There's no need for Wild to wear down Dubnyk

Mike Yeo saved his job and the Wild's season by playing goalie Devan Dubnyk in virtually every game down the stretch last year.

If John Torchetti wants to become Yeo's full-fledged successor, he might want to continue to act like Yeo's antithesis, and at least occasionally remove the Doob.

Dubnyk has played in 14 games since the beginning of February. He has given up three or more goals in nine of them. His struggles have been masked by the Wild's unprecedented scoring binge. Sunday night, the Wild couldn't outscore Dubnyk's mistakes.

Saturday, the Wild won in a shootout at Buffalo. Sunday, Torchetti chose to play Dubnyk in the second game in two days. This was one of those games that the goalie has to try to steal. Dubnyk proved to be more lax than larcenous.

He gave up a soft, unassisted goal to Jori Lehtera early in the first period. He gave up a softer goal to Ryan Reaves a couple of minutes later.

Former Wild forward Kyle Brodziak should have been ruled offsides on that play. Brodziak looked like he was planting corn as he backed across the blue line with the puck. Dubnyk complained afterward about the replay protocol and noted the call was so misguided that his teammates stopped skating.

Even if that were true, that wouldn't excuse Dubnyk for allowing a non-scorer to beat him on the glove side, from distance, with no screen.

Devan Dubnyk 2015-16 statistics

Midway through the second period, Dubnyk gave up a bad rebound and an easy goal, and Darcy Kuemper replaced him. The Blues would win 4-2, with Kuemper producing a half-shutout.

It might be too reactionary to second-guess why Kuemper didn't start the game, but it's reasonable to ask why he shouldn't get more time off from here on out.

"He's our go-to guy," Torchetti said of Dubnyk.

Dubnyk started the second night of a back-to-back despite his recent struggles. Kuemper hadn't played since Feb. 26, and while he hasn't been consistently strong, neither has Dubnyk.

Torchetti — and the players' reaction to him — has saved the season. Because the Wild is now in a two-team race with one team that doesn't play defense, it is likely to make the playoffs.

The Colorado Avalanche is talented but plays as if dazed and confused by Denver's plumes of disorienting second-hand smoke. If the Wild can't outpace the Avalanche's group of underachievers, it should clean house.

But there is more at stake here than merely making the playoffs. Sneaking in as an eighth seed was not the Wild's goal this season. The goal was to win at least two playoff series, if not more. To do so, Torchetti will need not only strong goaltending — he will need fresh goaltending.

Last year Dubnyk's nightly brilliance got the Wild into the playoffs, but by the second round he looked spent. Not all of the goals he allowed to the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round were a result of Patrick Kane's brilliance. Sometimes Dubnyk just looked tired and slow.

If the goal is to do more than make the playoffs as an eighth seed, Torchetti might need to rest Dubnyk more often than Yeo did. In fact, that might also increase the Wild's chances of finishing the regular season strong.

Torchetti has enjoyed a tremendous first month. The players haven't just played hard; they have demonstrated the ability to score in bunches while playing in a more aggressive system, or perhaps simply because of the shock of playing for a different coach and hearing a different voice.

But flaws remain. The Wild's penalty kill is almost nonexistent, and if the lead goalie isn't going to perform at his best, the Wild might face another exhausting rush to the playoffs.

The Wild will likely be facing a powerhouse in the first round. Anything less than stellar goaltending will lead to a quick departure from the playoffs.

Torchetti has coaxed remarkable performances from many of his players since taking over for Yeo. How he handles his goalies could determine whether he keeps the job.

Jim Souhan's podcast can be heard at MalePatternPodcasts.com. On Twitter: @SouhanStrib. • jsouhan@startribune.com