Wild Looking for Statement Victory Over Islanders

The Minnesota Wild are one of the few teams in the playoff race that are struggling. With fellow Western Conference squads ike the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, and Colorado Avalanche all rolling as the playoffs approach, the Wild are standing alone as they figure it out.

The Wild are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games, and it's dropped them down to the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They take on the New York Islanders in their next contest, and it's a chance to get back on track and send a message to the rest of the conference.

The Wild have struggled offensively since injuries took forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek out of the lineup. They currently rank 26th in the league in goals per game, averaging 2.70 per contest. While they are one the most stout defensive teams, allowing the 13th lowest goals per game in the NHL, it's not enough to counteract their lack of scoring punch.

In the absence of Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek, Matthew Boldy and Marco Rossi have become the go-to players. With the postseason looming, Boldy and Rossi must be their absolute best against the Islanders. The Wild haven't put together a commanding victory in weeks, but a star performance from Boldy or Rossi would go a long way.

Otherwise, the pressure continues to fall on starting goalie Filip Gustavsson. He's been excellent lately and handling the pressure with success, but this style of play is unsustainable. Gustavsson has allowed two goals or fewer in six of his last eight starts and frequently carried the team to victory in those starts. But when he's unable to steal a game, the Wild cannot carry him in return. Other teams know this, and with some determination and patience, the Wild eventually break down.

The Wild season is ending in the first round unless they can turn their offense around. Yes, having their top two forwards back would benefit the entire lineup, but they have to make do without them. That's why they need players like Boldy and Rossi to carry the lineup against the Islanders and make a statement win that can give them a blueprint for victory in the postseason.