No excuses, Richards says: 'We have to find a way'

Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune

Wild coach Todd Richards says: “We’ll have to try something else. It’s the words that you choose, it’s the actions that you portray. It’s sometimes the words that you don’t use."

Most of the Wild's top players are A) injured or B) simply not producing.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: October 15, 2009 - 11:36 PM

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - Five games into the season, the pressure's already mounting for a Wild team lacking confidence and cohesion, and parked on the Western Conference floor.

Three games into a five-game trip, the Wild has yet to win and faces its first Northwest Division meetings tonight and Saturday at the Oilers and Canucks.

If Martin Havlat misses tonight's game because of a groin injury -- he didn't practice Thursday -- the Wild will be without four of its top nine forwards -- or arguably, four of its top six.

"There's no excuses. We have to find a way. There's a way [to win tonight]," coach Todd Richards said.

So much has been made the past few days about how youngsters James Sheppard and Benoit Pouliot must step up with so many injuries.

But the Wild needs much better play from its go-to guys as well: Havlat (one goal, minus-6), Mikko Koivu (one goal, minus-5), Brent Burns (one point, minus-7) and Kim Johnsson (minus-6).

"Those guys are our key players. Those guys are getting the majority amount of ice time," Richards said. "When you're trying to find your way and trying to search for wins, your best players do have to be your best players.

"By saying that, it doesn't mean that they have to do it all. Mikko or Marty or Johnsson, they don't have to pick up the puck and go coast-to-coast with it. They just have to be the players that they are."

Two weeks into the season, the four have been shells of themselves. Havlat, other than setting up each goal during the Wild's three-goal, third-period comeback in the home opener, hasn't been an offensive threat (12 shots).

Koivu, usually the engine, has been sputtering. Burns, trying to do everything, has been a liability. And Johnsson, especially Wednesday in Anaheim, has been a turnover machine and often out of position.

Before Havlat was hurt in Anaheim, he was benched for a second time in three games late in the second period.

Richards felt he got beat to the net on Ryan Carter's eventual winner and said, "The way I looked at it, 3-1 game, I wanted to try to protect us going into the third period as far as not giving up another goal."

On Thursday, Richards said he had "good conversations" with his go-to players and said they'll be better.

"I know Johnsson. I saw him play last year. I know he's a much better player," Richards said. "I know Mikko Koivu's a much better player. I know Martin Havlat is a much better play. Brent Burns is a much better player. There will come a point, and we need to get to the point as quick as possible."

Koivu knows he must play better, and so do his teammates.

"Every guy in the room can be better, but I think we're still learning a lot and have to be patient," Koivu said. "All teams go through tough times in a season, and now we're having that early in the year. But we will get better, and while you have to be worried in a certain way, there's no reason to panic either. It's just a matter of getting the win and building confidence from that."

The Wild does show flashes of terrific play, like the first half in San Jose and the second period in Anaheim. But for the most part, its starts have been brutal. Amazingly, the Wild has trailed 3-0 in three of the five games.

Richards said the players have to be responsible for getting themselves prepared, but he said a certain responsibility also lands on the coaches.

"We'll have to try something else," he said. "It's the words that you choose, it's the actions that you portray. It's sometimes the words that you don't use. As a coach, you're trying to figure out the team and what makes it tick. We're trying to go through that process. Players are still trying to read myself and the other coaches."