Wild happy to have more practice time

TUESDAY'S STORY LINE: As games and miles traveled added up for the Minnesota Wild in December, something had to go: practice time. And with it went the team's hot streak, replaced by nine losses in its last 10 games. As the Wild usher in the first week of January, they have two games on the docket and four scheduled practice days. After their loss to Phoenix on Saturday, coach Mike Yeo said he was looking forward to having more time to practice. "There will be no excuses for not having practices or having enough rest this month," he said. "There's space between games that we can get better as a team here. The next practice is going to be hard." As promised, Monday's practice was intense, lasting almost 80 minutes, but the players didn't seem to mind. Forward Darroll Powe: "It has been a tough schedule the past month with all the travel and all the games. It is always good to get out there and have some good practice time." Forward Matt Cullen: "Things have(slipped) a little for us. The way that we have played isn't as strong as we like to be or need to be. It is a great for us to get back to work." The Wild spent a good amount of time Monday working on the power play, something that has plagued the team all season. Minnesota has a 15.2 percent power play success rate, which ranks 20th in the NHL. Cullen said working on special teams is important, but practicing even the most basic fundamentals will be important. "There are some things we need to clean up," he said. "It is basic things -- being sharp with the puck and sharp with the passes and sharp with our systems." HE SAID IT: "It was a great experience to play at Fenway Park -- a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was a great day for the family and friends. It was something I was very fortunate to be a part of." -- Powe on playing in the 2010 Winter Classic as a member of the Flyers