Happy Holidays to everyone, once again. Sitting high above the Xcel Energy Center, one of my favorite buildings in the league to visit. It’s hard to make a hockey arena unique, with the setup basically the same all around the league, but the Wild did it right. From the high school hockey jerseys that adorn the concourse to all the standing room only seats that rest behind the top of the lower bowl to the pair of balconies in each of the corners opposite the benches. It’s pretty nice in here, and the atmosphere is certainly the tops in the league south of the Canadian border.

Was sitting in my hotel room last night watching the local broadcast on the Fox affiliate and they were interviewing some brave 0 and I do mean brave - souls who were camping out last night outside a local Best Buy in anticipation of the Black Friday deals the electronic chain was offering. I didn’t see a space heater or bonfire anywhere near them and I thought, that’s just crazy. I mean, this is Minnesota and yes it’s cold. Last night the wind was whipping through at about a 15 mph clip, giving a rather chilly wind chill affect and there’s no way I would even consider camping out on concrete in that weather. In fact, I wouldn’t even consider camping out anywhere, not even a fishing lodge on one of the many lakes up here with a fireplace inside it. But that’s just me and my thin Florida blood!!!! I hope those guys got some good deals (and I hope plenty of people purchased, we need any kind of boost to the economy right now!!!!!)

Well, the wife is off at Disney today with the kids and here fried while I’m up here in the cold weather, and getting ready to embark to another cold climate in Denver later tonight. At least there won’t be gobs of snow on the ground!!!!

As far as this afternoon’s game, it’s Wes Walz day here at the Xcel Energy Center as the team has a nice tribute planned for the former Wild captain who is making his first return to St. Paul today. There will be a video tribute shown before the game, his son Kelvin will help with the “Let’s Play Hockey’’ cheer before the game and the team will present him a scrapbook which will include memories from fans the team has been collecting the past couple of weeks.

The Lightning have also brought up defenseman Andrew Hutchinson from Norfolk after he cleared waivers this afternoon. So that’s three recalls in the past 24 hours, with Hutchinson joining Matt Smaby and Steve Downie. Also, Jason Ward cleared recall waivers today, but no word yet on what the team’s plans are for him, but Ward is not with the team.

Smaby, Downie and Hutchinson are all taking warmups, so not quite sure yet of what the lineup will look like. Have to think that Downie is a certainty to play as there are not enough healthy forwards to bump him out of the lineup. On defense, not sure. Bringing up Smaby and Hutchinson might have been insurance in case Lukas Krajicek has issues on this road trip with his bruised knee, but Krajicek is skating. One of the two will certainly be in, however, as Marek Malik is not taking part in warmups.

In goal, Mike Smith gets the call for Tampa Bay while Niklas Backstrom will start for Minnesota. The two squared off to dual shutouts in the first meeting this year, with the Wild earning the extra point with a shootout victory.