The Minnesota Wild were looking to finish their recent homestand off with a win over the Utah Hockey Club on Friday night, Dec. 20. They were still without some major parts of their lineup, but they were adamant after their loss to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night, Dec. 18 that they would not let those injuries affect their mindset.
With Filip Gustavsson still battling an injury, the Wild relied on Marc-André Fleury to come up big in the net to get back on the winning track. The game started in the Wild’s favor, with them getting on the board first, but Utah wouldn’t go away as they answered back, and that’s how the game went. Utah pulled ahead in the third and took the 2-1 win. In this article, we’ll look at a few things the Wild need to do and one bright spot. We’ll start with how they need to be more urgent.
Wild Need Urgency
The Wild have now lost three games in a row, the first time all season, and while for some fans this may seem like the time to panic, the players know what they need to do. They played a strong game against Utah, but there was no urgency in their game, and they took too much time with plays.
When they started the season, they played very fast-paced hockey, and while they do have bursts of it from their top line, it needs to be consistent throughout the lineup. They’ll start winning games if they can get that part of their game back and just have that sense of urgency.
“Yeah, urgency, that’s all it is. I just think we need it in our game in general, I think, saw it on the penalty kill and we just need it more. Guys thinking the game a little bit quicker than we have in the past, and that’s what’s resulted in some losses but I think if we just be a little more connected a little more urgent, we’ll get out of it,” said Marcus Foligno in his postgame interview about needing urgency in their game.
Wild Need Power Play to Step Up
They continue to get chances on the power play, but they keep struggling to put the puck in the back of the net. They’ve come across some strong goaltenders, but they’re also not taking many shots from the point to set up rebounds. They work the puck close into the net, which is great, but they can’t forget about using their points.
On one of their power plays, they had extended zone time as they kept getting the puck back on turnovers by Utah, but they couldn’t get the puck past the goaltender, and again, they didn’t try many shots from the point. It’s understandable to worry about the shot being blocked, but it should still be attempted, especially when other shots closer in are blocked. Those power plays could’ve been the difference-maker in this tight of a game if they’d converted.
“I think at times it is, yeah for sure, I thought our power play, we can say we didn’t score but man did we generate. Yeah, we gave up one shot on the penalty kill, four minutes and 10 seconds, so that’s the way it goes sometimes,” said head coach John Hynes in his postgame press conference about the ups and downs of special teams during a season.
Wild’s Top Line Continues Pace
The Wild’s top line has been on fire for most of the season regardless of who’s been on it, but this combination of Marco Rossi, Mats Zuccarello, and Kirill Kaprizov has set up some really pretty goals throughout the season. They did so again when they faced Utah, as they had a tic-tac-toe passing play involving all three players, with Rossi starting the play and Zuccarello finishing it.
While the top line has been producing a lot, Zuccarello has also been adding a little physicality as well. He’s forcing opponents off of pucks, creating turnovers in favor of the Wild. Aside from the physicality, this line comes up with some of the most unorthodox passes, and they work. They try behind the back, with no look, backhand, drop passes, or whatever works to get the puck to their teammate, and it catches many teams off guard.
Related: Wild Need to Play “Full Team Game” to Get Through Injuries
Hopefully, the top line can continue to jumpstart the offense, and although it didn’t work out against Utah, the Wild need that top-line producing. However, as Foligno said in his postgame interview, others do need to step up, it can’t just be the “Kirill and Zuccy show”.
Wild Face Jets
The Wild will head north to face one of their biggest rivals in the central division, the Winnipeg Jets in the second game of their back-to-back on Saturday evening, Dec. 21. These two teams have no problem showing their dislike for each other, and it will likely be another physical battle until the end. Hopefully, the Wild will come out with a big win and a confidence boost for everyone on the team so they can come home on a high note.
