"It's got to be up to [the players]. That was embarrassing. I'm embarrassed," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "To me, if I were the fans I would be booing even more because they pay good money for this, and to see an effort like that.
"When you don't win any battles - you know, I've been here when we've been losing and I haven't said anything too negative about the team, but I mean, if you can't compete one on one, if you don't have the emotion to want to get out there and do the right things, let alone the things the coaches are telling you, I'm telling you, if this was earlier in the year, changes would be made."
2. For Burnsville native Boeser, the goal came in his first NHL game.
With a suite full of friends and family in attendance, Boeser cleaned up a loose puck after Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper stopped a 2-on-1 break and a shot by Bo Horvat. Kuemper couldn't corral the buscuit, however, and Boeser skated in and poked it past the goalie.
"It's an awesome experience, and just to have my family and friends in the crowd, I think it definitely means a lot to all of them and me," Boeser said. "It's a dream come true."
It's hard to believe that Boeser, who won a national championship with the University of North Dakota last season, was in Fargo just 24 hours ago, playing in the final game of his collegiate career, a game the Fighting Hawks lost 4-3 in double overtime to Boston University.
Saturday, he stood between the Sedin twins during the national anthems and had his name announced as a starter in the NHL.
"It's something you dream about, I mean, I think they got drafted the year I was born," Boeser said, not far off in his statement (he was two when they were drafted). "So it's really special and a special moment and I'm definitely gonna cherish this for a long time."
With the Canucks heading off to Winnipeg for the second of back-to-back games tomorrow at MTS Centre, it's sure to be an exhausting -- but memorable -- weekend for the Boeser family.
3. Minnesota (44-24-6) will try to get back on track on Sunday when it plays the Detroit Red Wings.
"It doesn't just turn around. You can't just turn it on and off. You've got to start with one period and make it a second period and then a third period and that should win a game," said Wild forward Jason Zucker. "You have to do the same thing over again and over again and over again. At that point, then it's something good. You can't do it for one period or one shift and hope that it's just going to all of a sudden turn around. We aren't going to get five empty net backdoor tap ins and all of a sudden win a game. It just doesn't work that way."
