The top two teams in the Central Division are currently going in opposite directions.
The Chicago Blackhawks continue to roll. They’re now five points clear of Minnesota for the lead in that division. Speaking of Minnesota: The Wild lost again Saturday, falling 3-2 to the New York Rangers.
That is now four straight losses for the Wild. They have only two wins in nine games this month. Once the leaders in the Central, they have seen that advantage rapidly dwindle before Chicago passed them.
Head coach Bruce Boudreau has already expressed concern about the way his team had been playing. On Saturday, he shuffled his lines in an attempt to find a spark. Minnesota fell behind in the second period and couldn’t complete the comeback.
Boudreau: "It's going to be a battle of mental toughness...when you get out of it you're going to be a better team & better players for it"
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 19, 2017
“They all want to win,” said Boudreau, per the Pioneer Press.
“They are trying really hard out there. They want to do the right thing. … It’s about getting back to the simplicity of what we did early on in the season which is when we had so much success. … They have to get it in their head that what worked will work again. Once that happens, then I think will get back on the road to success.”
The Wild have a chance to snap their losing skid when they travel to Winnipeg to face the Jets on Sunday.