It’s been a couple of days since the University of Denver Pioneers shocked everyone in the Frozen Four Championship by taking down the number one Boston College Eagles in a 2-0 shutout win. Most people doubted the Pioneers could get it done, let alone keep the Eagles off the scoreboard entirely; it was expected to be an absolute domination by the Eagles.
The Pioneers came to play, and so did their Minnesota Wild prospect, Rieger Lorenz, who scored to help his team clinch the win. It was their 10th NCAA Championship in team history, and there will likely be many more, but looking back at this game, there are a few things the Wild could learn to incorporate into their game to be successful. Many may wonder how a professional team could learn from a college team, but there are always ways to improve your game, even from younger teams. We’ll look at each item the Wild can improve on, starting with composure.
Wild Need to Be Composed
This season, the Wild often didn’t keep their composure, which cost them. They either ended up in the penalty box or allowed their mental game to be affected and let in a goal. The Pioneers excelled at that in nearly every game they played in the NCAA tournament, especially in their semi-final game against the Boston University Terriers.
One of the things that impressed me the most about the Pioneers was how much they believed in each other and their game. It seemed like they couldn’t be rattled. That belief goes hand in hand with composure, and it’s how they stayed so composed even after allowing a goal to the Terriers, and things didn’t look great. They dug deep and kept pushing until they forced their way back into the game.
Even going into overtime, when your season is on the line, the Pioneers stayed calm and played their game. They kept with their systems and didn’t deviate, and it worked. The Wild tend to get flustered when they go down a goal, and they struggle to get back to their style. That’s something they have to improve on if they want to win next season.
Wild Need to Trust Their Speed
One of the things that set the Pioneers apart was the ability to use their speed. They outskated the Eagles, and frankly, the Eagles were caught off guard. The Pioneers didn’t back off; they continued to get faster as the game went on. That’s something the Wild could do a lot more of; they have a lot of players with speed. The problem is that they don’t outskate other teams even though they could. Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Marco Rossi, Ryan Hartman, and even Mats Zuccarello all can skate around opponents.
However, they don’t trust themselves enough to use that speed, and when they do, they back off too soon. Take Marcus Johansson, for example. He’s fast enough to blow into the offensive zone and attempt to split the defense, but he hesitates, and both defensemen squeeze him out. Although small, he could force himself between them if he stuck with it.
Wild Have to Stay Consistent
The Pioneers didn’t score the first goal until almost halfway through the game. They continued to play their game, which led to their second goal a little under six minutes later. They got the first two goals but didn’t let off their game, which earned them the big trophy. Regardless of the score, they kept playing their game consistently, which paid off.
Related: Wild’s Kaprizov Took Charge in Win Over Kings
The Wild couldn’t figure that out much this season, and it cost them multiple times. They would get a lead, and rather than protecting it and continuing to play the same way that got them the lead, they backed off, which cost them their lead and eventually the win. During the offseason, the Wild must see how consistently other teams play, including the Pioneers, and how it benefits them.
Wild Can Always Learn
Every team can improve its game in some way, shape, or form, and the Wild are no different. After this rough season with many ups and downs, there are a lot of issues to look at, and after watching the Pioneers beat the Eagles, the Wild can incorporate how they played into their game. Hopefully, they can use this offseason to truly improve their game and build it back up to the level they need it to be for success next season.
