Analysis: Wild have a chance to work on playoff survival skills with Kings rematch

LOS ANGELES — The Wild are only two games into the second half of their season, but they’re playing like it’s the playoffs: Their next opponent is the same as their last.

Instead of leaving Los Angeles after facing the Kings, the Wild hunkered down to await a rematch. Two in a row against one team will happen only once more before the first round, so the Wild might as well use a midseason series simulator to their advantage … and they deserve a do-over after losing 5-4 in a shootout to Los Angeles on Saturday night, Jan. 3.

“Obviously, we didn’t come out with the two points,” coach John Hynes said. “There’s certainly things we can execute and do better on Monday.”

The Wild had to work for the single point they banked.

They rallied four times, responding to each Kings goal with one of their own, and the Wild’s reaction time was quick (less than five minutes for every equalizer).

“There’s no quit,” said winger Matt Boldy, who notched the last tying goal with 2:57 to go in the third period. “I think we definitely turned our game up when we needed to. Battled and found a way to get a point. Unfortunately, didn’t get both of them.”

The two sides were even neck-and-neck in overtime, which ended with the Wild on the penalty kill, and through three rounds of the shootout. Then in the fourth round, L.A. capitalized, and the Wild finally didn’t retaliate.

Both teams will be rested for Round 2. The Wild were coming off a 5-2 victory at Anaheim the previous night, while the Kings hadn’t played since New Year’s Day.

But there are changes the Wild can make on the ice to have the opposite outcome, like cutting back on quality opportunities in front of their net and sustaining more pressure at L.A.’s.

“They’re a fast team,” said defenseman Brock Faber, who had the third tying goal and set up Boldy’s. “I thought the few quick-strike goals were tough, but I think for us it’s producing more offensive-zone time and using our legs to protect pucks and make plays in the O-zone, so we spend less time in the D-zone.”

Adjustments like this are typical, but the Wild usually are testing out their tweaks on a different audience than the one from which they received the original feedback.

But making corrections on the fly is how to succeed in the playoffs, and why shouldn’t the Wild hone that survival skill?

They are third in the NHL but are tied with second-place Dallas — which lost 4-3 in overtime to Montreal on Sunday — in points. The Wild have picked up at least a point through the first five stops of their season-high, seven-game road trip, going 3-0-2.

With Quinn Hughes in action, they’re 7-1-3, and Hughes is getting more comfortable since the trade. His performance vs. the Ducks proved that: Hughes’ four-assist effort, which set a franchise record for defensemen, was his statement game, the 26-year-old creating four goals by directing pucks to a scoring area from the blue line like he was a quarterback slinging touchdown passes into the end zone.

Hughes added another assist against the Kings, a tape-to-tape stretch pass to center Joel Eriksson Ek on the power play that was Hughes’ 12th point in 11 games with the Wild.

“You’re a little bit passive at the start,” Hughes said. “You want to fit in. You’re getting to know everyone and coming [to] the fourth- or third-best team in the league. It’s not about you.

“But at a certain point, they also traded a lot for me, so you got to be yourself.”

Whether it’s a second chance against L.A. or Hughes getting more reps, the Wild have plenty to play for, including preparing themselves to be at their best when it matters most.