Two games ago in Winnipeg, the Wild were too loose defensively, allowing the Jets an opportunity to have unfettered access to grade-A scoring areas.
The result was an ugly first period where Minnesota allowed two goals over the first five minutes and faced a three-goal deficit at intermission. All three goals were scored from the hashes or closer, with the latter two from on top of the crease.
Minnesota did a much better job of defending what players call "the house" on Tuesday.
To get an idea of what the house is, imagine the defensive zone, with the goal posts serving as the peak of the roof. Draw diagonal lines to each faceoff dot, walls to the top of each circle, then the foundation through the high slot.
"It's always important, as a team, you want to keep them outside [the house]," Pominville said. "If you do that, usually you give your goalie the best chance to make the saves. When you give them those grade-As, that's when it becomes tough."
The Sharks managed just four shots in the first period and few, if any, from the house, which allowed goaltender Devan Dubnyk to settle in.
As a result, he looked as comfortable in the crease over the final 40 minutes as he had in a few weeks.
"They were shots I was able to see," Dubnyk said. "The guys were blocking out, and I was able to make saves on them. The play in front of me was in control."