In times gone by, teams didn’t exactly look forward to the California road-trip, the Minnesota Wild included. Leaving the state with four of a possible six points; it’s safe to say, the West Coast doesn’t breed as much fear these days.
In the previous five seasons, only once had the Minnesota Wild left California with four or more points; a January excursion in 2016-17 season possibly seen as a holiday from the cold, Minnesota winter. That trip yielded five of six points.
This time, headed to California, the Minnesota Wild were on-form and playing at a level that seemingly shocked a lot of media outlets, who pegged the Wild as outsiders at best for the play-offs, heralding the age-old argument that it’s a young man’s league and the wily veterans can’t compete.
Whilst there is truth to that; see the California examples of the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, the fact is the Wild still play with the intensity and, at times, speed of a far younger side.
Given that the only team they weren’t able to steal points from was the San Jose Sharks, who with a defensive group that includes both Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, are all-in for the Cup; the Minnesota team certainly are showing they’re no slouches.
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The San Jose result too was hard-fought, recovering from going 3-1 down by the end of the second; Zach Parise with a career 100th power-play marker being the only Minnesota Wild goal at that point.
To bring the scoreline back to 3-3 showed a strength and character that has oft been missing come play-off time.
However, by finding it early and on this particular road-trip, you give Bruce Boudreau and his staff a specific game to point to and say, that’s the intensity we need.
Going 3-1 and 5-1 on the back-to-back proves several things; that it’s a myth that you can’t win the second half of a back-to-back, that Alex Stalock possibly deserves more than just back-to-back action and arguably that the Ducks are worse than the Kings!
The most satisfying part of that Ducks win wasn’t the fact the team scored 5, but rather that they put over 40 shots on the Anaheim net and limited the shots on the Minnesota Wild backup goalie to just 21.
If they can register more defensive displays like that, the Central Division shouldn’t put up as much of a challenge as once predicted.
I don’t doubt that the Minnesota Wild will be the first to find a level of ease seldom seen on a trip to California; the West Coast, as said, no longer is the place you fear going. It’s no longer a place that you’re lucky to leave with a point or two and no injuries. Instead, it’s a place where you get to play at a slower pace and relax a little – a bit like retirement!
With just one game left on their franchise-longest road trip and that being against the St. Louis Blues, it’s safe to say that the Minnesota Wild are sitting pretty upon their departure from California and will no doubt be ready for their Central Division rival.