Wild hopes to translate home success to the road

Just once since the middle of November has the Wild exited Xcel Energy Center after a game empty-handed, a remarkable 11-1-1 run responsible for almost half of the team's total points.

But one of the Wild's challenges as it begins the second half of the schedule is to figure out how to take its act at home on the road, with a meeting Saturday against the Avalanche in Denver its next opportunity to try to translate that prowess.

"When we're playing on the road, we have to get to our game as quick as possible and do the right things and kind of play a simple game right from the start," center Charlie Coyle said. "That's kind of our focus when we go into a road building."

The formula for success doesn't change with the scenery, so the Wild's recent blueprint at home is certainly a strategy worth hauling to Colorado. In outscoring the Panthers and Sabres a combined 11-3 over its past two wins, the Wild capitalized on early leads; winger Nino Niederreiter opened the scoring barely a minute into Thursday's action against Buffalo, while center Matt Cullen supplied a first-period goal Tuesday.

"For us to play a complete game, we have to have a good first period," Coyle said. "That's our main focus to come out right away and if we get the first one that's great. If not, we've got to kind of get to our game as soon as possible."

Not only has the Wild been able to strike first, but it hasn't slowed down once moving ahead — building enough cushion to seemingly put the game out of reach for the opposition by the second.

"That's something we haven't done at the beginning of the year or the first 37 games," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "So it's really important. You have to be able to push and get the team [to] have that killer instinct."

What's likely helped the Wild's ability lately to pull away from other teams is the decline in penalties, as the Wild has been on the penalty kill three or fewer times in each of its past two games — this after being shorthanded on 18 occasions during the previous four-game span.

A well-balanced attack has also been essential.

Against the Panthers, center Eric Staal's line was the catalyst — contributing two goals and racking up five points.

But it was captain Mikko Koivu's unit with Niederreiter and winger Mikael Granlund that took over Thursday, combining for nine points.

The hat trick by Niederreiter was especially impressive considering it was his first game back in the lineup after being sidelined for five with a left ankle injury. Before getting hurt, Niederreiter hadn't scored in six games.

"When he goes into the droughts, he starts doing stuff differently," Boudreau said. "He doesn't go to the net. He doesn't play physical. But when he plays in straight lines — and we've had this talk — and goes to the net, he's sort of a little bit of a disturber.

"Then he's involved in the game, and he's great."

Overall, though, the Wild has had 10 different goal scorers produce in its four wins over the past five games since returning from the Christmas break.

That offensive depth wasn't a first-half hallmark of this group but if it continues, the Wild should have an easier time picking up points away from home.

"That's the kind of team you sort of want to have," Boudreau said.