Portfolio - Freelance work - Zone Coverage - 2017-18 Minnesota Wild

Highlights on this page include stories and columns on the Minnesota Wild and NHL beat over the course of the 2017-18 hockey season for Zone Coverage. New this season, Heather started covering each Wild game with pregame previews and postgame recaps. 
RULE: Age Is Just A Number When It Comes To Cullen
Sept. 28, 2017

Matt Cullen could have ended his lengthy NHL career with back-to-back Stanley Cups. It’s tough to get more textbook going-out-on-top than that. Instead, the Minnesota lad is back for another run with his former team, the Minnesota Wild.
Wild Lose Season Opener to Red Wings After Disallowed Goals
Oct. 5, 2017 

For fans who like finger-pointing at officials, Thursday’s opening-night Wild game was a perfect example to scratch that itch.
Wild Rally in Third Period, Grab Road Win in Calgary
Oct. 22, 2017 

It could have been over in the first minute of the third period. With a quick momentum shift, the Wild were down a goal early and could have let another game slip away. 
Cullen Celebrates 41 with a 6-3 Win Over Montreal
Nov. 2, 2017

Matt Cullen sure knows how to celebrate: His first goal of the season back with his hometown team, plus a two-point night on his 41st birthday.
11/24 RECAP: Stewart, Stalock Help Wild Steal Two Points in Shootout Win Over Colorado
Nov. 24, 2017 

When a team’s power play is lighting the lamp multiple times per game, the result after a two-minute advantage should be a goal or at least some momentum. Instead, it was the exact opposite for the Minnesota Wild in the first period. 
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12/5 RECAP: Former Wild Star Gaborik Scores 400th Goal as Kings Beat Wild
Dec. 6, 2017 

Marian Gaborik is one of the best players in Minnesota Wild history. He’s still the all-time franchise leader in goals, power-play goals and game-winning goals. He played 502 games in a Wild sweater after getting picked by the team third overall in 2000.
12/16 PREGAME: Edmonton Oilers vs. Minnesota Wild
Dec. 16, 2017 

A season-high winning streak is on the line for the Minnesota Wild. They’ve won four games in a row for the second time this season and will try to make it ve against the Edmonton Oilers in a matinee with a 1 p.m. puck drop.
1/2 PREGAME: Zach Parise to Make His Season Debut for Minnesota as Wild Host Panthers
Jan. 2, 2018 

Wild forward Zach Parise made headlines last week when he played with the Iowa Wild in his first game action of the 2017-18 season. 
RULE: Examining That Summer Four-Player Buffalo-Wild Trade at the Bye Week
​Jan. 16, 2018
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Now that the Minnesota Wild have reached the league-mandated bye week with more than half the season’s games complete, let’s take a closer look at that four-player trade from last summer involving Jason Pominville, Marco Scandella, Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno.
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RULE: It Looks Like the Letdown Could Win Out for Wild
​Jan. 19, 2018

In my season preview column taking a look at this 2017-18 Minnesota Wild campaign, I pointed to the Wild either repeating their best regular season ever or having a big letdown. As the Wild come out of the bye week, I’m heavily leaning toward letdown.
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2/2 PREGAME: Niederreiter Likely to Return to Wild Lineup Against Vegas
Feb. 2, 2018 
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The Minnesota Wild have played just two games this season with a completely healthy roster. They’ll look to make it three with the hopeful return of Nino Niederreiter in Friday’s home game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
2/25 RECAP: Wild Push Winning Streak to Four Games With OT Victory
Feb. 25, 2018 

Sometimes, teams pepper an opposing goaltender with shots and outplay the other team, only to lose on a bad bounce or that one defensive breakdown in the game.
3/16 PREGAME: Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights
March 16, 2018 

March madness indeed. The Minnesota Wild finally get their chance to play the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
3/27 RECAP: Staal Hits 40-Goal Mark in Wild’s Shootout Loss
March 28, 2018

For the second time in as many nights, the Minnesota Wild lost 2-1 in extra time. Even though they’re losses, moral-victory points are pretty much welcomed at this time of year. Tuesday’s 2-1 shootout loss came on the road at the Central Division leader’s house in Nashville.
RULE: Wild Need Their Puzzle Pieces to Fit If They're Going to Beat the Jets
​April 11, 2018 

The fun thing about the NHL playoffs is they can be so unpredictable. Top teams lose in the first round, others don’t even win a game and upsets are a regular occurrence. Oh, and there are also no shootouts.
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Wild Go Quietly in Game 2 With a 4-1 Loss to Jets
April 13, 2018 

The Minnesota Wild played a decent first period Friday night before getting dominated by the Winnipeg Jets the rest of the way. The Jets used a three-goal third period to put the icing on their cake for a 4-1 victory in Game 2 and an aggressive 2-0 series lead.
Wild Find Their Offense with a 6-2 Home Victory Over the Jets
April 15, 2018 

While Mother Nature won’t shut off the snow machine outside, somebody turned on the goal machine inside Xcel Energy Center.
Wild’s Season Ends in Embarrassing Fashion with Another Shutout
April 20, 2018

At the 1992 Indianapolis 500, pole sitter Roberto Guerrero spun out on the pace lap, before the real racing began. There’s a saying in racing that you can’t win a race on the first lap, but you can lose it. In Friday’s Game 5, an elimination game for the Minnesota Wild, the hockey team pulled a Guerrero.