[jg2977]

MINNESOTA HOLDS THE LINE

Xcel Energy Center — September 25, 2001
By Mike Ehrmantraut

They say winning is a habit. So is losing. You choose which one you want to live with.

The Minnesota Wild made their choice tonight.

It wasn’t pretty. It didn’t need to be. It just needed to get done. And it did. 5-4. Ballgame.

Let’s talk about Adrian Reynoso. The kid came into this game with something to prove. You could see it in his stance. In his eyes. Like he knew something nobody else did. He went 3-for-4 with two home runs, one in the second and another in the sixth. No wasted motion. No dramatics. Just cold execution.

Then there’s the pitching. Dave Schultz, a professional’s professional. Seven innings, six hits, three runs, two walks, six strikeouts. He didn't overpower anyone. He didn’t have to. He let Chicago beat themselves. Walt van de Kuilen closed it out, even after getting knocked around a bit in the ninth. Still did the job. That’s what matters.

On the other side, Connor Bedard tried to drag Chicago across the finish line by himself. Three doubles. Two RBIs. One man can't carry a team for long. I've seen that story play out too many times. It doesn’t end well.

And let’s not forget the weather. Rain delay in the sixth. Fifteen minutes. Enough time for thoughts to creep in. That’s when you see what a team’s made of. Minnesota came back sharper. More focused. Chicago? Not so much.

Now it’s 2-1 in the series. Minnesota isn’t dead. Far from it. They’re angry. They’re focused. They’re still standing.

Game 4 is tomorrow. Same place. Same stakes.

And if Chicago thinks Minnesota’s going to lie down, they weren’t watching tonight.

That would be a mistake.

One you don’t get to make twice.