Wild

Wild acquire Marc-Andre Bergeron from Ducks for third round pick

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Via Wild PR guy Aaron Sickman:

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron (pronounced BUHR-zhuhr-ohn) from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the Wild’s third round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

“Marc-Andre is an offensively skilled defenseman who will add puck-moving ability and a good point shot to our team,” said Risebrough.

Bergeron, 27 (10/13/80), split the 2007-08 NHL campaign with the New York Islanders and the Anaheim Ducks and ranked tied for sixth among League defenseman with eight power play goals. He collected 18 points (9-9=18) in 46 games with the Islanders before being traded to the Ducks for a third round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on Feb. 26, 2008. Bergeron recorded one assist in nine games with Anaheim. The 5-foot-10, 197-pound native of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec has tallied 128 points (48-80=128) including 131 penalty minutes (PIM) and 29 power play goals in 267 career NHL contests during five seasons with Edmonton, the New York Islanders and Anaheim. Bergeron appeared in his first NHL game March 11, 2003 at Calgary and recorded his first career NHL goal against Chris Osgood on March 31, 2003 at St. Louis.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at June 10, 2008 6:28 PM | Comments (0)

 

Wild coach Jacques Lemaire: I want to coach again UPDATED

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The Wild PR office has just put out a statement from Wild Coach Jacques Lemaire that would seem to confirm he'll be back next year:

"When you are younger, it's a lot easier to make a decision. At the end of the year, I said I wanted to ask questions of Doug. I wanted to make sure my boss is happy with the work I am doing and with the way I manage the team. This is what we talked about in our meetings. I am reassured of my work and I want to coach again.

My satisfaction behind the bench is getting the team to play the best it can, individually and as a group. Success will come with that."

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at May 10, 2008 3:12 PM | Comments (0)

 

Liveblogging the Wild: Game 5 vs. Avalanche; Wild lose 3-2

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Coming home off a drubbing in Colorado, this game is huge in terms of momentum. History shows than 81% of the time, the team that wins Game 5 wins the series.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 17, 2008 10:58 PM | Comments (1)

 

Playoff Liveblog: Wild Are So Close to Great... But Not

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The Wild have been playing, especially in the second period, like they’re constantly on a power play—passing at will, shooting at the right time, but it’s all for naught. It’s thrilling, frustrating playoff hockey.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 17, 2008 9:33 PM | Comments (0)

 

Colorado fears Boogaard

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With the score out of reach in the first blowout of the series, Game 4 got chippy and also gave us the first fisticuffs. So which of the many goons on the Wild did the Colorado Avalanche decide to throw down with? Stephane Veilleux, a 181 pounder who hardly holds a reputation as a prolific pugilist:

While Veilleux was in the penalty box, there was a lot of chirping between him and Cody McLeod, the gap-toothed agitator who earlier took a cheap shot at Eric Belanger, boarding him when he didn't have the puck.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 17, 2008 3:33 PM | Comments (1)

 

Team of 18,000 Reams Denver Post Columnist

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In his Tuesday sports column in the Denver Post, writer Mark Kiszla complained about some rough play from the Wild. Minnesota fans decided to give him a piece of their collective mind on the Post's discussion boards. Ouch.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 16, 2008 3:35 PM | Comments (2)

 

Liveblogging the Wild: Game 2 vs. Colorado Avalanche; Wild win 3-2 in O.T.

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This is a huge game. If we drop two at home, our chances of winning this series are crippled. I'll be updating this post between periods.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 11, 2008 10:49 PM | Comments (0)

 

Playoff Liveblog: Photos from The X

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I'm disappointed that I haven't seen any homemade Stanley Cup hats, but there are plenty of rabid fans in the sea of 19,360 worth showcasing.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 11, 2008 8:25 PM | Comments (1)

 

Liveblogging the Wild: Wild lose game one 3-2 to Avalanche

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Tonight's game is sure to be exciting. I expect some vengeance to be meted out for the cheapshots against Marian Gaborik last time they faced each other. The cowardly Colorado team waited till all the Wild's tough guys were off the ice to provoke Gabby, resulting in his first fighting major and a bloody hand. Derek Boogaard promises it'll be a much different story when he's out policing the ice: "Obviously I'm going to be playing in the first game," said Boogaard, who was scratched Sunday. "We'll see if somebody has a problem then." I'll be blogging the game as it happens, so expect new content to pop up after each period of play.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 9, 2008 11:40 PM | Comments (0)

 

Avalanche Triumph in Overtime

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A Joe Sakic chip shot from out front brought the game to an abrupt end. It was Sakic’s 8th playoff overtime goal, a new NHL record. In his post-game press conference, Lemaire said ‘I was really happy with the way we played.’ He had no update on the injured Parish’s condition. The two sides go against each other next on Friday before heading to Denver.

Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 9, 2008 11:28 PM | Comments (0)

 

Second Intermission

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The Wild will need to pick up the pace, especially on the power play during the third period.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 9, 2008 9:13 PM | Comments (0)

 

Puck Drop

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The fans are screaming, the zamboni has left the ice all shiny. It's playoff time.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 9, 2008 7:45 PM | Comments (0)

 

A Very Short Introduction to Tonight's Game

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While most sportswriters and media predict the Wild will get through the Western Conference quarterfinals, there is some history worth pondering. Here's a brief look at the seasons that brought the Avalanche and Wild to The X tonight.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 9, 2008 3:14 PM | Comments (0)

 

A Hockey Map! With Local Player Goodness!

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In anticipation of covering the Wild's first round playoffs, I present to you the geography of the of the Western Conference quarter finals.

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Posted by Ben Palosaari at April 9, 2008 9:57 AM | Comments (0)

 

Wild Style: ESPN's Jonah Keri previews the Wild's NHL playoff run

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The Minnesota Wild’s heading back to the playoffs! After winning the Northwest Division title for the first time in team history, the Wild earned home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs, starting Wednesday. In the team’s two prior trips to the post-season, the Wild made it to the conference finals in 2003, then lost in the first round last season.

Can the Wild make it all the way to the Cup finals for the first time in the team’s seven-year history? Let’s take a look at the key factors which could determine their fate.

Continue reading "Wild Style: ESPN's Jonah Keri previews the Wild's NHL playoff run"

Posted by Jeff Shaw at April 8, 2008 5:42 AM | Comments (3)

 

Send in Boogaard--We don't need Gabby fighting UPDATED WITH VIDEO

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After clinching their division, the Wild are gearing up for the playoffs, which is not the time that you want your most skilled shooter out with a broken hand. From the Strib:

Then, at the end of overtime and knowing there was nobody but Wild skilled players on the ice, Laperriere again collided with Gaborik, the shocking result being Gaborik's first fighting major in 485 career games.

"We kind of collided, pushed, shoved and just happened to drop the gloves," said Gaborik, his right hand covered in gashes. "It happened so quick. It shows things are heating up. It's going to be a tough series. It's going to be a battle like five years ago."

When the Wild next meets Colorado, Gaborik plans to "play my game and leave that stuff for other guys."

And those "other guys," Fedoruk, Derek Boogaard and Chris Simon, weren't happy with Laperriere's antics.

"Obviously I'm going to be playing in the first game," said Boogaard, who was scratched Sunday. "We'll see if somebody has a problem then."

UPDATE: Here's a video of the melee:

Continue reading "Send in Boogaard--We don't need Gabby fighting UPDATED WITH VIDEO"

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 7, 2008 9:23 AM | Comments (2)

 

Wild announces playoff schedule

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Hot off the presses:

MINNESOTA WILD ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR

WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild will open up the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Colorado Avalanche at Xcel Energy Center on Wed., Apr. 9, at 8 p.m. (CDT). The Wild will also host Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Friday, Apr. 11, at 8 p.m. (CDT). A complete conference quarterfinal schedule is below.

Western Conference Quarterfinals

Game 1 - Wed., Apr. 9, Colorado at Minnesota, 8 p.m. (CDT)

Game 2 - Fri, Apr. 11, Colorado at Minnesota, 8 p.m. (CDT)

Game 3 - Monday, Apr. 14, Minnesota at Colorado, 9 p.m. (CDT)

Game 4 - Tuesday, Apr. 15, Minnesota at Colorado, 9 p.m. (CDT)

*Game 5 - Thursday, Apr. 17, Colorado at Minnesota, 8 p.m. (CDT)

*Game 6 - Saturday, Apr. 19, Minnesota at Colorado, (start time TBD)

*Game 7 - Tuesday, Apr. 22, Colorado at Minnesota, (start time TBD)

* - if necessary

A local television schedule for the Western Conference Quarterfinals will be announced early in the week.

