Tuesday was one of those Minnesota nights when human beings were not meant to get more than a few feet away from a fireplace. Once arrived at home, anyone choosing to venture out again was a candidate to be institutionalized.
This bow to sanity was on display at Williams Arena, where the Gophers' much-publicized "blackout" for the Big Ten home opener vs. Ohio State attracted an official attendance of 13,185, well below the 14,625 capacity.
Across town, the Wild was playing San Jose in the Xcel Energy Center. The Wild had won only two of its past nine games and was coming off a 7-1 humiliation in Dallas. There was much disgruntlement being expressed on talk radio and in public responses on various articles and blogs.
If they heard or viewed the negative words, the hockey consumers were not swayed. Forty minutes before faceoff, the skyway across Kellogg Boulevard and the atrium at the arena were filled with the usual sight:
Mom, Dad and two kids, somewhere between 6 and 12, all featuring Wild jerseys, smiling, chatting and undisturbed that the family fund was about to take a hit of $300, give or take a couple of 20s.
The attendance was announced at 19,043. This was the 19th home game and the 19th time the Wild had announced more than the official capacity of 17,954. The average attendance at the midpoint of the schedule is 18,958.
Matt Majka, the Wild's chief operating officer, was asked if much ticket inventory remains for the second half of the home schedule.
"There are selected games, in late March and early April, with some tickets remaining," Majka said. "We would anticipate, unless something unforeseen were to happen, that we will sell out the entire home schedule."