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.

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.

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.

The Montreal Canadiens will welcome the Minnesota Wild at the Bell Centre tonight and Martin St-Louis' men will try to avoid a fourth loss in a row while facing legendary goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for one last time at home.

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.

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

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.

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 even keel favored by Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes is more traditional. Minnesota Gophers coach Bob Motzko likes to say that in college hockey, you get three kicks of the garbage can ...

The Wild brought a 14-3-1 record on Hockey Day Minnesota into Saturday’s game versus Calgary. Hockey Day Minnesota will stay in the Twin Cities’ outer ring suburbs a year from now, with the outdoor rink at the United Heroes League complex in Hastings hosting dozens of outdoor games over the course of a few days in January.

The Minnesota Wild are trying to stay atop the West, a mission that will be easier if Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon return 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.