Lifeless Road Efforts

Photo: Gary A Vasquez/USA Today Sports

"Personally, I think we’re built for the road. We don’t want to go out and make everything look pretty. We’re a team that’s going to go out and play responsible and take care of our own end and capitalize on our opportunities."-Matt Cooke

On Tuesday, that is what Matt Cooke told the Pioneer Press. The Wild are built for the road.

(stops and reads that again)

Yeah, I dont know what Matt Cooke sees in this team, when they play on the road. Because what I see is not a pretty thing.

In their last two road efforts, the Wild have come out flat and just do not look engaged in the game. They never appeared in the Columbus game and it took them two periods before they actually hit the ice in Anaheim. This from the same team who carries a 13-3-2 home record with recent victories against West stalwarts Chicago and San Jose.

So what the hell gives here?!

How is it that a team who can play with anyone on their home ice, can just come out and crap the bed every night when the put on the road whites? It doesn't make sense.

Only once this year, the Wild have put forth a great effort on the road and that was on October 26th when they hammered Chicago in the Windy City. THAT IS ONE OUT OF 15 ROAD GAMES!!

I can understand if the Wild go out to Anaheim and San Jose and lose both games. Those are two elite teams and they can play with anyone in this league. But the fact the Wild go to places like Florida and Columbus, and they just come out with a flat effort, destroys ones mind. They are freaking better than those teams.

At the current pace, the Wild will have to continue winning at this astronomical rate at home if they even want to sniff the playoffs. Because even right now, they sit two points ahead of 9th place Phoenix and the Wild have played three more games. So once all teams are on the same number of games played, the Wild will not be in the top eight of the West.

When you have the worst road record in the West, its hard to make the playoffs. Take that in Minnesota Wild fans, this team has the worst record in the West.

Something is clearly different when the team is on the road. Whether its what they eat, how they tape their sticks, or their mindset before each game. Its different. It doesn't work. Fix it.

You can not crap the bed this many times and expect to be in the playoffs. Plain and simple.


Follow Giles on Twitter @gilesferrell