Under interim coach Dean Evason, Wild is scoring and winning

LOS ANGELES – Wins and points aren't the only totals that have been on the rise during the Wild's recent surge.

So has the team's goals-per-game output.

Not only has this uptick headlined the start of Dean Evason's tenure as interim coach, but it's also helped spark a 7-3 run that's planted the Wild at the front of a race for one of the Western Conference's wild-card playoff berths that resumes Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles against the Kings.

"Any hockey player wants to play offense," Evason said. "As long as we work our butts off to get back and as long as we support each other when we get in [the zone] regardless if it's a defenseman or a forward, if we can create some offense, create offense. We just as a team have to back each other up and support each other and have some fun doing it."

Evason previewed an aggressive philosophy when he was named as Bruce Boudreau's replacement Feb. 14 after Boudreau was fired, explaining that he'd tolerate eager mistakes but not passive ones.

And based on how the Wild has responded to his direction, the players seem to be fulfilling Evason's vision.

In the 10 games Evason has been at the helm, the Wild has scored 35 goals (tied for the fourth-most in the NHL) and it's averaging 3.5 goals-per-game, which ranks fifth. That clip is higher than the team's season average of 3.13 and above the 3.07 efficiency under Boudreau, both of which sit near the middle of the pack.

What is different, though, is how clutch winger Kevin Fiala has been — leading the team in goals (13) and points (28) since January, with seven goals and seven assists over his past 10 appearances. And the Wild's depth scoring has also been timely, especially from the defense.

"We've been trying to be aggressive," defenseman Ryan Suter said. "That's one thing Dean's wanted from us. I think we're doing a good job of being aggressive but also being smart about it."

Wild defensemen have combined for eight goals and 27 points over the past 10 games and overall are tied for second in goals (42) and third in points (164) in the NHL.

They're jumping up in the play, supporting the forwards. But once they gain the offensive zone, they're staying there instead of falling back to get ready to play defense.

"When they do it and we're moving in the zone, it makes it really hard for teams," goalie Alex Stalock said. "It's confusing for them, 'Who do I cover now? D-man's down below the goal line.' It seems to be working."

"We're covering for each other," said winger Zach Parise, who extended his goal streak to four games after burying the game-winner Thursday in the 3-2 win over the Sharks at the start of this road trip. "It's allowing everyone to be aggressive. It's allowing our defense to pinch, and it's allowing us to stay in the zone and make more turnovers. That's the way you gotta play."

Although the Wild is embracing a get-up-and-go style, it isn't forgetting to take care of its own end.

That has long been the identity of this team, and it still is — even if the other priority on the ice is coming into sharper focus.