The Minnesota Wild game story by the Associated Press on Wednesday opened with, “After a rough start to the season ... .”
International Falls’ own Bob Mason recently talked to The Daily Journal about that rough start under new coach Todd Richards.
“When you’re making mistakes pinching and giving up odd-man rushes, you have to play smarter than that,” Mason said. “We’ve probably given up better chances than last year.”
Richards and new general manager Chuck Fletcher entered the 2009-10 campaign preaching about a more up-tempo offensive style. Mason admitted Richards has scaled back that approach, especially with the early-season mistakes on defense.
The Wild opened the season with only one win in its first seven contests and currently sit fourth in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference with 26 points and a 11-12-3 record. Six out of the first seven games were on the road.
“That didn’t help,” Mason said.
Last season at this time through 26 games under head coach Jacques Lemaire, the Wild were 15-10-1 with 31 points. Also, the Wild had scored 72 goals and surrendered 56 at this time a year ago, but have only 68 goals this season, while giving up 79.
Lemaire’s current team, the New Jersey Devils, are currently third in the Eastern Conference with 35 points.
The offense hasn’t helped the defense much, either. Obviously gone is Marian Gaborik, but Martin Havlat, the biggest name signed to fill the void, has nine points (2G, 7A) in 20 games. Gaborik? He’s leading the NHL in goals with 21 and is second in total points with 37 for the N.Y. Rangers. Leading the Wild in points is Mikko Koivu with 26 (7G, 19A).
“The next 20 games will have to be better than the first 20 games,” Mason said. “We have to climb the latter a little bit.”
Mason is also hoping the odd-man rushes decline so his goalies can get back on track. In his first five seasons as goalie coach, Mason had the Wild ranked in the top five in the NHL in both save percentage and goals against average every season. Minnesota was first just two seasons ago in both categories.
After Wednesday’s game, Minnesota is ranked 21st in goals against average and 25th in save percentage. Regular goalie Niklas Backstrom has an above .500 record at 10-9-3, but he’s 22nd in the NHL in save percentage (.909) and 20th in goals against average (2.65).
“Our goals against is up dramatically,” Mason said.
But even after all the early-season errors and adjustments to Richards, the Wild are 6-3-3 in November — and Wednesday’s one game in December — and only six points out of the final playoff spot.
“We’ve had stretches were we’ve played good,” Mason said.
