If the first day was demoralising, there is a strong desire to make amends.
Opener Kraigg Brathwaite was a rock, completing his 15th test 50 and sitting 21 shy of a seventh hundred. He has the gifted Shai Hope with him, on 21.
Add in a richly entertaining 66 from 20-year-old Shimron Hetmyer and New Zealand had to work for their wickets.
Matt Henry was the only one with anything to show for two sessions work. Neil Wagner, the first innings warrior with seven for 39, took a flogging, and finished with 89 taken off 15 overs.
On that, let's just say the Windies aren't exactly shrinking violets when it comes to taking on the short ball.
Wagner clunked both Kieran Powell and Hetmyer on the helmet in successive overs, that after Powell had swung him high onto the terrace at mid wicket.
A hunch here, but you suspect the world will be seeing a lot more of Hetmyer in the next few years.
His shotmaking is exhilarating, the best today when he eased Trent Boult back over his head for six, but he'll take any opportunity to pull the trigger.
"When I am batting I don't think that I score that fast. I just bat until a bad ball is presented to me," he said with unchallengable logic.
New Zealand had their chances, balls falling frustratingly short, or wide, of outstretched hands.
It was a day for some unusual field settings but the West Indies deserved some good fortune for their grit today.
The opening session belonged to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, who became the first gloveman to hit a test century on debut for New Zealand.
His 107 not out was an outstanding effort, over 180 balls, and there was a record 78-run 10th wicket stand against the Windies with Trent Boult to savour as well.
Blundell, a lively, busy type at the crease, took 41 balls in the 90s, but kept his head and got a fabulous result.
Blundell shares one trait with Colin de Grandhomme, with whom he put on 148 for the seventh wicket on Saturday. He flicks his back foot in the air as he plays towards mid on.
He's also got his bat cocked high in his stance, which he reckons got a little out of hand somewhere along the way.
"I don't know how it got up there. It looks unusual but it works for me," he said.
He's preaching patience today.
"There were a number of opportunities (in the field today) and the way the boys are bowling we've got a real possibility to do well".
Brathwaite, who already has one test century against New Zealand, shapes as a key tomorrow.
There's also just a suspicion that if New Zealand can strike early the West Indies may still be vulnerable to a slide.
