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It’s probably time to start taking the Wild seriously

Minnesota Wild v Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Mikko Koivu #9 Jared Spurgeon #46 and Dany Heatley #15 of the Minnesota Wild celebrate a goal for a 1-0 lead in front of Ethan Moreau #17 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on December 8, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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It’s been long enough now. It’s time to start taking the Minnesota Wild seriously.

The Wild won their sixth straight road game last night in Los Angeles, taking out the Kings 4-2. Rookie Matt Hackett made his first NHL start, coming off a relief appearance in San Jose that saw him shut down the Sharks to win 2-1, and continued to stymie their opponents. Their games are never high scoring but they’re often played a breakneck pace and, most importantly, the Wild just keep winning.

Wild beat man Michael Russo hears it from coach Mike Yeo after their win over L.A. and Yeo says things are just different now with the Wild.

“It is a different place and time for us. I think we’ve come a long way in terms of how we prepare ourselves, how we see ourselves and what we expect from ourselves.

“The players right from that day have been unbelievable.”

Funny what a little confidence can do, isn’t it?

The team is preparing differently, they’re holding themselves and each other accountable for what happens on the ice, and they’re getting the kind of goaltending that will make up for lapses anywhere. For the Wild, they don’t care how the wins come - they just care that they keep happening.

If the Wild keep this up, we’ll have to start labeling them the NHL’s honey badgers. They just don’t care what you think of them, they’re just going to keep doing it their way.