NHL Notebook: Surprising Wild - NHL Hockey News, Tips And Picks

NHL Notebook: Surprising Wild
By Rich Carlson
Posted: 5:00 am PDT 2006-11-01

When the futures odds came out for the 2006 NHL season, many sportsbooks had the Minnesota Wild listed as favorites in the Northwest Division... not the favorites to win the division but to finish last (+12500 to win the Stanley Cup). The Wild have surprised everybody in the NHL with their 9-2-0 start, including 7-0 at home, which has vaulted them into first place in the division.

The Wild are relying on the league's second-ranked defense to win games, and it is working to near perfection. G Manny Fernandez has been stellar between the pipes in leading a defense that is giving up an average of 1.91 goals per contest. Fernandez ranks second in the NHL with a 1.79 GAA and 942 save percentage and is tied for first with 8 wins. Minnesota's defense has also been brilliant on the penalty kill, as it leads the NHL with a 92.9 percent success rate.

RW Brian Rolston has been a scoring machine so far this season with 9 goals and 13 total points. C Pierre-Marc Bouchard is among the league leaders with 10 assists. The Wild need RW Pavol Demitra to find his goal scoring touch once again, however, as he only has two goals.

Minnesota's stout defense and superior penalty killing make it a very dangerous team. If Rolston can keep on scoring and if Demitra and RW Marian Gaborik can start scoring consistently, the Wild could make a serious run through the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Burnin' Down The House
New Jersey Devils G Martin Brodeur recorded his second straight shutout Sunday night in the Devils' victory over Colorado. It was the 84th shutout of Brodeur's Hall of Fame career.... Tampa Bay Lightning RW Martin St. Louis scored a hat trick in a span of 6 minutes and 17 seconds against Carolina on Oct. 26.... Pittsburgh C Sidney Crosby scored his first career hat trick against Philadelphia on Oct 28.

Cold As Ice
Phoenix RW Enver Lisin has the worst plus/minus ratio in the league at minus-12, followed closely by teammate Nick Boynton at minus-10.... The Los Angeles Kings have gone 1-7-2 in their last 10 games.... The Philadelphia Flyers' power play has been anemic this year as they have only converted on 6 of 64 chances (9.4 percent).

Significant transactions
Phoenix signed unrestricted free agent C Yanic Perreault to a one-year deal.

Injury Report
Edmonton LW Ethan Moreau was placed on injured reserve after dislocating his right shoulder.... Anaheim LW Todd Fedoruk was placed on injured reserve with facial lacerations.... Dallas C Steve Ott will be out at least two months after fracturing his ankle.

WagerWeb.com Odds Updates
The Atlanta Thrashers, who were listed at +5000 to win the Stanley Cup before the season started, are in first place in the Southeast Division, 7 points ahead of Carolina.... The Ottawa Senators, who at +800 were one of the preseason favorites to win the Cup, are in 4th place in the Northeast Division, 11 points behind red-hot Buffalo.

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