Friendly competition heats up Wild lines

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – The Wild has come a long way since Bruce Boudreau quipped in November after a stretch of two goals or fewer in seven of eight games, "Well, right now we have four checking lines."

In fact, since spitting out a Zach Parise-Erik Haula-Jason Pominville line in mid-January and with the Tyler Graovac fourth line scoring yet again Tuesday against the Oilers, the Wild arguably has four scoring lines.

"I feel that's what makes us really strong," Haula said. "The addition of [free-agent center Eric Staal] has been huge because it's easier to notice that [Mikael Granlund and Charlie Coyle] both enjoy playing wing more than center, so it almost gives us an extra line.

"You get that balance, and goaltending and defense, it's hard to be bad as a team."

The Parise-Haula-Pominville line had 23 shots in the two games preceding Tuesday. Haula, who has four goals and an assist in his past seven games, felt the line was ready to erupt. Pominville has three goals and 12 points in the past 12 games.

"Erik does a really good job of carrying the puck up the ice through the neutral zone," Parise said. "You don't see us standing still a lot up the ice and in the zone."

Parise said the Wild's depth makes the team tough to defend.

"Our line the last four or five games, we're not giving up much, not spending a lot of time in the defensive zone. And we're getting lots of shots. Every game it seems we're getting more than 10. It's fun. It's been consistent."

Parise scored his first goal in 11 games Tuesday, and Boudreau has loved Parise's past few games.

"Just because you don't score does not mean you're not playing good," Boudreau said. "He's getting opportunities now. His work ethic is tremendous."

Defenseman Christian Folin, less than a month after Boudreau said he can't be an in-and-out player, was scratched for a fourth consecutive game. Mike Reilly and Nate Prosser made up the third pair.

With defenseman Jonas Brodin hurt, Boudreau wants to use a left-shot blue-liner on the left side rather than the right-shot Prosser. That has left Prosser and Folin platooning for the sixth D spot nightly. Prosser had 10 blocked shots in the previous three games and was solid on the penalty kill.

• Boudreau was asked by an Edmonton reporter why everywhere he coaches, he seems to make players feel good about themselves. The often self-deprecating Boudreau cracked, "They look at me and go, 'I've got to feel good about myself.' "