![Wild-Puck [Minnesota Wild Blog]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__hIm7nMrg7w/SwA6PNYbf4I/AAAAAAAAAKo/tbbkUaYht8s/S1600-R/bannerblog1.png)
There is no question that going on a 5-game winning streak is a milestone for this Minnesota Wild club, considering they dug themselves a huge hole very early in the season by dropping 5 in a row. But our new look Wild are on a tear as of late and the on-ice product has been delivering exactly what Coach Todd Richards said it would when he was introduced as the teams new bench boss. The team is playing an aggressive up-tempo style that is a more exciting brand of hockey to watch, the results of which produced a nice winning streak.
It is not every day that our Wild rattle off 5 in a row, and in fact was last done by the 07-08 version when they started the season hot winning their first 5. So this streak is definitely one to remember. However, as nice as it is to see our favorite NHL team succeed, there are a few things that are a bit unconventional about the way they have gone about posting these wins. First off, you would be hard-pressed to recall another Wild team that gives up the games first goal as often as the current team does. For the season, Minnesota is 7-9-2 when its opponent scores the first goal of the game. But during this 5-game streak, where the Wild have surrendered the opening goal in every game, the team has been perfect and won them all...not exactly a good way to start a game but if the formula works, I guess it works. For the season, Minnesota is 6-3-1 when netting the games first goal. The second stat that goes against a winning wisdom that has emerged during this 5-game winner is that this team has found success in erasing a 2-goal deficit, a sure sign of confidence. The Wild managed a comeback in Colorado, when they were trailing by 2 after the first period, and then stunned the Ducks in Anaheim by not only once coming back from 2-goals down, but did it a second time when Anaheim took a two goal lead mid-way through the final period.
The end result in spite of giving up the games first goal and climbing back from 2-goals down? A five game winning streak.
Score baby
It's a pretty simple formula and one that has proven to be successful so far this season for the Wild. Score 4 goals or more and your chances of winning dramatically improve. Yeah, it's not an earth shattering concept in today's NHL, but worth pointing out because this franchise has always been a goal-scoring-challenged group. But taking a look at what this team has done to date, the Wild have earned at least a point in every game they have netted at least 4 goals, going 5-0-1.
Point streak
After laying an egg early in the season and earning a measly 2 points in the teams first 7 games, the Wild are currently on a 7-game point streak, earning 13 points in its last 7. This is the seventh time in franchise history that the team has gone on a 7-game point streak.
Month-by-month
There is little question that Minnesota is playing solid as of late and would certainly be sitting much higher in the standings had it not been for that horrible start to the season. If you look at the results on a month-to-month basis it is pretty clear that this team has improved steadily over the course of the season.
- October: 5-9-0
- November: 5-3-3
- December: 3-0-0
Koivu's breakout
It seems that every season, Wild Captain Mikko Koivu has another 'breakout' season...and so far this season is no exception. The Finish star, who was the teams top draft pick (6th overall) in 2001, has increased his offensive production every season since he entered the league in 2005. And he is currently on pace to shatter his season career mark in goals (20), assists (47), & points (67).
Koivu's games played & points-per-game breakdown is as follows:
- 05-06: 64 gp/.33 ppg
- 06-07: 82 gp/.66 ppg
- 07-08: 57 gp/.74 ppg
- 08-09: 79 gp/.85 ppg
- 09-10: 27 gp/1.07 ppg
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