Best of Minnesota Sports 2014: Best Game Winner
Apr 30, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman
Marco Scandella(6) and center
Kyle Brodziak(21) react to the win over the Colorado Avalanche in a overtime period in game seven of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Well, the Wild have not won as much as we would like to start the 2014-15 season, but they did pick up a victory here. With exactly 50 percent of the vote, our readers have decided that the Wild defeating the Avalanche in Game 7 in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoff was our state’s best game of the year.
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I cannot say I disagree. Ultimately in sports, championships are what teams are judged by. Obviously the Wild did not get the Cup last summer, but they were the only professional team in the state to make their respective postseason, and the first since Brett Favre and the Vikings in 2009 to advance in the playoffs. I sincerely hope this ridiculous drought will end soon, and we will be using this web site to celebrate championships instead of first round victories. Still, this game was deserving. The other thing that I believe puts it over the top is the simple fact that it was a phenomenal game. By the time Nino Niederreiter put in the overtime winner, nerves were jangled across the State of Hockey. It was the type of game that is that much more fun to look back on for the winners and is especially painful for the losers. Fortunately, the Wild were on the correct side of the equation that night.
As far as the rest of the voting went, Teddy Bridgewater carving up the Falcons in his first career start narrowly beat out the Gophers storming back to beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln. Those two are really a toss up for me. My hope is that in a couple years, both games are looked at as turning points. For the Vikings, it was the beginning of the Teddy Bridgewater era. For the Gophers, it was validation and proof that they belong with the top teams in the West Division. The key for both teams will be to build on those wins and to hopefully be forces to deal with for years to come.
So that does it for the first in our “Best of…” series. In case you missed it, voting is currently open for Best Coach of the Year in 2014. Cast your vote, let your voice be heard and check back to see who wins.