With each win, the Wild has started to get closer to the style of play it needs to rely on to have success.
That was especially clear Friday when the team used rock-solid goaltending and timely scoring from its defense to assemble a 3-1 win over the Stars.
The team hopes it takes another step in that process Saturday when it finishes off a back-to-back at home against the Lightning.
"We're just starting to find our groove, and everyone's starting to slide into their roles perfectly," defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. "Simplifying the game is always a huge thing for us. When you overcomplicate things, that's when you start turning pucks over and that's when the momentum goes the other way."
While there's still plenty to improve – goalie Devan Dubnyk had to make 24 second-period saves to keep the Wild scoreless with the Stars and the offense has come in spurts – the Wild certainly looks like it's making the strides necessary to get in a workable rhythm.
Just last Saturday, it surrendered a franchise-record 57 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Hurricanes. By Friday, that number was trimmed to 34. The scoreless struggle for two periods also suited the Wild, enabling it to pounce in the third with three unanswered goals for the win.
"You gotta build that confidence game-by-game, and that's our goal – to keep getting better each and every game and get that feeling," captain Mikko Koivu said.
The plan is for the Wild to call on backup Alex Stalock against the Lightning, but coach Bruce Boudreau acknowledged Saturday morning the team was still mulling over the decision.
