Morning Skate: Man-tuzzi vs. Wild

by Casey Richey on Jan 21, 2010 7:00 AM CST in Game Preview

First off, the Man-tuzzi part references our friends at The Production Line's awesome post about the sightings of Man-Tuzzi (or Todd Bertuzzi) and the Wild part references...well, the Wild. Wings travel to Minna-soh-tah to take on a Wild team that is still dangerous despite the departure of Marian Gaborik.

How will Todd Bertuzzi play? Todd played a good 40 minutes of hockey against the Caps but collapsed in the last 20 minutes. Bert was admittedly upset with his own performance following the game in Washington and let it be known in the post-game. How will he come out and perform tonight? It could be a huge turn around from a guy that seems to be turning his whole career and style of play around. OR, will he fall back into playing poorly.
A lot of talk about Bert sticking around until he's done playing the game. The Detroit Free Press has a good piece up on Bert's contract talk.
Jimmy Howard will start for Detroit. Howard gets the immediate return to the net following the 3-2 loss by Detroit against the Capitals, a game started by Chris Osgood. Watch to see if the rest did him any good.
Osgood is on a short leash with the way he's running his mouth in the locker room. I have no problem with a player voicing an opinion about his own play but when you call out your coach's decision and blame him for your poor play, you're just asking for less playing time and showing incredible disrespect. If you're that mad about the lack of playing time, go out and show you deserve more of it.
We've got a really good piece for you guys on Kyle's Friday Prospects so be sure to look for that
Playoff watch: LA takes on Buffalo tonight, should be a good game. Buffalo has OWNED the West with a 8-1-1 record so let's hope that goes up to 9 wins, and in regulation too.
Minnesota has a guy checking in at 6'8". Wow. You've gotta click this link for a picture.
Minny lost to Dallas, 4-3, the last time it took the ice.
Top Minnesota scorer: Mikko Koivu (brother of Saku) with 14 goals and 31 assists.
Can anyone tell me why Ville Leino is on the second power play unit? That is all.
Speaking of the power play, can it get it going already please? It could sputter again tonight as the Wild have a pretty effective PK unit.
Hockey Wilderness is your SB Nation source for all things Wild.

A regulation win would be big for Detroit. Minnesota is only 5 points back of Detroit right now so making it a 7 point gap would be very big.

Petr Sykora was recently waived by the Wild.

Can someone help me with this question? How you turn the Minnesota team name "Wild" into something like "He was a Wing for 5 years"? I mean, "He was a Wild(?) for 5 years" sounds weird to me. Equally, "He was a Lightning (?) for 5 years"

The happiest guy on earth that Niklas Kronwall is out: Martin Havlat.

Ville Leino is starting for Brad May again. Hooray? Eh, who cares. As much as we'd all love to see Ville magically turn it around, it's starting to look less and less likely that that will happen.

What is up with Brad Stuart? He had been the rock in this defense until the past week and a half or so. Another bad defensive play by Stewie led to the Backstrom goal and they frequency of the errors seems to be increasing. I'll stand behind Stuart though for the way he plays 95% of the time.

Filppula didn't skate in practice but is expected to be fine for the game. It is apparently "Just a precaution,'' Filppula said. "It's good. Don't want to take any risks, for sure I'm going to play tomorrow.''

How to beat the Wild: Limit their shots to the perimeter and shut down Guillame Latendresse and Mikko Koivu. Detroit has played some of its best hockey within the last week but unfortunately has very few points to show for it. They need to come out like they did against Chicago and Washington and if they do that, the game is theirs.

Key match-up to watch when the Red Wings have the puck: Like I said before, Todd Bertuzzi. Can he make some space on the ice against a big Wild defense?

Key match-up to watch when the Wild have the puck: The guy I'm interested in watching is Guillame Latendresse. The ex-Montreal player has torn it up since joining the Wild: 13 goals in 25 games including a hat trick night. He's apparently been ill but if he's better, the Wings will have a load to deal with.

Pre-game video:
Josh Harding doesn't take any crap from Steve Ott and neither should you. It isn't the best fight but at least someone went after him *cough* BRAD MAY *cough*

Tweet Comment 23 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Ugh. The Ginormous John Scott.

He played at Michigan Tech a while back, including my freshman year at Wisconsin. During both games he played in Madison, he was a goon, prompting chants of “Scott’s a Douchebag” from us in the student section.

"Career highlights? I had two. I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets." - Bob Uecker

by texwestern on Jan 21, 2010 9:08 AM CST reply actions

Nice.

I watched Scott play all of his years at Tech, he was a crowd favorite up here. But yes, I’m not afraid to admit he was kind of a goon then, and is kind of a goon now.

by crperreau on Jan 21, 2010 9:14 AM CST up reply actions

Don’t forget Derek Boogaard. Checking in at a mere 6’ 7".

