Wild's series vs. Yeo, Blues is going to be a huge test of patience
When you think about it, a certain definition of insanity and a common definition of patience are pretty close to the same thing: if insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results,” you are asked to do pretty much just that when told to be patient.
Fittingly, this takes us to the Wild’s series against former coach Mike Yeo and the Blues. The pre-series chatter centered around St. Louis’ hot stretch heading into the playoffs since Yeo took over as head coach, fueled by an increased emphasis on defense and the spectacular goaltending of Jake Allen. Wild fans were understandably nervous about all of these things, both from a practical standpoint and a “woe-is-us” standpoint of potentially losing to Yeo. This is a coach who won a playoff series in Minnesota with Darcy Kuemper and Ilya Bryzgalov in net. Now you give him Allen?
It is not quite insanity to be a fan of a major men’s professional Minnesota sports team, but it is … how shall we put this … challenging at times? Out of the Timberwolves, Twins, Vikings and Wild, none has even made it to the championship game or series in their league since the Twins won the 1991 World Series. The Twins last went to the ALCS in 2002. The Wild last went to a conference final in 2003. It was 2004 for the Wolves, which was also the last time they made the playoffs. The Vikings went to the NFC title game in 2009. So yes, it’s been eight years since one of those teams was even a game away from a chance to win it all.
And yet fans continue to buy in as best they can. I wouldn’t say they expect different results, but Minnesota fans are doing the same thing over and over again, and at least hoping for different results.
You can decide exactly how to define that in the big-picture. In the here and now, with the Wild trailing 1-0 in this series after a 2-1 overtime heartbreaker Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center, this much seems clear: the Wild’s series with the Blues is going to be a huge test of patience.
It requires patience to defeat a Yeo-coached team. These Blues, like the Wild of old, can survive by funneling shots to the perimeter and pouncing on counter-attacks. They want the opponent to become frustrated and make dumb mistakes. Opponents who do that will give up goals and lose games they should have won, and that will frustrate their fans.
It will take patience not to panic after one loss and to believe that the Wild, which outshot St. Louis 52-26 in Wednesday’s loss, will bury more of those golden chances regardless of how well Allen is playing.
It will take patience that will push you to the point of insanity, as the definitions of the two begin to mix together. After witnessing Game 1 at Xcel Energy Center, I think it will take seven games worth of patience.
It won’t be good for your nerves, but that’s what this series — and being a Minnesota sports fan — is all about.