The All-Star break is coming at an opportune time for the slumping Minnesota Wild.
The Wild allowed a late tying goal in an eventual shootout loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, two nights after letting the San Jose Sharks score the game-winner with 1:24 remaining.
"Right now, when the game's on the line, we're not making the winning play," Wild head coach Mike Yeo said postgame. "The break is at a pretty good time, especially the way the last two games went."
Minnesota is one of the best defensive teams in the league, boasting a team goals against mark of 2.31 that ranks fifth in the NHL, but the Wild have scored only 14 goals in their last 10 games - eight of which have been losses.
"It's not like we're losing by three or four goals right now," Yeo said. "We've got guys who've scored before, (but) we're not scoring right now."
The Wild were held without a shot on goal for over 22 minutes on Monday night.
"A lot of good offensive zone time, a lot of good chances, (but) same story," Zach Parise told reporters, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. "We've got to start scoring, I know that. We put too much pressure on our goalies and ourselves scoring one goal a game, two goals a game. Doesn’t work. You don’t win in this league like that."
Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 23 saves on 24 shots, but misplayed the puck on the Coyotes' tying goal.
"It was a mistake by me. Doesn’t feel good," Dubnyk said. "We have to try to not let it be more than it is. We played a good game. It was a game we should have won. It’s more frustrating now with the way things have gone for us in the last stretch."
Things won't get any easier when Minnesota returns from the break.
The Wild open the unofficial second half with a three-game road swing against the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues, before returning home to face the Dallas Stars and the NHL's best team, the Washington Capitals.
