The good news is, nothing should phase the Wild about the size and scope of the contest, nor the location. Typically, teams crave the opportunity to host big games at home and bring an opponent into a hostile environment.
But for whatever reason, the Wild has had better luck in big games in other people's buildings.
In the last month alone, the Wild has gone into Winnipeg, Calgary, Tampa, Washington and now Las Vegas (for the second time this season) and come away winners.
"You scratch your head," Boudreau said. "They play so hard some nights and they had to sacrifice everything else against a very good hockey club and came away with 18 players working together and the goalie playing really well. That's how you win."
It's certainly how the Wild has to win, with Matt Dumba and Mikko Koivu out for the rest of the season and Zach Parise missing his third-straight game with a lower-body injury.
On Friday, it was Greg Pateryn coming through with a timely goal early in the game to get Minnesota off to a good start. The tally was his first in a Wild sweater and first in 130 games, which was the longest goal drought in the NHL.
"I scored a couple in pregame skate this morning so I was feeling it," Pateryn said with a big smile.