The Wild have five starters injured, including their starting goaltender and one of their best forwards and defensemen, but now could be the perfect time for them to take on the reigning Stanley Cup champions.

Their 5-1 win over the Panthers on October 22nd is still considered their all-time win of the season, a true testament to how sharp the Wild can be when they execute their style to the fullest, including yours Identity is exactly what the Wild need after an uneven, hectic week that alternated between wins and losses.

“It was definitely one of our better games of the year,” recalled defenseman Brock Faber. “When we are good, it is difficult to play against us. But when we’re like that, it’s really hard to play against us. That was a really big win for us.

“I feel like it got us on the right path and on the right foot.”

Nearly two months later, that effort is still the standard due to the Wild’s precision.

They were machine-like all over the ice, from offense to defense. Although their 22 shots were among the fewest in a game this season, they exploited stunning efficiency, going 1-for-3, 2-for-4, 3-for-7, 4-for-13 and 5-for-14. They didn’t commit a single penalty, keeping Florida’s top players out of power-play contention, and they were stingy in front of goalkeeper Filip Gustavsson: He faced just one dangerous scoring opportunity in the third period.

“If we follow our structure and play the way we’re supposed to play,” Faber said, “we have a chance to win every night.”