Fire up for game 3!!!!!
Bad blood intensifies with Wild, Canucks
Chip Scoggins, Star Tribune
Published April 29, 2003 WILD0429
Nobody fanned the flames of an already tense situation. There was no macho talk about paybacks or bloody-knuckle redemption. Heck, one player went so far as to say nothing really happened.
Don't be fooled.
The postgame fireworks between the Wild and Vancouver Canucks late Sunday night upped the ante in their rancorous history and left a simmering pot of emotions that could spill over tonight in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Xcel Energy Center.
Hold on to your hat. (And your cups of beer, please.) This one could be wild -- and ugly.
"Maybe yes. Maybe no," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said when asked if the near-brawl will lead to more hard feelings. "We don't know."
There was enough rough stuff to whet a pugilist's appetite Sunday after the Wild survived a determined Vancouver comeback for a 3-2 victory at GM Place to tie the series.
A series of scuffles resulted in one ejection, four misconduct penalties, obnoxious behavior from a few disgruntled fans and more bad blood between the Northwest Division rivals.
"As the series goes on, you're probably going to see a lot more of that stuff," Wild center Wes Walz said.
It got the attention of league disciplinarian Colin Campbell, who reviewed videotape of the incident Monday and could dole out punishment as early as today.
"I think tempers got the better of both teams out there," Wild defenseman Willie Mitchell said.
Mitchell was one of the guilty parties. He received a roughing penalty with seven seconds remaining and was sent to the bench.
Mitchell returned to the ice after the horn sounded and received another roughing penalty as well as a game misconduct (ejection) for his role in the scrum.
"It was just the type of game where sticks and gloves and elbows were up," he said. "Sometimes as players or a team, you have to protect yourself out there. I think that's what you saw."
Wild defenseman Brad Brown and Vancouver forward Todd Bertuzzi went after each other and were assessed 10-minute misconduct penalties. Wild tough guy Matt Johnson and Canucks defenseman Ed Jovanovski also received 10-minute misconducts.
Vancouver antagonist Matt Cooke, already unpopular in the Wild dressing room, further enraged its players when he slashed Johnson.
"Obviously, we were frustrated," Cooke said Monday. "And maybe we were sending a little message, too."
Players from both sides said they were careful not to go too far and risk suspension. But they did just enough to set the tone for tonight.
"Tempers were going pretty high," Brown said. "When you have a pile of guys on the ice, something is going to happen. One guy gets punched. He throws a punch back, and then you have all the guys there. It makes for a good series."
The sides finally went their separate ways, but not before Lemaire was doused with a beer thrown from the crowd. It was the second time he has received a beer bath at GM Place.
"I guess they don't like to lose," he said.
The Canucks and their fans were particularly grumpy over a disputed non-call on a scramble in front of the net with 54.7 seconds left. The Canucks thought Mitchell put his hand over the puck in the crease and tossed it out of harm's way, which could have resulted in a penalty shot.
The referees, however, let the play stand, and the game deteriorated after that. After the game, Mitchell said he wasn't sure what happened.
"Guys were swatting at everything," he said. "It was that time of the game where you're swinging sticks, pushing bodies and doing whatever just to try and clear the front of the net and get the puck out of there."
Lemaire said he saw "nothing" when he reviewed the tape. He certainly saw plenty of frustration on the Canucks' faces after the Wild earned a split in their building and then stood nose-to-nose when things got rough.
"I know for them getting beat by us has to be frustrating a bit," he said. "And they also had a few chances toward the end, and that adds up."
Both teams expressed the importance of playing hard but smart tonight, especially when it comes to hitting. Lemaire said his players have handled their emotions well for the most part, but they were stung at least once by overaggressive play in Game 2 -- Jason Marshall got caught out of position trying to make a big hit, leading to a three-on-two transition goal by Jovanovski.
"Hitting is nice when it's the right time for it," Lemaire said.
There's no better time than tonight. Brace yourself.
MG 
Game Day!! 
@ the arrogance of that last article?
That's all you have to say GRIFDAWG? 
chizip!!! The Canucks will come through tonight. Just you all see. *hands on hips*
That's fine - especially considering Roloson may be starting! 
