MORNING SKATE NOTES
- The team did not hold a morning skate with the early start; however, the team held a full practice yesterday.
- It’s the start of three games in four days so it’s a busy stretch for Utah to end this four-game road trip.
As head coach André Tourigny has said, the 82 game season is about progression. The team has taken that growth mindset to heart and it is one of the group’s strengths.
“We do a great job as a group, having that growth mindset,” forward Barrett Hayton shared. “Obviously having a great homestead and found a way (to win in St. Louis). Wasn’t as pretty as we would have hoped. I think there’s been a couple second periods that we definitely have to clean up and learn from. I think it’s a big thing for us to stay consistent through 60 minutes. That’s a big message in training camp. At the same time, I think we’ve done a good job with that mental strength. Finding a way when you see that adversity, when we go through periods where we’re not playing good hockey, being able to bounce back is a huge thing.”
Another strength of this group is its depth. Having plenty of players, lines, or even defensemen step up offensively in recent games has made the Mammoth a difficult opponent.
“That’s the kind of team we are, we’re a four-line team where everybody has a role, everybody has an identity,” Tourigny explained. “It’s the contribution of everybody that makes us a good team. I think it’s tough to be successful if you have only one strength or one way to play. I think the way our lineup is built, we can play every kind of game. The offense, or the momentum, or the energy, can come in a different way, shape, or form.”
Penalty Kill Success
The Wild have the fifth-best power play in the NHL and have scored 10 goals on the man-advantage in the team’s first eight games. Here’s what Utah needs to do to be successful against Minnesota’s power play:
“They’re creating a lot of movement,” Tourigny said of Minnesota’s power play. “There’s a lot of 1-on-1 where they have really good players who can beat you in a one-on-one. That will be important to be in sync. We’ll need our best penalty killer to be the best, which means our goalie. But our clears, our battles, to be in sync, will be important.”
