This is the fifth post already this week that makes some prominent mention of the Wild or hockey in general. What is going on here? Well, this is what's going on: The Wild is an interesting and relevant team playing a truncated season in which every game matters a lot more than it usually does. Also, we tend to like the hoc-key, even if -- this is something we've never admitted -- we never knew until well into our 30s after having seen countless games (hundreds, surely) that a team that iced the puck couldn't change its players. In any event, we attended last night's Wild game and sat between two maestros in the press box -- Russo with his kinetic hockey energy and Reusse with his one-line pearls of observational wisdom. Having only casually kept up with the team for the first handful of games, here are our three big thoughts from what we saw against Chicago:

1) The Wild finally got some production from its second and third lines (goals in regulation by second-liner Matt Cullen, pictured during his shootout clincher, and third-liner Cal Clutterbuck). That said, we still aren't crazy about the way the lines shape up -- particularly the second line. Cullen, Devin Setoguchi and Mikael Granlund just aren't the right mix. The problem is the first line can't be touched -- those guys are playing at such a high level, even if last night wasn't their best game -- and the third line seems to be developing some nice chemistry. Clutterbuck and Pierre-Marc Bouchard play well together, and Kyle Brodziak is a nice third component. So what do you do? Well, Mike Yeo can be patient and hope the second-liners click on a more consistent basis. He can juggle lines, but again we like the dynamic of the first and third lines. Or the Wild can dip into Houston and see if a forward there can provide a spark. We would be intrigued to see what Charlie Coyle -- a big, power forward -- could bring to the mix. But who would be the odd man out? It's a tough call with no perfect answer.

2) Give Yeo tons of credit for the quick hook on Josh Harding last night. It was clear from the start that he was fighting the puck, giving up a bad-angle goal and getting off the hook when another similar shot rang the crossbar. Yeo pulled him after just two goals allowed -- and the Wild down 2-1, since Minnesota had scored first. The game was still very well in hand at that point. In an 82-game season, we're guessing Harding gets another goal before getting hooked. And maybe the Wild doesn't win that game. But Yeo demonstrated the proper sense of urgency, and Niklas Backstrom rewarded him with a stellar performance that led to two big points.

3) It was not an especially aesthetically pleasing game to watch. The Wild looked gassed about halfway through, playing the second leg of a back-to-back. But there is this: Minnesota overcame a rough start from its goalie, tired legs and a shootout against Chicago's ultra-talented shooters to claim two very important points in a short season. And let's not forget: that was the Blackhawks' first loss of the year after starting 6-0. Very good win.