Rested and refreshed, Wild prepares for playoff push

Zach Parise took his kids outdoors and enjoyed the nice weather. Devan Dubnyk hung around the house and tried to get over being under the weather. And Mikko Koivu did his best to simply rejuvenate and re-energize for a final push that'll determine if the Wild makes the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

"You don't realize that when you just play and play, when you do get two days off, it feels like a week," the Wild captain said after Wednesday's energetic practice following a stretch of eight games in 13 days and 15 games in 27 days.

John Torchetti lauded the Wild's jump and competitiveness in Wednesday's practice. The interim coach had just given his team a rare two days off in a row to get ready for Thursday's home game against the Edmonton Oilers, a key upcoming three-game road trip and a final 15 games in 31 days.

Koivu and Parise both said players looked refreshed.

"We've been playing a lot lately, and we're going to play a lot coming up," said Parise, who welcomed the couple of days off to rest an upper-body injury that caused him to miss a recent road trip to Philadelphia and Washington. "I think it's going to be beneficial."

Added Dubnyk, "It was a good opportunity to take a breath and get ready because we have to do it all over again now."

A big focus in Wednesday's practice was special teams. The Wild's power play continues to climb thanks to 18 power-play goals on 78 chances over the past 21 games (23 percent). But its penalty kill has given up eight power-play goals on 14 chances over the past eight games and 16 power-play goals on 47 chances over the past 16 games.

"It's about the next one. Nothing we can do about [the other kills]," Koivu said. "We know we're capable of playing good PK. It's a matter of building that and learn from mistakes and work as a unit."

Sunday against St. Louis, Torchetti scratched veteran Jarret Stoll, who had been on the ice for 10 of those goals, and used skilled players such as Parise, Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund on the kill.

Torchetti used to coach in Chicago. He said using top players on the kill will continue, and he used the fact the Blackhawks use players like Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa on the kill as a reason why.

Parise rarely has played on the penalty kill since breaking a foot defending a St. Louis power play two years ago.

Parise said Wednesday, "I've always liked to kill. I don't know if we're going to keep it like that moving forward, but they told me that they wanted me to do it."

Parise, whose game has appeared hampered for more than a month due to an injury, has one goal on 56 shots (3.1 a game) in his past 18 games. But he's still making plays, as evidenced by his 11 assists in the past 14 games, including some great setups for goals by Coyle.

Still, Parise showed his frustration by smacking his stick over the bench after a shootout miss Saturday in Buffalo.

"You're trying to make the right plays at the right time," Parise said. "I've missed a couple good chances the last few games. That's the way it goes, but yeah it's been tough."

Torchetti told Parise not to get frustrated.

"He's getting chances and he's getting good looks and it'll come," Torchetti said. "His work ethic's been great. I love the way he's working with the puck, without the puck. Second and third efforts for loose pucks. It'll come.

"Great players, it's going to happen and it's going to be streaky and it's going to be a lot."

In the meantime, the Wild, 8-4 under Torchetti, could be without heating-up Jason Pominville as it begins its playoff push Thursday. The veteran right winger strained a left leg muscle in Buffalo and missed Wednesday's practice. He has played 231 games in a row, tied with Kyle Brodziak for the second-longest ironman streak in Wild history.

The Wild, which has two games in hand on the Avalanche, fell out of a playoff spot and two points back of Colorado with its win over Anaheim on Wednesday night.

"We're in a good spot," Dubnyk said. "I like the way we're playing. I think we all like the way we're playing right now. To be in control of whether or not we're going to make the playoffs is a good place to be. If we win our games, we don't have to hope for anything."