From back-to-back loses to back-to-back wins, the Wild are looking like themselves again after a complete team effort vs. the Maple Leafs.

Minnesota Gophers coach Bob Motzko likes to say that in college hockey, you get three kicks of the garbage can per season. At the NHL level, Wild coach John Hynes said, you don’t get three.

We’ve had a lot of injuries all year, to multiple different guys,” head coach John Hynes said, to the media gathered at Scotiabank Arena. “The good thing for us is we know who we are as a

Forward Yakov Trenin was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, replaced by Drew Shore in the lineup, and defenseman Declan Chisholm — also healthy — sat out for the first time since Nov. 23, replaced by Travis Dermott.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes is "cautiously optimistic" that star forward Kirill Kaprizov and defenseman Jared Spurgeon will be in the lineup on Thursday.

Filip Gustavsson made 32 saves for the Minnesota Wild in a 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. “We had really strong work ethic,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said.

John Hynes knows that William Nylander can lead the Maple Leafs out of the little hole they’ve dug for themselves. The Leafs have scored just two goals in losing their past two games, and neither came off the stick of Nylander after the star winger had four goals in the previous three games, all Toronto victories.

Facing another month-plus without their star forward, the Wild set the blueprint for how to win without Kaprizov.

The Minnesota Wild passed their first test without star winger Kirill Kaprizov. They will look to continue that good fortune on Thursday night when they visit the Montreal Canadiens.

Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes wouldn't make a full proclamation at Wednesday morning's practice, but says he's "cautiously optimistic" Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon will return this week - possible as soon as Thursday's home game against Utah.

Wild coach John Hynes sent a message to his team after a relatively lifeless home loss last Saturday. Hynes put two of his regulars – forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Declan Chisholm – in street clothes for a game in Chicago on Sunday.

The Minnesota Wild passed their first test without star winger Kirill Kaprizov. They will look to continue that good fortune on Thursday night when they visit the Montreal Canadiens. The Wild announced Tuesday that Kaprizov,