In the previous five seasons, only once had the Minnesota Wild left California with four or more points; a January excursion in 2016-17 season possibly seen as a holiday from the cold, Minnesota winter. That trip yielded five of six points.
This time, headed to California, the Minnesota Wild were on-form and playing at a level that seemingly shocked a lot of media outlets, who pegged the Wild as outsiders at best for the play-offs, heralding the age-old argument that it’s a young man’s league and the wily veterans can’t compete.
Whilst there is truth to that; see the California examples of the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, the fact is the Wild still play with the intensity and, at times, speed of a far younger side.