Mats Zuccarello’s downgraded status adds to Wild’s injuries woes
BOSTON — The wins are coming since John Hynes became Minnesota’s head coach on Nov. 27, but there’s one thing that hasn’t changed for the Wild.
The injuries keep coming.
After missing Monday night’s 4-3 loss at Pittsburgh with an upper body injury, points leader Mats Zuccarello was downgraded from day to day to week to week, Hynes said before Tuesday night’s 6 p.m. puck drop against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.
“It was something that was kind of lingering a little bit, and he just got it checked out this morning,” Hynes said. “So, that’s the report we got.”
Zuccarello has six goals among 28 points in 28 games, the team’s most consistent player, and playmaker, this season. Ryan Hartman took his spot on the second line Monday and scored his first goal since Nov. 4. Vinni Lettieri took Hartman’s spot on the fourth line and scored the tying goal early in the third period.
“Zucc’s obviously a really important part (of the team),” Hynes said. “He has played real good hockey, at least in my experience with him. Here, he’s a big part of the locker room.”
The team’s top veteran defensemen, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, are sidelined, as well. Brodin is on long-term injured reserve after he injured his right arm on a hard check into the boards by Edmonton’s Evander Kane on Dec. 8.
Spurgeon, who missed the season’s first 14 games with an upper body injury, hasn’t played since Dec. 10 in Seattle because of a lower body injury. He remains day to today, Hynes said.
Matt Boldy and Freddy Gaudreau each missed seven games this season with upper body injuries.
“I think that the guys that have stepped up on D have done a good job, and now we’ve gotta get the same effect up front,” Hynes said.
Penalties kill
A large part of the Wild’s 5-10-4 start this season was a penalty kill that ranked last in the NHL with 66.6 percent success rate when Dean Evason and assistant Bob Woods were fired on Nov. 27.
It has gotten better since, but not good enough that the Wild can test it several times a game.
The Wild successfully killed five penalties in a 2-1 shootout victory over Vancouver last Saturday at Xcel Energy Center, spurring Hynes to talk to the team about penalty discipline. Then on Monday in Pittsburgh, the Wild committed seven total penalties and allowed two goals on five Penguins power plays.
“We talked about it this morning,” Hynes said Tuesday.
The message?
“Penalty discipline is one of the easiest ways to beat yourself,” the coach said.
After killing off the Penguins’ four-on-three advantage to start the third period on Monday, the Wild tied the score, 3-3, on a deflection by Lettieri — only to go back on the kill 12 seconds later when Kirill Kaprizov was called for high-sticking.
Sidney Crosby then quickly scored the go-ahead goal.
“It’s not going after them, it’s understanding, ‘Hey, our identity is hard to play against,’” Hynes said. “This is a big component. That’s as important as blocking a shot, taking a hit to make a play, physicality, net-front play. Those are things where you would say we’re hard to play against. Penalty discipline is a part of that, and that’s something we talked about and addressed.”
Briefly
Vinni Lettieri, who left Tuesday’s game in the third period after blocking a shot with his left leg, said after the game is was OK. … Big defenseman Jake Middleton had a career-high five goals in 29 games before suiting up Tuesday night. “What I didn’t know about Jake, just coaching against him sporadically, was his ability to skate. He’s a good skater,” Hynes said.
