Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter have so embraced their roles as Wild shutdown forwards on the third line that they've become the Wild's hottest forwards offensively during interim coach John Torchetti's 18-game tenure.
Proving once again that quality defense in hockey can result in a bevy of scoring chances, the Wild "checkers" have spent more consistent time in the offensive zone at even strength than any of their teammates.
That continued during Sunday's 3-2 shootout victory at Chicago, when Haula and Niederreiter scored the Wild's only goals in regulation. Each player is riding career-best five-game point streaks into Tuesday's game vs. powerhouse Los Angeles, with Niederreiter having four goals in the past five games.
The reason for their success, Torchetti says, is simple: "Work ethic. That's the bottom line. They're workers, they care."
A consistent third-line tandem since Torchetti's Feb. 15 debut at Vancouver, Haula and Niederreiter usually have been matched up against one of the opponent's most skilled lines. They have been so successful, it hasn't mattered what right winger Torchetti slides next to them.
The line usually still motors at the same effectiveness.
First, it was Jason Pominville, and the veteran broke out of a season-long slump with five goals and 12 points during one eight-game stretch before being sidelined because of a lower-body injury. The line has continued to produce whether it has been with Justin Fontaine there, or for one game in Saturday's shootout victory over Carolina, David Jones.
Jones said anybody can play with Haula and Niederreiter as long as they embrace that role, too. Jones, a checker by heart but one who has played a top-six role at times in his career, scored his second goal with the Wild against the Hurricanes thanks to Niederreiter's hard work one shift.
