"I told him, '[I just want to see] passion, your game is up and down, hitting guys and driving the net and I didn't see a lot of passion in your last game,'" Boudreau said. "He cares as much as anybody or probably more than most. He's struggling a little bit, but sometimes all it is one good hit that gets you out of it."
Foligno said he plans to play with more passion and play with it early on Tuesday when Minnesota plays the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.
"Just establishing that physical presence early, kinda dictating the way I'm going to be playing the whole game," Foligno said. "I think it helps out the guys in the room. I think I haven't been playing for these guys as hard as I should be and got away from my game a little bit.
"I've learned my lesson and now I'm ready to put this behind me, move forward and play the strong role that I was brought here to play."
Foligno knows it's not something that will just happen in one game. Getting back to his peak form is a process that may take a couple games to round into. But he said he wants that to begin tonight.
Like any athlete, confidence will be key.
"Just finding something that gets me going early," Foligno said. "Just sticking to something in the first that will help get that confidence back and slowly get my game back. It's playing smart, playing fast and hard, make sure I'm finishing my checks and getting involved in the game early."
Foligno scored a career-high 13 goals for the Buffalo Sabres last season, and was off to a good start this year with three goals in his first 10 games before his current drought.
But goals and points aren't the only measuring stick, for Foligno. His screen in front of Anaheim goaltender John Gibson on Dec. 8 resulted in a goal for Zack Mitchell. Foligno didn't register a point on the play, but the goal doesn't happen without his significant net-front presence.
"I've been physical, but I think there is more needed from me in that department," Foligno said. "I think to be a little more physical, be a little more gritty around the net, I think that will spark something for me."
Here are the projected lineups:
WILD
Nino Niederreiter - Eric Staal - Charlie Coyle
Jason Zucker - Mikko Koivu - Mikael Granlund
Marcus Foligno - Matt Cullen - Tyler Ennis
Joel Eriksson Ek - Daniel Winnik - Chris Stewart
Ryan Suter - Matt Dumba
Jonas Brodin - Jared Spurgeon
Mike Reilly - Nate Prosser
Alex Stalock
Steve Michalek
SENATORS
Bobby Ryan - Matt Duchene - Mark Stone
Ryan Dzingel - Derick Brassard - Mike Hoffman
Zack Smith - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Tom Pyatt
Nick Paul - Nate Thompson - Alexandre Burrows
Johnny Oduya - Erik Karlsson
Dion Phaneuf - Cody Cici
Fredrik Claesson - Thomas Chabot
Craig Anderson
Mike Condon
