockey plays are going to be let go most of the time but the sneaky, intent to injure type cross checks and hits are going to be penalized. 

 

And then the league hands out a meaningless fine on what can only be categorized as an attempt to injure another player with no bearing on the play. 

 

Makes me sad. 

[-ERIK-]

11 hours ago, jsrangers said:

@wyshynski: Can report the NHL Dept. of Player Safety is reviewing this incident involving @mnwild captain Jared Spurgeon. 

 

 

 

WTF

Buch always getting beat up or cheap shotted.