Another One Bites The Dust - The Colonel

True, using a quote from a song sung by Queen is suspect on some days. You might even say so today as On Goal Analysis calls a fifth team in the Western Conference at Tee Time, eliminated from 2010 Playoff contention.

That's right - the men from the State Of Hockey are now carried in (I See) Red color in the On Goal Analysis status spectrum. "WHAT?" you ask. "No, you're wrong - that was the Wild of the first 20 games of the season," you say. No, actually, the Wild scrapped for and secured an OGA call of Dusting Off Clubs, or just short of elimination, through the first 20 games of the season. That's just BARELY short.

For further reference, consider these facts:

1. The Wild's play against their average Playoff Qualifying Curve since the Lockout has been on a downward trend for 15 of their last 20 games.

2. They currently are at the second lowest PQC at Game 60 they have earned since the Lockout.

3. They would have to win about 1.5 games more in every 10 than they currently average unless everyone else in the West started losing.

So three key factors have seen them on the outs by OGA. We regret to inform the great state of Minnesota that this is the case again this season, but we do so by saying two potentially positive things:

Firstly, we have a fine line with that PQC and they have met the minimum criteria to be called out. They cold make liars out of us if they just win.

And lastly, the promise shown by the team in what many of us thought to be a rebuilding year anyway is, indeed, promising based on about 53% of the team's play and the way in which the new management has never seemed to panic at any time this season. Call it a nod toward quiet confidence for next season.

Take me back to On Goal Analysis