
It's fun having both the Wild and Timberwolves in the playoffs at the same time for just the second time ever and first time since 2002-03. But now that both series are underway, with both teams trailing heavy favorites, you might be wondering: Does either team really have a chance to win and advance?
As such, let's inject some doses of positive thinking — as well as a reality check — into each conversation. Here are three reasons to be optimistic about the Wild and Wolves, as well as three reasons to be pessimistic about their chances against the Jets and Rockets, respectively.
Wild
Current status: Down 2 games to 1 in best-of-7 series against Winnipeg, with Game 4 slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center (FSN and CNBC)
Reasons for optimism:
1) The Wild didn't just win Game 3, it won convincingly. There is a difference, I think, between the 6-2 hurting the Wild put on Winnipeg on Sunday and, say, a 2-1 squeaker. Both count the same, but the feeling generated is different. In one game, the narrative changed from "the Wild looks totally overmatched" to "this series looks completely different now that Winnipeg is away from home." The Wild now has confidence that it can score in bunches and should feel very good about the prospects of tying the series tonight.
2) The reverse side of things is how Winnipeg feels. One loss, even in a blowout, probably isn't enough to shake the Jets' confidence. But another one Tuesday, particularly if goalie Connor Hellebuyck struggles again? That would give the Wild a chance to create some panic or at least some uneasiness in what would essentially become a best-of-3 series.
3) There is precedent for the Wild coming back from a 2-1. In fact, of the four playoff series Minnesota was won in franchise history, the Wild was down 2-1 in three of them — and in all four the Wild was the lower seed.