Wild motivated but fall short in potential playoff-clincher versus Jets
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- For more than two months, the Minnesota Wild played with desperation, facing each upcoming game as a must-win situation while climbing from 12th in the Western Conference in January to the West's wild card lead by the middle of March.
Monday's game against Winnipeg offered another bit of motivation. A Minnesota win in regulation would have clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive season. The Wild were eager for their game against their budding rivals from the North.
But Minnesota didn't channel its energy the same way it had during its NHL-best second-half run.
"I do feel that we went into the game with a lot of emotion, and I don't know that we necessarily controlled it in the right way," Wild head coach Mike Yeo said. "I felt that there was some tension tonight in our game. I think that was kind of how you explain some of the rolling pucks and missed plays that just seemed to be happening. It was a pretty even game, but obviously we didn't do enough."
The Jets were a motivated bunch, as well, fighting for their own playoff lives. Winnipeg benefited from a questionable early power play, after Minnesota forward Chris Stewart was penalized for roughing. The Jets scored on the ensuing power play, as Blake Wheeler's shot went off defenseman Marco Scandella's skate and the Wild eventually lost, 2-0.
The momentum Minnesota had with a five-game winning streak heading into last week's four-day break has dissipated with three home losses in the past three games, one coming in a shootout.
Wild forward Zach Parise said he doesn't feel the team lost any desperation during the four-day break.
Asked if he's surprised the team is in a tenuous situation as it heads on the road after earning one point in three home games, Parise responded:
"Compared to where we were four months ago? We still control where we finish, so I think we'll all take that."
Instead of clinching a playoff spot at home, the Wild will finish the regular season with three road games. A win at Chicago, Nashville or St. Louis would likely be enough to secure a playoff berth.
"We got to win, so we know that," Minnesota's Thomas Vanek said. "Sometimes I think this team's better in a must-win situation. Maybe it's good for us to get back on the road where we, I don't know, I guess don't get so pumped up before, and don't start so well. Again, it's a tough road trip, but we know what we have to do, and that's win a few games. So, we'll start tomorrow."
The Wild play at Chicago on Tuesday in the second game of a back to back. Minnesota has won a franchise record 10 straight road games.
Yeo knew his team would be excited for Monday's win-and-in playoff scenario and believes it contributed to the slow start.
"I tried to guard against that," Yeo said. "You come into a game like this and you have to make sure that you put the result that you want behind you and you just put everything that you've got into the game and you're focused on that. I could tell that we were ramped up, right from the start. You need to play the game with emotion, but you have to make sure that you're controlling it, too."
The early penalty on Stewart and ensuing goal by Wheeler added to the tension. Yeo said the team previously was "unflappable" and "tonight we didn't necessarily have that." Yeo didn't want to use the early call and goal as an excuse and believes his team should have overcome the tough break.
Monday was the first time the Wild have lost by more than one goal since Jan. 19 against Columbus and the first time they've been shut out since Nov. 26. The three-game losing streak is the first since Minnesota suffered a six-game losing streak in January.
Goaltender Devan Dubnyk was acquired the day after the last of those six losses and Minnesota has the best record in the league since. Now the Wild head back on the road facing near must-wins again.
"I think that going through it and feeling it tonight is important for our group, and we felt that tension before," Yeo said. "Other times we've handled it better. But this is a group that's faced a lot of those games, whether it's this year. You can always rely on your past experience. Even some of our young players, we've played in these types of games, whether it's a Game 7 or two years ago, we had to play our last game of the year and win to get in, but we've faced similar situations before and we should know what to expect."
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