Yeo takes time to help struggling Zidlicky

WEDNESDAYS STORY LINE: Josh Harding, who has been spectacular in his last two starts for the Minnesota Wild, will get the nod Thursday night against Vancouver. Harding allowed one goal on 73 shots in the back-to-back games against Detroit. "You have to go with Hards in that situation because he has played two great games," coach Mike Yeo said Wednesday. "You have to reward him for one, and two, when a goalie is feeling like that and playing like that then you give him a chance." Yeo stressed that regular goalie Niklas Backstrom, who has a 2.30 GAA in eight starts this season, has played "great hockey" for the Wild. The coach doesn't think there is a goalie controversy and believes Harding has earned the opportunity to start in net once again. "When you have good players playing really well, you like that when you have to make those decisions," Yeo said. Yeo could also have a tough decision to make on defense tomorrow or Saturday. Clayton Stoner, who has missed the past two games (finger), practiced Wednesday and looked "really good," according to the coach. Yeo has been happy with Stoners play when he has been in the lineup, but the Wild defense gave up only one goal in two games against Detroit without the injured Stoner. "It would be hard, obviously those guys have done a pretty good job the last couple of games," Yeo said. "We will decide on that, but, yeah, those are good decisions to have." OTHER NEWS: Yeo and veteran defenseman Marek Zidlicky had a long talk on the ice during practice today. Yeo, who meets with his players on a regular basis, downplayed the conversation. "It happened on the ice today, and I dont want it to be a big story because I do that every day with different players," Yeo said. "We have to help players, we have to help players to be in the right mind frame, we have to help players to have the right emotional balance going into a game, where they are ready to go out and feel good about their game and execute the right way and play their game." KASSIAN ON WAIVERS: The Wild placed forward Matt Kassian on waivers Wednesday. The team intends to send him to Houston if he clears waivers. Kassian played in two of Minnesotas first 11 games. HE SAID IT: "He wants to do well. Any time you have a guy that wants to do well and cares about his team, that is a lot easier for you as a coach, and he really wants to do well. I am not sitting here saying he has played bad. I think that we can find another level with him. In fairness to him, I think we made things a little difficult on him bouncing him from first power play, second power play, right side, left side. In fairness to him, I think we have to do more to try to help him get to his game. It is our responsibility as a coaching staff to try to pull the best out of him because of his upside and what he is capable of." --Yeo on Zidlicky