from Adrian Dater of All Things Avs,

What a lost week that was for this team. The Avs came to St. Paul up 2-0 in this series, against a team that just made a goalie change, with grumbling about the coach and all those underperforming big-money stars and…now the Wild are looking like the greatest team on earth, while the Avs look like a shabby jalopy belching exhaust, just trying to get to the gas station for a few bucks of unleaded.

What’s going on? The Wild adjusted their defense, that’s what. They are “tracking” the puck carriers of the Avs much better, going at them with a couple checkers, with a third forward just on the outside ready to take away the puck if the other two teammates get it loose. The Wild defensemen hung back a bit too much in the first two games, but now they are higher in the neutral zone, getting to Avs puck carriers higher in the ice and making it an obstacle course for Avs forwards to fight through just to get the pucks on their dump-ins — many of which don’t get through because the lead dump guy is being challenged right at the red line.

There are so many other problems hurting the team right now, most having to with injuries. Damn injuries – they always spoil all the fun. Matt Duchene still isn’t ready yet. John Mitchell can’t do much more than just stretches with a long rubber band. He has not attempted to skate since getting hurt at the end of the year.

Of course, no Tyson Barrie anymore. That 6-on-4 at the end sure would have been a good place to use a Barrie, eh? He’s not here anymore, though, because of gutless puke Matt Cooke.

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