Game 10 of the Wild's 2023-2024 season as Minnesota hosts the New Jersey Devils. Here are some keys to the game for the Wild.
ST. PAUL - The Wild are set to host the New Jersey Devils tonight for their first game of the week. Minnesota is coming off a three-game road trip where they lost every game.
But Matt Boldy returning to the lineup tonight could provide this team a much needed spark for this Wild club that has lost five of their last six games.
It's nice to have Boldy back in the lineup after he missed seven games and nice to see Jared Spurgeon skating with the Wild. But the Wild need to focus on getting back in the win column before the season spirals away from them. Here are some keys to the game that should help the Wild get back on the right track.
Stay out of the box
New Jersey has the best power play in the NHL right now, converting at almost 50 percent of the time. At 42.4% the Wild need to stay out of the box and try to beat this team 5v5 the worst thing they can do is give the league's best power play a chance to score on the power play.
The Devils scored two power-play goals last game against the Wild but not only do they have the best power play in the league, the Wild have the worst penalty kill in the entire NHL. Converting at 67.9 percent is not a good recipe for team success and so far we are seeing that.
In practice this week the Wild worked a lot on the penalty kill but you can only simulate and practice it so many times. It flat out needs to be better and converting under 70 percent of the time is not something the Wild can continue for the rest of the season if they want to make the playoffs and go far in the playoffs. Staying out of the box tonight will be a big key to the game.
Get Boldy involved early
It has been seven games since Boldy has played which doesn't seem that long but he has only practiced once with the team. On the team's latest road trip, the Wild had a back-to-back so they didn't host a practice on those two games.
They then had a day off then a game against the Devils on Sunday. Boldy didn't get to practice with the team at all which led to the Wild telling him to stay back home and skate at TRIA Rink with Andy Ness. Which he did.
The Wild's second line has been good since Boldy left. Pat Maroon slid right in and filled Boldy's spot nicely. The 35-year-old forward notched one goal and six points in his last five games and has looked good there.
But with Boldy back, Maroon will slide down and play with Marco Rossi and Marcus Foligno on the third line. Boldy will enter back on a line that was so good for the Wild last year and they hope that can continue this year.
It looked good in the first two games, before Boldy got hurt, but the Wild need that line to produce. It will be important to get Boldy a few early touches and shots as the game progresses so he can get into the swing of things quickly.