ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild wouldn't need much time to identify a theme for their first half of the regular season — unfazed ought to do it.
In a fitting finish to their 41st game, the Wild reached the midpoint of the schedule in taxing fashion by fending off the St. Louis Blues 6-4 for their fourth straight victory on Tuesday night.
“Even if we’re up or even or down, I think we just keep playing,” defenseman Jonas Brodin said. "To do that, I think that’s really good. We've just got to keep doing it the rest of the season.”
Minnesota (26-11-4) kept pace with Central Division leader Winnipeg, staying two points behind the Jets with one game in hand. The Wild have the fourth-best record in the NHL, after missing the playoffs last season with largely the same roster. One key difference in 2023-24 was a lack of resiliency when injuries and slumps came their way.
“The vibes are high. Everyone’s feeling good,” defenseman Jake Middleton said.
With Brodin leading the way with a career-high 33:02 of ice time, the second-most by any player in the NHL this season, the Wild managed to outlast a late surge by the Blues with contributions from everywhere in the lineup.
Defenseman Brock Faber, the runner-up for the Calder Trophy last year for the league's top rookie, departed in the first period with an upper-body injury. That meant more minutes for Zach Bogosian on the first blue-line pair with Brodin, with captain Jared Spurgeon sidelined by a lower-body injury.
Flanked by the second forward line of Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek and Ryan Hartman down the stretch with a one-goal lead, Brodin and Bogosian were a two-man wrecking crew in front of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury during a supersized shift to end the game. Johansson's empty-netter with 36 seconds left gave the Wild a 6-4 lead and a much-needed deep breath.
“That six-man unit to end the game was special to watch,” said Middleton, who returned from a 10-game absence due to an upper-body injury with a goal and an assist.
The defensemen combined for three goals and two assists. Brodin, who led the team with four blocked shots, was justifiably proud of the effort.
“It’s fun to be playing those situations, too, like when it’s on the line. I love to play those minutes. That’s what you dream of when you’re a kid, play those tight games and those shifts. I love it,” Brodin said. "You forget you’re tired when you’re on the ice.”
So what's the recovery plan?
“I don’t know. Maybe order a pizza or something," Brodin said.
Wild coach John Hynes had no update on Faber's condition after the game, but Brodin and his blue-line boys will surely be ready for more role upgrades after the first half they've experienced. Brodin missed 10 games earlier this season himself.
Up front, star left wing and leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov is still out with a lower-body injury that has cost him six games and counting. Earlier this season, Eriksson Ek and another top-six forward, Mats Zuccarrello, missed 29 games between them.
“You can go one of two ways when you hit adversity, and we’re choosing to rise to the occasion," Bogosian said. "That’s what we need to do.”
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
