Minnesota Wild Looks to End St. Louis Season Today

The Minnesota Wild will attempt to close out their best of series with the St. Louis Blues with a Game 6 win at home to avoid returning to St. Louis for a Game 7. The Wild lead this best of 7 first round NFL playoff series 3-2. The Wild took the series lead on Friday with a 4-1 victory.

This is the second time the Wild has led this series. On Monday the Wild took a 2-1 lead in the series after winning 3-0 in Game 3. St. Louis was able to answer with a victory in Game 4 of 6-1 in Wednesday.

Sunday gives the Wild the opportunity to win at home and end the series so the club does not have to go back for a Game 7 in St. Louis.

The Wild players want to end the series on Sunday to give them additional rest as well. Momentum has been a difficult thing to capture during the series. Wins have been traded back and forth by the teams with Minnesota victorious in Games 1, 3 and 5, while St. Louis won 2 and 4. Home ice has not been a big advantage to either of the teams in the series.

Mike Yeo the head coach for the Wild said he did not believe that momentum can take place during a playoff series. He believes it does not carry over from one game to another especially against the quality of team such as the St. Louis Blues.

He added that he feels both teams have proven they can come back from a loss and win and even for one period to the next.

Establishing the momentum during a game is something Yeo feels is more important and a possibility in a playoff game. Keeping it is very important.

The Wild had a bad start to Game 5, but overcame it. The Blues were able to score first and had each of the first 8 shots on goal. In previous games in the series, the team that scored the first goal, always scored the second one of the game and went on to a victory.

That was not the case in Game 5, which was pivotal for the Wild. Home ice has not been that much of an advantage in this series, but the Wild players know it will be much easier to do on their home ice and not back in St. Louis.

The Blues will not be a pushover. The team that played well all season will look for some momentum that will carry them a to a win on Sunday.