Before Sunday's 5-2 victory over Colorado, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau waved off a request to assess Erik Haula's play. "Don't ask about him," Boudreau said. "I don't want to talk about players right now."
When Boudreau walked into the postgame media session--smiling, rather than growling--he began by saying, "OK, now you can ask." Haula played what Boudreau called "the best game he's played in a long time," finishing with a goal, an assist and four shots. Playing at left wing alongside Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund, he also was plus-2 and drew an interference penalty early in the second period that led to Zach Parise's power-play goal.
Haula's performance was emblematic of a Wild team that played with much more pluck, precision and urgency than it did Saturday in a 3-0 loss at Nashville--or in many other games during a ragged March. Granted, they were playing a Colorado team that is the NHL's doormat in most major statistical categories. But for a team looking to regain its mojo before the playoffs arrive, the game provided a nice emotional lift.
The Wild got goals from five players, including Haula, who hadn't scored in 17 games dating to Feb. 28. The team was persistent and disciplined on offense, chasing Avs goalie Calvin Pickard in the second period after scoring four goals on 16 shots. It scored on one of two power plays and held Colorado without a power-play goal on two chances.
When asked if he was relieved by his team's performance, Haula demurred. With three regular-season games remaining, the victory won't mean much if the Wild backslides again.
"Best start we've had in a while," Haula said of the first period, when the Wild outshot Colorado 15-5 and outscored it 3-1. "It was real nice.
"I don't know if we can really be relieved. I think it just matters now what we do the rest of the way. It's all about consistency."
Boudreau echoed that when talking about Haula, who was a likely scratch Sunday until Jason Zucker was sidelined with a lower-body injury. "Like I've said before," the coach said, "anybody can do anything once."