I wrote a ton about Devan Dubnyk and Zach Parise in the game story, so I'll try to touch on some other stuff from tonight's come-from-behind 2-1 shootout win over the Islanders.
On an aside, funny story, but I met a person the other day that said, "I love your blogs." I laughed and said, "How about the articles?" He goes, "What articles?" Yes, I write those, too. That's what I'm doing when I disappear on Twitter every third period.
I just thought that was funny, and on a night like tonight where I spent the majority of the gamer talking about Dubnyk, I don't want you to think I'm completely out to lunch if I don't touch on him as much in here. Start reading the articles, too, if you don't (ha). I try to make this more of a supplement.
Obviously, Dubnyk continues to be the Wild's MVP and lifted the Wild to yet another gigantic win tonight. The Kings just keep winning, so the Wild stayed five points up on a playoff spot with eight games left. Winnipeg blew a 2-0 lead in Vancouver and lost 5-2.
That means the Wild is three up on the first wildcard spot.
I knew the Wild had a travel delay out of Toronto last night, but I didn't realize until after the game that the Wild got to its hotel at 3 a.m. I think the Wild kept that to itself in order to make sure that the Wild's potential fatigue wasn't part of Jack Capuano's gameplan. Didn't matter. The Islanders always come out hard and home and they had the Wild firmly planted on its heels in a first period in which the Wild was outshot 16-5 and out-attempted 32-9.
"First period, we were turning pucks over like crazy, turning pucks over in front of their defensemen, making hope plays and forcing plays and allowing them to counter back with their speed," Yeo said. "You can't play with good structure when you're turning pucks over like that."
But Dubnyk, the rock star, kept the Wild in a scoreless game.