Wild look to Walz in Round 2
Canadian Press
4/25/2003
VANCOUVER (CP) - After battling Peter Forsberg for seven games Wes Walz says the Minnesota Wild are going to face an even bigger challenge in trying to shut down the Vancouver Canucks Todd Bertuzzi in their NHL Western Conference semifinal playoffs.
"You've got a power forward in Bertuzzi that probably handles the puck as well as Forsberg and he's fifty pounds heavier than Forsberg," Walz said after the Wild practice Thursday.
"It's going to be like playing against a small linebacker out there."
It will be a classic battle of Vancouver offence against Minnesota defence when the two teams begin their best-of-seven series Friday at G.M. Place. Not surprisingly Walz likes the Wilds chances.
"You know who usually wins in football in offence versus defence," said the cagey centre.
"Hockey is a little difference. Time will tell. We're not strictly defensive. We scored as many goals as Colorado did last series."
The Wild used their defence-first, never-say-die approach to upset the heavily favoured Colorado Avalanche in their opening round series.
Andrew Brunette, the Game 7 hero who scored the winning goal in overtime, said if the Wild hope to continue their Cinderella season they must stop Vancouver's high-octane trio of Bertuzzi, Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison.
Naslund had four goals and seven points in Vancouver's first-round series against the St. Louis Blues while Morrison had two goals. Bertuzzi had just a goal and three assists but was a physical force, using his brute strength to flatten Blues players and open more space for his teammates.
"It's the same mentality we had in Colorado," said Brunette, who had three goals and six points against the Avs.
"They are probably the best line in hockey. We have to try and neutralize them and not let them win games. We need the same desperation, the same passion and the same work ethic and I think it can work again."
In the opening round Vancouver was given a crash-course in grinding defence as the Blues took a 3-1 series lead by clogging up the passing lanes and putting a clamp on the neutral zone. Now the Canucks will demonstrate how well they learned their lesson when they face a Minnesota team that is even better at guarding its own zone.
"We have to be patient, make sure we get pucks deep and try to create chances off forechecks," said Morrison, who scored his second goal in Game 7's 4-1 win over the Blues.
"They play a very disciplined system, they are well coached, They don't take a lot of chances. If they can't get the pucks they won't go. It's just a matter of not trying to go through the middle because in the neutral zone they create so much if you turn the puck over. It's a matter of us playing smart."
During the regular season the teams were 2-2-1, but the Wild won two of the last three games and the clubs tied 2-2 in their last meeting.
There's also some bad blood following a Dec. 7 game at G.M. Place where defenceman Ed Jovanovski was giving a boarding major and game misconduct for a hit from behind on Jason Marshall.
Comparing the Canucks and Wild's style is a bit like lining up a shiny new Porsche beside a farmer's half-ton truck. One is build for speed and cornering, the other gets dirty doing hard work.
Vancouver finished fourth in the Western Conference with a franchise-high 104 points. The Wild, in just their third season, were sixth with 95 points.
The Canucks were the second-highest scoring team in the NHL and scored 66 more goals than Minnesota. The Wild allowed 178 goals, second lowest in the Western Conference and 30 fewer than Vancouver.
Vancouver likes to use its speed to free-wheel into the other team's zone and make cute little drop passes.
Minnesota also has speed but concentrates on closing passing and shooting lanes. They force mistakes then, like a basketball team on a fast break, score on the transition.
The top three Canuck scores combined for 119 goals, with Naslund netting 48, Bertuzzi 46 and Morrison 25.
The top three Wild scorers combined for 68 goals, with Marian Gaborik scoring 30, Pascal Dupuis 20 and Brunette 18.
One area that may be of concern for the Wild is backup goaltender Dwayne Roloson. He has been left limping with a pulled groin, although team officials say he could play if needed.
Many Canuck fans, and some Vancouver media, are already looking past the Wild and setting up a Vancouver-Dallas conference final. Comparisons are already being made between this Vancouver team and the 1982 and 1994 editions of the club that marched through to the Stanley Cup final.
Bertuzzi said there's no danger of the Canucks underestimating the Wild.
"They've got quality individuals over there," he said. "You're going to have to play them well."
Cheers,
Aquaman