Nice win for the Wild the other night.
They blew a two-goal lead with 3 minutes left in regulation Tuesday evening, then beat the San Jose Sharks in a shootout.
That had to feel good after a 1-8-3 slide that saw the Wild go from having the best record in the NHL to the 12th-best record overall and seventh-best in the Western Conference.
What went wrong with the Wild? Why that tailspin?
There have been injuries, and that's a part of it. But just a part.
Here's another part: The Wild still have to learn how to handle success. That is a major step in the evolution of a team, learning and becoming comfortable with winning and the pressures and expectations that come with it.
Look at every successful team in sports. It took time. Teams need to evolve, and that includes players and coaches.
It was surprising when the Wild had the NHL's best record. It would have been even more surprising if they went the entire season with the best record.
They still had -- and continue to have -- some learning to do.