The Wild will practice Monday at 12 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 6, 2008 10:31 PM | Comments (0)

 

Wild clinch division first time ever

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Here's your commemorative press release:

MINNESOTA WILD CLINCHES FIRST-EVER NORTHWEST DIVISION TITLE

Wild will have home ice in first round of 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild has clinched its first Northwest Division title with a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames tonight at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild, which will hold the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed in the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, is currently 44-28-9 with 97 points heading into Sunday’s 2 p.m. season finale at Colorado. Tonight’s win also marked the 500th regular season victory in Head Coach Jacques Lemaire’s career.

The 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on April 9 and 10. Minnesota’s first round opponent and schedule will not be determined until the conclusion of the NHL’s regular season on April 6.

The Minnesota Wild have announced that single game tickets for all home games in the first round of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs will go on sale Saturday, April 5 at 9:00 a.m. at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office and at 10:00 a.m. at all Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com ) locations or charge by calling Ticketmaster at (651) 989-5151. A $2.00 facility fee will be added to all Wild single game playoff tickets. Ticketmaster charges are not included and are not applicable to tickets purchased at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office. A limit of four tickets per game may be purchased per person.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 3, 2008 9:46 PM | Comments (1)

 

Kurtis Foster back in Minneapolis after horrifying crash

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Good news from Wild PR spokesman Ryan Stanzel: Kurtis Foster is back home and recovering from his broken leg.

Defenseman Kurtis Foster, who sustained a displaced fracture of his left femur March 19 at San Jose, necessitating surgery, was transported by plane today from San Jose to Minneapolis. He will be admitted to an area hospital, where he will be evaluated by a team doctor, and where he will continue the physical therapy he has been undergoing daily at San Jose's O'Connor Hospital. He will be discharged when he is physically able to move about his home under his own power. There is no set timetable for moving him into his home. His progress will dictate when he leaves the hospital.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at March 28, 2008 8:41 PM | Comments (1)

 

Fine feathered fiends

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Exhibit A on why we need players like Derek Boogaard

Our recent cover story on hockey fighting sparked a debate about why the NHL continues to tolerate fisticuffs. Some even went so far as to suggest it was racist, since fighting is heavily penalized in African American-dominated sports such as basketball, but earns just a short stay in the penalty box in the majority-white NHL.

But anybody wondering whether fighting serves a legitimate purpose in hockey need look no further than Game 4 of the Wild's playoff game against the referees the Mighty Ducks.

After the Wild went up 4-1 in the third period, the game began to resemble a streetfight more than an organized sport. Wild defenseman Brent Burns (above) admirably showed up for his second scrap of the series, thoroughly trouncing the overmatched Corey Perry.

Then all hell broke loose.

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Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 19, 2007 10:59 AM | Comments (3)

 

The Wild go Duck hunting

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NHL teams often bench their tough guys during playoffs, because the game is so much different than the regular season.

There's a sad irony in the fact that the guy who takes the lumps for his team day in and day out often doesn't share the glory of post-season play.

Last month, when I interviewed Wild Head Coach Jacques Lemaire for my cover story about Derek Boogaard, I asked if there was any chance The Boogeyman would see ice during the playoffs.

"If we play Anaheim, he will probably play," Lemaire said.

Continue reading "The Wild go Duck hunting"

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 12, 2007 3:16 PM | Comments (0)

 

"The Boogeyman" vs. Edmonton Oilers' Zack Stortini

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City Pages cover boy Derek "The Boogeyman" Boogaard dropped the gloves last night against Zack Stortini of the Edmonton Oilers. Off the face off, the players bear hugged and ripped off each others hats. Boogey started dropping overhand rights on the back of Stortini's skull, and the overmatched Oiler was clearly looking for a way out. Stortini hooked Boogaard's leg (what is this, Ultimate Fighting?) and the two men fell to the ice, ending the fight prematurely, but not before the Wild's enforcer had notched another victory.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 4, 2007 4:40 PM | Comments (0)