NHL Hockey Betting

Wayne Gretzky made setting up behind the opponents net to feed teammates a work of art, while Wild winger Andrew Brunette plies his trade there more like a kindergarten kid with finger paints.

But a goal is a goal is a goal.

The line of Brunette, Mikko Koivu and Antti Miettinen has 70 points among them going the Wilds game tonight at Colorado and is a major reason the Wild have climbed back into contention for a Western Conference playoff spot.

Leading the way with 10 goals is Brunette, who has collected 10 assists in his past 10 games and is tied for 30th in NHL scoring with 26 points in 29 games. Although Koivu and Miettinen typically are the recipients of Brunos passes, the 36-year-old veteran from Sudbury, Ontario, isnt particular. Hell pass the puck to anyone in position, then pass the credit along, too.

The guy receiving passes is as important as the guy giving them, Brunette said. If a guy can get himself in position to find that hole, its my job to find him. Its probably more important to find that soft spot.

Koivu, the teams top scorer with 30 points, including three goals and three assists in his past seven games, tips his helmet to Brunette.

Sometimes I joke about it, that hes finding Mietts pretty good, but now hes hitting me for empty-netters, Koivu said. Obviously, it makes it easier for the linemates when theres a passer like that.

When Miettinen returned to the lineup after missing three games with the flu, coach Todd Richards didnt hesitate to reinstall him on the line with Koivu and Brunette.

Those guys, Brunette, Miettinen and Koivu, have all done a great job, Richards said, noting that in last weekends 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks the line was excellent. Richards cited Koivus and Miettinens hard work and said Bruno did a great job down low, really controlling the play.

Its not easy considering how hard the defenders joust to knock the puck from Brunettes stick.

Where hes really good, he buys time, Richards said. He works down low, and he uses his body extremely well to give himself some extra room and some extra time to make plays. And then he has the ability to find those guys with those little two-, three-foot passes over sticks, between legs to open men.

Its a team thing, Brunette maintains.

I find, especially the last three weeks or so, weve done a good job of all of us finding the holes for each other, he said.

Miettinen, who has six goals and two assists in his past seven games, loves to see Brunette dig for the puck behind the net. He called him one of the better ones in the league, getting down low and protecting the puck and seeing the plays happen.

Richards pointed out that its a two-way street because Brunette needs a target for his passes, and opposing defenders dont take kindly to players lolling around in front of their goalie.

Everyone talks about the guys that pass the puck, but a lot of times its the hard work when you dont have the puck and work in the area so you can get open, Richards said. A good example is the Anaheim game, Miettinen, his first goal he got in the third period. Bruno got it behind, and Mietts skated from the left side to the right side, and Brunette found him. So it was a great job on his part working to that area.

Although the Koivu line along with everyone else was blanked in a 2-0 loss to the Coyotes on Monday night in Phoenix, the threesome has been the cornerstone of a Minnesota offense that scored 23 goals during a season-high five-game winning streak heading into Phoenix.

Part of that can be credited to the trio trading roles and part stems from the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Brunette using his muscles and his head as much as his legs.

Hes not the fastest guy on our team, Miettinen said, but he works real hard and hes relentless on those forechecks.