There are some things that work perfectly in theory, within the sport of hockey, and other little things that crumble under the pressure once you put on the context of emotions, momentum, and performance.
I’m not going to start spouting off about The Mental Game like I’m a motivational Instagram account run by a multi-millionaire, but there might just be something to it when it comes to the Minnesota Wild’s goaltending situation and the decision to rotate through the tandem more than a regular team would.
Usually you have your starter and then the backup to handle just the back-to-back games or some other sprinkling of single matches, but for the Wild it’s been just simply trying to find a groove while going back and forth between the veteran Cam Talbot and the post-hype prospect Kaapo Kahkonen.