Wild entertaining changes ahead of game vs. Leafs
Some changes could be on the way for the Minnesota Wild.
The past week has included only one victory in four games (1-1-2) for Minnesota. The team will try to get back on track Sunday evening when the Wild face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Saint Paul, Minn.
Wild coach John Hynes hinted that he would challenge the status quo after his team lost 4-2 against the New York Rangers on Saturday night. That loss followed a 3-2 setback in the shootout round against the Philadelphia Flyers two nights earlier.
"I think it's on me," Hynes said. "We've had some routines that we felt have been working, but obviously the last two games ... I think I'm going to look in the mirror, I think the team needs to look in the mirror. A little bit of, maybe we're going to switch some routines, because it's certainly not good enough."
Could the changed routines affect practices, morning skates or optional skates?
"All of those things," Hynes said. "Practices, skates, optional skates, meetings, mindsets. I think it's in tandem.
"I felt like we have a good chemistry with how we go about our business and do things, but when I look at how we start the last two games, then I think you have to look internally and say, ‘OK, this was a routine that was working and we started games on time, but now it's different.'"
Meanwhile, Toronto is looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss in a shootout against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.
Max Domi and Dakota Joshua scored one goal apiece for Toronto, which is trying to regroup after losing top goal-scorer Auston Matthews to a knee injury for the rest of the season.
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said veteran forward William Nylander could help offset the loss of Matthews. Berube elevated Nylander to assistant captain after Matthews went down.
"We are going to lean on him, among other guys (with Matthews out)," Berube said. "I put the ‘A' on Willy quite a few times over the past two years when one of our captains is out. He has been a good player for us, and he leads with his play."
Minnesota likely will turn to Jesper Wallstedt in net one night after Filip Gustavsson made the start against the Rangers.
Wallstedt, 23, is 14-6-6 with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 27 games this season. He has yet to face the Maple Leafs in his brief career.
Toronto likely will counter with Anthony Stolarz in net one night after Joseph Wall started against the Sabres.
Stolarz is 7-9-3 with a 3.40 GAA and an .890 save percentage on the season. He is 1-3-1 with a 3.58 GAA and a .903 save percentage in five career games against the Wild.
This is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the teams.
In the first matchup, Minnesota pulled away for a 6-3 win on Jan. 19 in Toronto. Marcus Foligno recorded a hat trick and Vladimir Tarasenko finished with two goals and one assist for the Wild.