The Minnesota Wild finally earned their first win of Round 2 against the Colorado Avalanche. After the victory, head coach John Hynes spoke at the press conference and credited the team’s playing style for the win.

After two tough games at the start of the series, Minnesota answered with one of its best playoff performances and played the physical, disciplined style that Hynes believes helps the team win.

“Hard-fought game. Both teams were extremely competitive. It's more indicative of that's the style of game that gives us the best chance to win”, Hynes said. 

Hynes also feels the break helped players recover, prepare well, and maintain a strong physical performance throughout the game.

“I thought the break would be good for us in between the series. I thought the guys utilized the time wisely and, you know, we put some work in and got some rest and recovery, and it was a performance that would give us a chance to win tonight.”

The Wild lost the first two games in the series. But Hynes said the team played well earlier, too, but finally earned results in Game 3.

“But as I said to you guys over the last couple of days, there are lots of things that we really did like in the first couple of games. We just didn't get rewarded for it. Tonight we were able to do that.”

When asked about the successful penalty kill, John Hynes credited strong defending, shot blocking, and key saves.

“I thought our details were good. You know, and when we had opportunities to block shots, we blocked them, and when we needed to save, we got it. think that was the difference.”

With this win, the series is now 2-1 at the moment, with all to play for both teams. 

John Hynes praises Wild stars, defensive pairings, and team chemistry after Game 3 win

While addressing the media in a PC after the win, John Hynes did not hesitate to praise his players, speaking about some specific ones. When asked about Kirill Kaprizov’s strong response after a quiet Game 1, he praised his competitiveness and impact on the team.

“Yeah, I thought Kirill was extremely competitive tonight and was on his game, so it was good to see him when he does that. You can see the type of impact that he has on the game.”

Talking about Jesper Wallstedt’s bounce-back performance, the coach praised his confidence, consistency, and competitive mindset under pressure.

“He's a competitor, he's got confidence, he's been very solid and I just thought he'd get right back to his game tonight. You know he's proven throughout the playoffs that the moments don't get too big for him.”

Continuing his PC, Hynes praised Brock Faber for his continued growth, highlighting his experience, confidence, and strong play in high-pressure situations.

The pairing of Jared Spurgeon and Damon Hunt delivered solid and effective results together in Game 3, which impressed John Hynes.

With the convincing victory, Minnesota regained momentum in the series and reminded everyone that when the Wild commit to a structured, physical style, they can compete with any team remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The next game will now be played on May 11. What do you think? Will the Wild square the series in Game 4? Or will the Colorado respond with the win and take a 3-1 lead? We shall find out. 

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason