Hynes admits responsibility for the Wild's sluggish starts, vowing to alter team preparation and routines to reignite performance.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two days after calling out his team’s mindset, John Hynes pointed the finger somewhere else Saturday night.
At himself.
After the Minnesota Wild (38-17-12) fell 4-2 to the New York Rangers (28-30-8), Hynes said the team’s slow start was another sign something needs to change, including how he prepares the group.
“I think the story of tonight’s game was, we tried to skill our way into the game,” Hynes said. “First half we didn’t have it. Second half we had it, but it was too late.”
The Wild took a penalty 54 seconds into the game when JT Miller skated by Brock Faber and fell over. Faber was called for a trip even though I am not sure he even touched Miller, and the Rangers went to the power play, which was a sign of what was to come from the officials.
"I think our start, penalty first shift of the game is just, that can’t happen, whether it was a bad call or not, it just can’t happen. So, that sucked by me," Faber said. "Then just overall, it wasn’t a good clean start. Was too cute, it wasn’t hard enough, and then when we turn it on, the team can’t even touch the puck against us. But it’s too little too late."
As Faber said, the Wild eventually pushed back and gave themselves a chance, but the early stretch looked familiar despite 21 shots in the second and 21 shots in the third to the Rangers' one shot in the third.
Just two days earlier, Hynes had warned that the team’s mentality had slipped after a loss to Philadelphia. Against the Rangers, the same pattern returned.
This time, Hynes said the responsibility starts with him.
“I think I’m gonna look in the mirror,” Hynes said. “I think the team needs to look in the mirror a little bit. Maybe we’re gonna switch some routines because it’s certainly not good enough.”
It is no secret that the Wild don't practice that much. It has worked for them though. They usually have optional practices or optional morning skates. The guys who play a bunch get a day off before the next game, which makes sense, while the other guys who don't get heavy minutes in games will practice with the scratches.
But, Hynes said postgame that those things might need to change. Things that could include changes to practices, meetings, and the team’s daily preparation.
“All those things: practices, skates, optional skates, meetings, mindsets,” Hynes said. “Their preparation as individual players isn’t where it needs to be, particularly the last two games.”
Sure, the Wild had a great late push, but the start was not good enough and the preparation clearly was not there, which is what Hynes said needs to change.
Wild captain Jared Spurgeon, who was playing in his 1,000th career NHL game, said the early stretch left the team chasing the game.
“Yeah, sometimes that's the way it goes,” Spurgeon said. “There was a couple lucky bounces that go in, but at that time, we weren't playing our best either to defend those. We can't get behind like that and expect to come back.”
Once trailing, the challenge only grew harder against Igor Shesterkin.
“They obviously have a great goaltender over there that made some big saves,” Spurgeon said. “We put on a push, but we can't be giving ourselves that hole to be coming out of.”
Spurgeon said the issues early in the game came down to structure. Again, reinforcing the too-cute start.
“I think we're just a little too spread out, not close in support like we usually are,” he said. “Just not getting zone time and tiring them out like we usually do for teams.”
Despite the push late, the Wild were again left trying to solve the same problem Hynes had raised two days earlier.
Nonetheless, something has to change and Hynes is going to get to the bottom of it.
"I do like the fact that we had some dig in and we had some pushback, bad we got to the game that we needed to get to, and I think you see the difference in the game," Hynes said. "But now I think the challenge is why is that not happening to start the game? And that’s when I addressed some of the routines or whatever our thing we felt like we had a good thing going, that’s not what it needs to be right now."
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