Uff da, what a beautiful morning here in Saint Paul! The sun’s just starting to glint off the Mississippi, and there’s a real buzz in the air, you betcha. It’s game day, and the Minnesota Wild are taking on the Philadelphia Flyers tonight right here at the Xcel Energy Center. And let me tell ya, the folks around Selby-Dale and down by Grand Avenue, they’re feeling *good* this morning. Not cocky, mind you – that’s just not the Minnesota way – but there’s a quiet confidence humming along, like a Zamboni just before it hits the ice. We’ve been on a tear lately, winning streak and all, and it feels like the team is finally gelling. The talk at my usual spot, the coffee shop over on Victoria, is all about that recent run. Folks are saying, “This is it, Ingie, this is the year we finally make some noise in the playoffs. This is what it means for every mite out there dreaming of lifting the Cup.”
Now, while the mood is generally optimistic, there’s always that little bit of anxiety bubbling just under the surface for us Minnesota Wild fans. We’ve seen this movie before, you know? Good regular season, high hopes, and then… well, let’s just say the first round of the playoffs has been a bit of a heartbreaker more times than I care to count. But there’s a different feeling this year. Kirill Kaprizov, bless his heart, he’s just on another level. And the way the whole team has rallied around each other, it’s just something special. So, yeah, the word on the street, from the folks catching the Green Line into downtown Saint Paul to the parents dropping off their kids at youth practice, is a hopeful one. We’re ready. SKOL!
You betcha — Let's Play Hockey. This is Ingie Olsen-Carlson.