Quick Hits: The Can’t-Win-nesota Edition

In Red Wings Land

U.S. eliminated by Finland in World Championship quarterfinal | MLive.com
With Team USA and the Czech Republic losing, the Red Wings are done at the Worlds. Mrazek didn't play and I didn't watch a second of Czech hockey, so I can't comment there, but I'm real disappointed in the loss for Team USA, who had won six straight and were playing really well.

The game itself was frustrating in how the US squad kept taking penalties and couldn't capitalize on chances. Jack Eichel particularly flat out disappeared right before taking a dumb lazy high sticking penalty with under two minutes to go and the US trailing. Larkin was very dangerous and Howard played well to keep the loss from being worse, but he got let down by his D.

From the article, some Blash comments:

"It goes without saying we're bitterly disappointed," Blashill said told media in his post-game address. "We believed that this team had the ability to win the tournament. They are a great group who cared, were selfless and played some great hockey. Unfortunately, Finland was better than we were today and I congratulate them."

Around the NHL

Wild owner Leipold laments his team's failure: 'I'm not over it' - StarTribune.com
Craig Leipold said his team "crapped out" in its playoff loss to St. Louis, and now it's up to Wild management to dissect what happened and fix things to prepare for next season and beyond.

I dunno, the Wild are pretty harmless in a Western Conference full of some real hateable teams, but listening to their owner basically spout Ken Hollandisms from around 2012 is fun, since they're also the team that outbid Detroit on Ryan Suter, who probably would have made a bigger difference in Detroit than he's made in Minnesota so far.

Not necessarily a bitter hatred thing, but I'm not real sad about them losing either.