The Minnesota Wild made the most of their first outdoor experience. (USATSI)
The Minnesota Wild made the most of their first outdoor experience. (USATSI)

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Wild had been waiting to host an outdoor game for a long time. The fans wanted it, the team wanted it and based on the way the players played Sunday, they really wanted it, too.

The Wild blew out the Chicago Blackhawks, defending Stanley Cup Champions and veterans of three previous outdoor games, 6-1 in front of more than 50,000 at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

Like many outdoor games before it, this had a lot to enjoy, but for the State of Hockey this was extra special.

1. The Minnesota Wild absolutely dominated the game for fourth straight win: It seemed that from the second the puck dropped on the ice at TCF Bank Stadium, the Wild were feeling right at home. They had great jump from the outset and looked to take it to the Blackhawks right away. They absolutely did that and kept doing it for much of the game.

The Wild scored 3:25 into the game when Mathew Dumba buried a rebound off of a nice rush by the Wild. It seemed like that really set the tone for the rest of the day.

Minnesota just kept pouring it on after that. Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville, two of the veterans who were struggling this season, really broke out in this game. Vanek scored the second goal, while Pominville posted three points on the day, including the goal that seemed to break Chicago's back at 4-0.

They just never let the Blackhawks back in it after their fast start and made sure the home fans left the stadium happy.

Meanwhile, this game has huge implications for the Wild. They're now just one point out of a playoff spot and have won four straight games since John Torchetti took over as head coach. This was also their third consecutive win over the Blackhawks.

Home teams don't often fare well in these outdoor games, but the Wild were all about business and it paid off.

2. The Wild go tic-tac-toe on beautiful third goal: NHL outdoor games usually don’t look like the pond hockey they're trying to mimic, but this play from the Minnesota Wild could have easily played out on one of the many lakes or ponds in the state. Jason Pominville set up from behind the net and set off a quick passing play that left the Blackhawks stunned and the crowd in awe.

Pominville to Erik Haula to Nino Niederreiter. It doesn't get much cleaner than that. Even though the game was far from over at that point, it started to look like the blow out it eventually became.

3. All of the Wild's Gophers got involved: With the game being played in the home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football team, the three Minnesota alumni on the Wild's roster really got it going.

Starting with the second goal, fans of the maroon and gold had a lot to cheer about. Former Gopher Thomas Vanek scored the goal with rookie Mike Reilly, who skated for the Gophers in an outdoor game at this very stadium while in college, nabbing an assist.

Vanek is not usually one to celebrate too much, but he was pretty pumped after that one.

"This is probably a little bit of a step up, but it's nice to be on the home turf," Reilly said of his two outdoor game experiences at TCF Bank Stadium. "It was a great atmosphere. It was a great end of the weekend and we're so happy to get the win."

On the third goal, former University of Minnesota captain Haula made sure he got on the scoresheet as part of that outstanding passing play above. He added another assist on Pominville's goal that made it 4-0 before being credited with the empty-net goal after being hauled down on a breakaway.

Haula took first star honors in the game on his old campus and shared his excitement with the fans.

Others with connections to the state like Minnesota-born Ryan Carter figured prominently into the game. Carter, who played his college hockey at Minnesota State, had two points and was named the game's second star. Justin Fontaine, who played collegiately at Minnesota Duluth also had an assist in the game.

4. Matt Dumba's hit on Andrew Desjardins was seismic and perhaps a turning point in the game: If there was one player who really seemed to set the tone for the whole game, it was Matt Dumba. The young defenseman admitted after the game that he could barely contain his excitement to play Sunday, but that he channeled it the right way when he got out there. And did he ever channel it.

On top of scoring the huge goal, Dumba absolutely drilled Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins with a clean hit just minutes after that opening goal. He even ended up drawing a penalty on the play.

That caused Philip Danault to come in and hit Dumba away from the puck. Danault got two penalties, one for interference and another for roughing, that put the Wild on the power play. It was on that advantage that Vanek scored the goal that made it 2-0.

5. The game wasn't great, but the atmosphere was: A 6-1 score line doesn't get your blood pumping as an impartial hockey fan, but the Wild players were obviously singing a different tune. They couldn't stop marveling at the support they felt from the crowd in this game, even though there were quite a few Blackhawks fans in the stands getting loud.

"When we walked out there for warmups, it was pretty eye-opening," said Reilly, who was playing in just his 11th NHL game. "It was just a great game. You're kind of in awe of the whole time."

Ryan Suter, a longtime NHL veteran who has played in two Olympics and his share of big games over the years couldn't get enough of the experience.

"It would be nice if we could do it every year because the kids love it, our families love it," Suter said with son Brooks sitting in his lap after the game. "You get a lot of family members in to enjoy it with you. For us to be a part of it, hopefully we can be a part of more of these, because it is the ultimate experience for your family."

During the second intermission, there was a ceremony to honor many of the people that have meant a lot to hockey in Minnesota, past and present including such legends like Phil Housley and 1980 Miracle on Ice teammates Dave Christian and Neal Broten. It was a great representation of the rich history of hockey in this state, giving this outdoor game a real sense of ceremony and celebration unlike those before it.

For guys like Ryan Carter, who grew up here, it brought his career full circle.

"Being back home and the setting was kind of set when the snow flew in the first," said the White Bear Lake native, who was one of the many kids who had a back yard rink. "I looked up in the stands and there was a group of White Bear jerseys up there. Then you hear the band playing and it brings you back to your college years. It was kind of like a time warp through my career and into the pro career. When we got up 5-0, I was able to sit back and it was pretty cool."

Even though the game did not sell out, it was really only a few hundred short with an announced crowd of 50,426 for a stadium with a capacity of 50,805. There was still a sense of ceremony and meaning to the entire weekend.

Perhaps the NHL will be back eventually, but it could be some time before Minnesota gets another one of these events. From the alumni game on Saturday, bringing back the North Stars, and celebrating those of Minnesota hockey's past and present, to the Wild's win, this was the event the State of Hockey deserved.