Ducks, 3 vs. Wild, 0

After scoring 11 goals in their last two games, the Wild decide to lay an egg before heading out to Chicago. There were numerous missed opportunities by the Wild, but the officiating in the game was horrid, and might have mentally cost the Wild the two points. After a Zidlicky shot rang the post, and Koivu failed to put the rebound in the net, there was a scramble in front of the Ducks net which eventually lead to Owen Nolan putting the puck in the net. The refs blew the call dead, and the goal was waved off, citing that they (the refs) has lost sight of the puck. Watching the replays, it's obvious that none of the Ducks players nor Hiller had secure the puck and it was still lose in the slot. A couple of plays later, almost the same type of scenario happens, this time in front of Nik Backstrom. Ducks players were crashing the net, the puck was out of sight, but this time no whistle. It just infuriated me watching this, especially with the refs right in front of Backstrom and the net, and not blowing the play. Backstrom had the puck under him for a good 10 seconds before the refs blew the play, and yet when Hiller clearly hasn't frozen the puck on the other end of the rink in a similar play, the play is then dead? I still don't understand it, because Hiller himself even says he didn't have the puck, only that it was "close" to him...UGHHHH! Even Backstrom's POed...I'm done ranting about that play.

The Wild didn't play an extremely bad game, though it wasn't spectacular by any means. The powerplay really hasn't been clicking as of late, going 0 for 4 tonight on powerplay opportunities, and 2 for 27 in the last five games. The powerplay hasn't even been getting high percentage scoring chances, being kept on the perimeter most or the time, or not even being able to control the puck in the offensive zone to get a shot on net. But it wasn't just the powerplay that wasn't clicking, Bouchard missed on a breakaway, Miettinen missed a wide open net, and a lot of fanned shots and shots into blockers for the Wild.

Well another missed opportunity to move up the playoff ladder...on to the next game.

Notes:
• Eric Reitz was the Wild's lone scratch of the night.
• Andrew Brunette left the second period with 15:27 left on the clock after going into the end boards awkwardly. He laid on the ice for a while, and was then helped off by the Wild trainer and Koivu and Clutterbuck. It looks to be a serious leg injury, but we'll see if the iron man will be back next game.
• The Wild are 1-6-1 against opponents who are on the backend of back to back games..
• The Wild are 1-1-1 on Hockey Day in Minnesota.

UP NEXT: Monday vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 7:00pm CT