2009-10 Game Fifty-Nine: Wild 2, Coyotes 3

Sometimes, the bounces just don't go the way you want them to. That seems to be the case relatively often for the Minnesota Wild, and that was certainly the case against the Phoenix Coyotes, as the winning goal was scored on such a bizarre shot that Niklas Backstrom never even saw the puck. But that's the way it's been against Phoenix this season, as the Wild failed to secure even one point from a team that they had previously dominated year after year.

Of course, the loss makes things even trickier for the Wild when it comes to post-season play. Minnesota firmly believed before this homestand started that they would need to come away with at least eight points in the five games. After getting blanked in the standings by the Coyotes, the Wild need to string together two wins against tough teams to have a ghost of a chance. They currently sit five points back from the current #8 team, and the closest they can get before the Olympic break is one point out. Odds are not good, and odds are even worse that, should the Wild sneak into the playoffs, they'd be able to win a series. True, they are a better team than their record shows, thanks to a very difficult opening month to the season, but they aren't a team that should be expecting to lift the Cup this season. One more loss on this homestand, or an ability to figure out how to win away from St. Paul, will solidify the Wild's position regarding the trade deadline.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. For a guy who had been injured with a bad back, he played pretty well. Backstrom bounced back, and held the Wild in the game, even after they let off the gas. The game-winning fluke goal might just haunt him for awhile, though.
- Marek Zidlicky. The Wild defenseman was more reward than risk against Phoenix, and helped start the play that created the Wild's first goal.
- Fast start. The Wild jumped out to a fast start, and they looked set to make things a blow-out right away. Good energy and pressure from the very first shift of the game was rewarded under five minutes in, when the Wild took the lead. Too bad they couldn't hold it.

Game minuses:
- Pressure. The Wild started the game strong, but didn't keep applying the pressure after taking their early lead. They allowed Phoenix to get their legs under them, and then the Coyotes took control.
- Passing. The Wild simply passed the puck far too much. Instead of taking shots when they were open, the Wild kept looking for the highlight reel play. Ugly goals are worth just as much as pretty ones, and the Wild need to start looking at more ugly goals if they want to play in the NHL's "second season".
- Phoenix. Face it, for the first year ever, the Wild just didn't know how to handle the Coyotes, so playing against them again had to fill fans with a sense of dread. The Coyotes swept the season series, and won each game in regulation, keeping the Wild from getting a single point out of the series. Thankfully, Minnesota won't have to worry about Phoenix again until next season.

Next up: The Wild will try to correct the ship once again, and do so against an Eastern Conference opponent. The Wild have fared well against the East this year, and they look to continue that trend against the Atlanta Thrashers, who seem to be engaging in some spring cleaning of their own.