Any victory, whether a blowout or a shootout, that marks the end of the Minnesota Wild’s toughest stretch of the season would have been a step forward.
However, the way the Wild broke their slump on Monday showed signs of the team that had been so consistent in the early months of the season.
They received contributions from all lines, avoided penalties, and made crucial plays at key moments in their 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center. This win, a much-needed boost, should help the Wild refocus when they resume their schedule on Friday in Dallas.
“We’ve been pushing hard and really dialed in from training camp until now, with way more success than failure,” said coach John Hynes.
“It’s important for the group to get away for a few days, come off a win in a game where we played well, then reset and move forward.”
Though the win was positive, it wasn’t a complete return to the team’s best form. The Wild are still not at full strength, with Joel Eriksson Ek, Jakub Lauko, and Jake Middleton still out with injuries.
They also weren’t as sharp as they’ve been in the past, with a few mistakes such as a botched breakout leading to Chicago’s first goal and some turnovers caused by too much east-west play. Still, the good outshone the bad.
Kirill Kaprizov was a key figure, scoring his 23rd goal, which moved him within one of Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the NHL lead. However, it was the Wild’s third and fourth lines that made the difference. 3
Those lines played a role in the three goals that followed Kaprizov’s first-period score, providing the team with crucial secondary scoring.
Before captain Jared Spurgeon tied the game in the second period off a strong shift from the fourth line, Kaprizov had been on the ice for nine consecutive Wild goals, a streak he had not seen in almost two weeks.
Yakov Trenin, returning after a five-game absence due to an upper-body injury, made an immediate impact, assisting on two goals, including Marcus Foligno’s empty-net game-winner.
The energy from Trenin, Devin Shore, and Ben Jones gave the Wild a more defined lineup, something that had been lacking since Eriksson Ek’s injury. Shore, in particular, had his best game since his mid-November call-up, contributing an assist on Spurgeon’s goal and creating chances with his net-driving play.
“That’s what we’re looking to do as the fourth line every night: create energy, play down in their end,” said Shore, a veteran with over 450 NHL games.
“We’ve been doing a good job of that, creating that identity, and tonight it came together even more than usual. The puck found us in good spots with speed and time, so we were able to make plays with confidence.”
The Wild also showed discipline by avoiding penalties, a crucial factor in improving their struggling penalty kill, and they were clutch when needed.
Goaltender Filip Gustavsson, playing his first game after sitting out with a lower-body injury, was saved by a quick whistle in the third period when a puck slipped through him and rolled behind him in the crease. Despite that, he made timely stops, keeping the Wild steady as they protected the lead.
“He doesn’t wow you with crazy saves,” said Ryan Hartman. “But the ones he makes, he makes them count.”
Faber’s go-ahead goal in the third period helped the Wild take control and seal their second victory in their last seven games.
This assertiveness had been missing during the team’s four-game losing streak but was one of the key traits that helped the Wild be one of the top teams early in the season. If they can rediscover that style of hockey, it will help them maintain their position among the league’s elite.
“It was more of the recipe that gives you a chance to win,” Hynes said. “I was proud of the group.”
