Games are 60 minutes

Let’s review: NHL games, in regulation, are 60 minutes. That’s three periods that are 20 minutes each. There’s a five-minute overtime period if the score is tied after those 60 minutes. Just so we’re all clear on that.

Just having a little fun, because I think fans and bloggers realize the length of a hockey game. I mean, I’ll take words over numbers any day, but this is math that even I can do. The real question is: Do the Minnesota Wild players understand this concept?

This comes up again and again with this team. The fact that they don’t seem to give their full effort throughout the entire game. How many times can everyone hear the same questions and the same answers in the intermission interviews? “We just need to come out with more energy. We didn’t get off to the start we wanted to…” It really gets old.

The pattern of poor starts appeared again in Tuesday’s game. The Wild managed just six shots on goal and got down 1-0 early. They recovered to play a bit better and tied the game. But eventually, the Wild lost 2-1.

It’s enough to play the what-if? game surrounding the first 20 minutes.

While making this argument, I also realize the season is 82 games. There will be off nights. There will be sluggish starts. It happens because everybody, no matter what they do, has an off night some time. I get that. Teams don’t go 82-0, after all.

But make no mistake, this is a pattern for the Wild. Maybe it’s a poor start. Maybe it’s a slacking second period after an energetic start. It happens more often than Wild fans would like to see, that’s for sure. I don’t know what the deal is, really. Do the guys have trouble getting pumped up for a home game? Is the particular opponent that night just astonishingly better? Jet lag? A lack of talent? I really have no idea. Or maybe it’s completely normal and every other team goes through this, too. Please weigh in if you think this is the case.

Here’s the good news: Bruce Boudreau.

After a bad loss earlier this season, Boudreau already put his new team through a hard-working practice. I’d like to think it’s something like that scene in “D2” when oily-haired, living-the-life Coach Bombay makes his young players skate the length of the ice over and over after Iceland creamed them in the Junior Goodwill Games. Then Charlie (Perhaps it would be Ryan Suter in this case for the Wild?) says: “This isn’t very much fun, coach.”

Anyway, it sounds like Boudreau put the boys through another tiring practice after the Buffalo loss this week. In Michael Russo’s blog, he referred to it as “a battling practice… designed to get the sweat pouring.” Man, that’s great. He also changed up the lines during practice, looking at a Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Charlie Coyle line.

The other thing Boudreau isn’t afraid to do, it seems, is to speak publicly when players aren’t doing well. This is a change for this team, and it’s one I’d view as a good and motivating one.

I don’t know if these are true cures for the Wild’s lackluster efforts that get put forth sometimes. I just think these moves by Boudreau are encouraging. After a loss like the one to Buffalo, a tough practice is totally warranted. It shows that he’s not willing to accept some lazy skating on game nights. I’m OK with that. The hope is it will be a wake-up call to improve play, come out buzzing from the start and give 100 percent.

Because after all, they should be at the top of their game for those 60 minutes each time out.

This was originally posted at wildxtra.com

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