Hockey Wilderness

by BReynolds on Jan 21, 2010 9:52 AM CST reply actions

Can someone help me with this question? How you turn the Minnesota team name “Wild” into something like “He was a Wing for 5 years”? I mean, “He was a Wild(?) for 5 years” sounds weird to me. Equally, “He was a Lightning (?) for 5 years”

You’d have to say “He was with the Wild” or “Played with the Lightning” I suppose. Maybe “He was a Lightning player”

Bizarre, regardless.

by inhyung on Jan 21, 2010 10:30 AM CST reply actions

Wild and lighting

“He was not domestic for a few years.” or “He was electric for X number of years.”

I root for the Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings and yes, the Lions.
www.twitter.com/zajareich

by ReichardZ on Jan 21, 2010 1:59 PM CST up reply actions

Technically, the team name is singular regardless of whether it looks plural, so “he was a Wing for 5 years” is not really correct. It should be “he played for the Red Wings for 5 years” or “he played for the Wild for 5 years”. If you treat the team name as a collective singular it could be “he was a member of the Red Wings for 5 years” or “he was a member of the Wild for 5 years” (or for maximum awkwardness, “he was one of the Red Wings for 5 years”).

Or just add “-er” or something similar: “he was a Winger for 5 years” is ambiguous, but “he was a Wilder for 5 years” works very well considering that “wilder” in German means “wild”.

by bleep bloop on Jan 21, 2010 4:53 PM CST up reply actions

I hate collective nouns as team names. You never know what to do with them. It’s like Marshall University: the Thundering Herd. Huh?

Personally? I prefer “Wildman”. Sure, it’s pretty stupid, but if they have a stupid team name, then they can’t NOT expect a stupid moniker to appear.

by Natalie on Jan 21, 2010 10:37 AM CST reply actions

haha I'm gonna go with Wildman too then

Hence the Lightning players being a bolt i suppose

Or the Avalanche, “he was a snowflake for 5 years” i think that’s right up there with Wildman

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Jan 21, 2010 10:45 AM CST up reply actions

How about Wildren?

Rob put that one up at TPL, that could work.

by jennbikegirl on Jan 21, 2010 11:57 AM CST up reply actions

Sad

I can’t believe nobody is focusing on the Bertuzzi/Holland love fest in the Freep. I, for one, am rushing out right now to buy myself a new Bert jersey and a set of Man-tuzzi flannel sheets…

…to send to Petrella.

Find me on twitter @chollis

by motownchollis on Jan 21, 2010 10:55 AM CST reply actions

i was surprised too. I mean it snuck its way into the post but I thought more people would pay attention to it. I was wrong.

I’ll pitch in on the Man-tuzzi flannel sheets. This is what happens when there’s no Petrella though. He woulda called out the contract I think.

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Jan 21, 2010 11:12 AM CST up reply actions

I can't escape it...

As if Atlanta could make me any sadder…

by Michael Petrella on Jan 21, 2010 3:41 PM CST up reply actions

Yes, it's true

A backup goalie fights better than Brad May. Sigh.

by jennbikegirl on Jan 21, 2010 11:38 AM CST reply actions

hahahahaha

he is useless.

by bond021 on Jan 21, 2010 1:45 PM CST up reply actions

Leino on PP

i have no idea why he is on second PP either. why not have someone with a nice shot like eaves?

by Fiend on Jan 21, 2010 11:51 AM CST reply actions

In other news

Laraque is done as a Hab. I guess they’re going to sit him for the rest of the year, and then buy out his contract.

Good. I hope that jackass retires too.

by von Awesome on Jan 21, 2010 11:58 AM CST reply actions

Indeed. I hope he retires. I’m shocked that he stuck around the league this long with his lack of offensive/defensive skills

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on Jan 21, 2010 12:24 PM CST up reply actions

Go Red Wings!

Go Blackhawks beat the Flames
Go Sabres beat the Kings
Go Canucks beat the Stars
Go East beat the West

thank you, mike

TULO = 2010 MVP!

LETS GO WINGS!

by TuLoRocks2008 on Jan 21, 2010 12:07 PM CST reply actions

John Scott is the Wild's gentle Giant

John is a great guy that took the time when he was in Houston to practie with my mite team!! Great picture of him and Corey Locke with all the mites! Go Wings!!

by Marcmargolis on Jan 21, 2010 2:41 PM CST reply actions

He’s like Brad May…a goon on the ice, but a nice guy off of it.

by crperreau on Jan 21, 2010 3:20 PM CST up reply actions

Update from Saint Paul

John Scott and Derek Boogaard both scratched tonight. Josh Harding starting in net.

Hockey Wilderness

by BReynolds on Jan 21, 2010 2:59 PM CST reply actions

How's Harding doing this year?

he did good last year despite the bad win/loss record just had no offense in front of him. wild are one on my favorite teams i hope they end up getting in the playoffs too but the Wings need the 2 points tonight lol but go Wild other than the 4 Wings/Wild games.

TULO = 2010 MVP!

LETS GO WINGS!

by TuLoRocks2008 on Jan 21, 2010 3:03 PM CST up reply actions

I find this interesting. Perhaps I’m wrong. But with Scott and Boogaard scratched, is that a response to May being scratched? I’m sure it’s because they need more scorers out there against the Wings. Anyway, I hope this is a good game. I like Harding, but not tonight. Haha.

by von Awesome on Jan 21, 2010 5:07 PM CST up reply actions