Wild Warmup: Minnesota vs. Chicago

The essentials

ST. PAUL -- Having gone four days without playing a game, the Minnesota Wild is officially ready to get back at it again.
The Wild had an off day on Sunday then has practiced three days in a row. After a 0-1-1 start to the regular season, its had to sit for the past four days and stew about its start to the 2018-19 campaign.
And despite earning one point in its last game out, Minnesota missed an opportunity to secure two by just 91 seconds.
"The worst thing for any coach, and probably for players, is when you don't have a lot of success then you have a lot of days off," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "Then you gotta live with it. We're anxious to get back to it, but Chicago's probably anxious too."
One week into the new season, the Blackhawks sit atop the Central Division having gone 2-0-1, with their only loss coming in a 7-6 barnburner against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
The Blackhawks haven't played since then, so like the Wild, they should be well rested coming into the game.

"All the teams early in the season, you get tired of practicing because you practice all during training camp," Boudreau said. "You just want to play games. Hopefully our practices correlate into solid games this weekend."
Minnesota has spent the past three days working on a number of things in the offensive end in an effort to create more scoring chances.
Boudreau noted earlier this week that the club had just two 5-on-5 chances in the first two periods of each of its first two games, so puck support has been a point of emphasis.
On Wednesday, the Wild worked on its power play.
"We haven't been up to par yet, or even close I think," said Wild forward Charlie Coyle.
Coyle said he feels the practice time this week has been useful. From a mental standpoint, the Wild feels it has ironed out some of the early season kinks and is ready to get back to its game.
"I think so, and I think if we thought otherwise, it'd be just a waste of time," Coyle said. "We need to use this to our advantage. Everyone is feeling good. We're fresh, so there's no excuse tomorrow."
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Minnesota and Chicago rank on the opposite ends of the NHL in goals for so far. While the Wild has two goals in two games, Chicago has scored 15 goals in three games.
That will put the spotlight Thursday on goaltender Devan Dubnyk, who has been outstanding through two games for the Wild, stopping 77 of the first 80 shots he's faced for a 1.45 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage.
Dubnyk said he isn't concerned about the time off curtailing his in-season success, in fact, he says the break in the schedule isn't something he thinks of at all as he prepares to take his place between the posts for the first time in 120 hours.
"Those are things that I've come to learn are very much out of my control," Dubnyk said. "There's going to be times too in the season where we're playing so many games and we'll want some time off, so you just take the time when you can] and you use the days to rest and to practice and pound away at the things that are allowing me to see the puck and feel good."
The Blackhawks have needed each one of those 15 goals early in the season to build their winning record. Chicago's 14 goals against are tied with Vancouver for most in the Western Conference.
Corey Crawford is still not ready to return, but could be back in about a week or so. Veteran Cam Ward has started all three games for Chicago so far, posting a 4.62 goals against and an .843 save percentage.
But life is good for a goaltender getting five goals of support per game.
"I don't think they are the team of last year that kind of dropped off," Coyle said. "I think their big guys are really playing right now and finding the back of the net That's something we'll have to watch out for."
Jonathan Toews had six points, including five goals in Chicago's first three games and was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week. Patrick Kane wasn't far behind, scoring four goals and chipping in two assists.
"We usually play these guys pretty tough," Coyle said. "We know what they bring over there. We gotta try and find our game and play our game a little better and keeping building it that way."
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