DALLAS — The Wild haven't scored like last season's lineup, but maybe looking the part will help them turn back the clock.
After production and penalty problems spoiled their return from the All-Star break, the Wild had Ryan Hartman practicing with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello to suggest a reunion is in the works for the team's road trip finale Wednesday at Dallas.
"If we put them back together, hopefully they can rekindle [or] reestablish some chemistry that they've had," coach Dean Evason said. "But it's not three guys that are going to get us out of not scoring. It's the entire group."
This offensive shortage has been going on for about a month now.
Since getting shut out by St. Louis on Jan. 8, the Wild have been limited to two goals or fewer during six of their 11 games. They converted 26 times in those contests, and only half of those tallies came at 5-on-5; that's the fewest in the NHL during that span.
"We need to find some goals," Evason said.
Enter Hartman, Kaprizov and Zuccarello.
A season ago, they were the Wild's juggernaut up front, with each player turning in a career year. Hartman made an especially prolific jump, his 34 goals, 31 assists and 65 points dwarfing his previous personal bests, and all but one of the center's finishes came at even strength.