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.

I just think we need a little bit more there,” John Hynes said prior to the game in Chicago, noting that he had spoken to both players on Sunday morning to let them know of the lineup changes.

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.

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.

During the fracas, Minnesota goalie ... but the Wild response to the hit left their coach disappointed. In some frank postgame words for his team, John Hynes sought more pushback from his players.

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.

Minnesota Wild fans no longer want to hear about the injuries that have plagued the team since December. However, Minnesota didn’t immediately win when Jared Spurgeon and Kirill Kaprizov returned to the lineup before Kaprizov’s latest injury.

On their seventh try, they finally eluded Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek 5 minutes, 43 seconds into the first period when Spurgeon sent the puck past Mrazek’s blocker after a 4-on-2 rush for the Wild. Marco Rossi factored into the play to pick up an assist on the Wild’s past four goals, tying a team record for the second time this season.

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,