Does Home Ice Really Matter For Wild In Playoffs?
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Wild just want some good news.
They may have received some on Wednesday in regards to Zach Parise, but they're still searching for that magic of the first half of the season.
Zach Parise was not at practice Wednesday after taking a high stick to his eye. It was a scary moment, but the head coach delivered good news in that the injury isn't serious and that he should be back soon.
"A little sore in his upper body but I don't think he's going to be out for a long period of time," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I don't think he's going to play tomorrow but at the same time it wouldn't surprise me if after the weekend he's ready to go."
Wednesday, Boudreau was into a detailed practice to get his team back to the fundamentals.
"A real hard-working practice. We were out there for 35 minutes or so and got a lot accomplished on just little stuff," defenseman Matt Dumba said.
They do believe, even in defeat, they are playing better of late.
"The fight we had, the emotions we had on the bench and just the energy we got from the crowd, I think it all builds," Erik Haula said.
Then there is the question of playing for seeding. It seems to consume conversations between Wild fans these days. But is there really that much difference between home ice and playing on the road in the playoffs when the difference between No. 1 and No. 8 seems to be razor thin in this league?
That's the way you have to see it right now, but it's also an NHL truth right now.
"It doesn't really matter. You look at the seeding right now, there's no easy match-up in the first round," Chris Stewart said. "The parity in the league right now is probably at an all-time high."