Wild forward Yakov Trenin has been playing great since being healthy scratched.
ST. PAUL - Minnesota Wild (33-19-4) forward Yakov Trenin has been playing great since being healthy scratched seven games ago.
Trenin, 28, was a healthy scratched against the Chicago Blackhawks two weeks ago. He scored for the second-consecutive game on Saturday against the New York Islanders.
"I feel I got hungry a bit because I didn't agree of being sat," Trenin said on Saturday. "I use it after that in my favor."
In Saturday's game, Trenin had eight shots and two hits in 14:44 of ice time. He scored his sixth goal of the year in the Wild's 6-3 win over the Islanders. It was his first game-winning goal with the Wild.
Hynes scratched Trenin in Chicago two weeks ago because he felt the power-forward wasn't playing to his identity. Since then, Trenin is playing exactly how he is supposed to.
“I think Trenny handled it well. He understood what we were looking for and what we needed to do, and I think tonight was much more indicative of the player that he is and I know he’s a guy that the more competitive the games get, the better he is," Hynes said on how Trenin has played since being scratched. "He’s a player that’s played really well late in seasons and into the playoffs and things like that.
"So, he’s a big, strong guy and it’s nice to see his response to that and then take the lessons out of it but also respond as a player and do what’s right for him and do what’s right for the team.”
In 50 games for the Wild, Trenin has six goals, 12 points and 149 hits. He ranks second on the team in hits behind Marcus Foligno's 177.
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