Judging by the hundreds of Minnesota Wild sweaters, hats and hoodies seen in the rink and on the streets surrounding Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, it was proven once again that Nashville is a place that folks love to gather. For Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury on Saturday night, the get-togethers in Music City — specifically in and around his crease — were a problem. The Predators handed Minnesota a 6-2 loss, in which way too many of Nashville’s goals were the close-range kind that leave teams searching for answers on defense. On Sunday, at a hotel in Denver, Wild coach John Hynes relayed that message in some detail. Rather than ranting and raving, Hynes and his assistants took the time to offer constructive solutions. The Wild responded on Monday afternoon against Colorado by playing one of their most complete defensive games of the season in a 3-1 win over the Avalanche. “You’ve gotta stay together in it, and that was what we talked about is we’ve got to find solutions, how we can play better and how we’re gonna give ourselves a chance to win (Monday) and that’s what it is,” Hynes said, outside the winners’ locker room at Ball Arena. “You’ve gotta work together as coaches and players and it’s our job to come up with a plan and not just point fingers on it. We’re all in it together. And then you need to count on those guys to understand it, accept it, and then come out and execute it, and they certainly did that.” Minnesota had a quartet of power plays in the first 40 minutes, which helped, but it was still shocking to see Colorado, with all of its dangerous quick-strike offense in the form of stars like Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar (who have combined for 58 goals in their first 49 games) held to just five shots on goal through the first half of the game. Fleury joked that he was getting cold and lonely in the crease, while praising his defenders for their work in making his job easier. “We just put Nashville behind (us) quickly and regrouped,” Fleury said, after he tied Martin Brodeur for the most seasons with 10 or more wins by a goalie in NHL history with 20. “We know they’re a good team and a big challenge for us. I thought we played so well, controlled the puck a lot, we didn’t just give it away, played smart and didn’t give them much.” While the Wild scored on two of their four shots in the third period, the Avalanche expectedly made a furious push, pulling their goalie with more than three minutes left in the game, and getting 16 shots on Fleury, all of which he stopped. Minnesota nearly made it 4-1 when Joel Eriksson Ek’s 190-foot shot at the empty net from the far goal line hit the post. Eriksson Ek had been penalized three times in the game, and a goal would have given him some redemption for the infractions. “I told him he had a hat trick tonight,” Hynes joked. Wild prospect Stramel honored by Big Ten The final chapter will likely be written in the NCAA playoffs in March or April but, for now, the story of Minnesota Wild prospect Charlie Stramel’s decision to transfer from Wisconsin to Michigan State at the end of last season is looking like a tale of success. Stramel, 20, was named the Big Ten’s second star of the week on Tuesday after the junior from Rosemount, Minn., posted two goals and an assist in the Spartans’ 4-1 win over arch-rival Michigan last Saturday. Through his first 24 games with Michigan State, the Wild’s first-round draft pick from 2023 has 21 points, which eclipses the 20 points he accumulated in his 67 games as a freshman and sophomore for the Badgers. Stramel’s work at center with a big frame and his willingness to go to the net-front are fueling some of the success he is having. “Getting to the inside is big,” said Stramel, who is listed as 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds. “You don’t score a lot of perimeter goals in this league. You’ve got to make sure you’re getting to the inside.” Gophers forward Jimmy Snuggerud was named the conference’s first star of the week after a three-goal weekend in a home split with Notre Dame. Snuggerud, who is from Chaska and was a first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2022, leads Minnesota in goals, assists and points. “He’s hitting a new gear right now, no question, and it’s fun to see,” Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. “His game is maturing right in front of our eyes to another level.” Related Articles Minnesota Wild | Afternoon is mostly a delight for Wild Minnesota Wild | No late letdown this time, as Wild pull away from Avalanche in the third Minnesota Wild | In Nashville, hero to villain to hero again for Wild’s Yakov Trenin Minnesota Wild | Another early lead fades in Nashville as Wild lose third in a row Minnesota Wild | Tennessee-Minnesota connections abound when Wild and Predators meet