FYI: Tuesday morning update -- Wild only has a meeting today, so it'll resume practice Wednesday, meaning Brent Burns' first practice with the team is scheduled for Wednesday.

Another game, another four-goal deficit, another near-comeback, another road loss.

The Wild has made a habit all season playing from behind, and in fact rallying from one or two goals down. In three of the past six games, the deficit's have gotten to four. Once it accomplished the comeback. The last two, no dice.

The Wild, after sweeping a four-game homestand, was swept on this three-game trip. All three games, the Wild didn't show up early, even though the start was not as bad tonight. But the second, the defense again was atrocious as the Wild continues to falter on the defensive side of the puck.

Niklas Backstrom was chased tonight after giving up four goals on 15 shots. Josh Harding and Todd Richards stood up for the goalie who's given up three or more goals in eight of his last 10 starts and seen his save percentage dip to .901 and his goals against average rise to 2.76.

"We weren't ready to go," Harding said. "Seems like the last couple games we haven't been ready to go. Backy's been getting hung out to dry. I think everybody knows that. We need to play harder for him, harder for each other." I'm not going to go all over the dirty little details. You can read the gamer. The Wild got what it deserved again, which explained the tense, tense dressing room after. The Wild's the worst road team in the NHL, losing a league-high 17 in regulation. If it doesn't make the playoffs, play outside of Minnesota will be the reason. There's 32 games left. The Wild will likely need 95 points. It's got 51. Do the math. It'll need to win 22 probably. It better be spotless at home. Josh Harding showed some emotion tonight, getting into it with 50 seconds left in the second period with agitator Steve Ott. I figured somebody would challenge Ott for elbowing Petr Sykora in the head in November. Never thought it would be Harding though, ha. Truth be told, Harding just felt like he didn't want Ott sitting on him and refusing to get up. So he began throwing at Ott. "Goalies can have emotions, too," Harding said. "If somebody was sitting on you while you were trying to write a story, you'd get a little mad, too. A little anger came out." It took that to rile up the Wild, because it finally showed some emotion in the third. It didn't score on the power play Harding drew, but it cut it to 4-3. Said, Cal Clutterbuck, "To see him battling like that definitely makes you want to go out and fight for him. Problem is we should do it right off the hop, not after Hards punches somebody in the face." Harding made all 14 saves, and is 31 for 31 in three relief appearances for Backstrom. Dallas is one team that may be interested in Harding at some point. I'm told the Stars like Harding, and it's becoming more and more apparent that Dallas' future will be without Marty Turco. There's not really a goalie of the future inside the organization right now. Antti Miettinen had his seventh career 3-point game. Mikko Koivu scored his team-leading 14th, but it was for naught. Martin Havlat now has at least one point in 16 of his last 20 games since Dec. 1 with 22 points (6-16=22).

Marek Zidlicky 13 points (1-12=13) in the last 14 games. The Wild has now allowed the game's first goal in three straight games, 7 of 9 games in January and 23 of its last 31 contests. Was outshot 40-13 in the first on the road trip.

Some good news: Defenseman Brent Burns was medically cleared to begin practice. However, Todd Richards made it sound like he'll bring the team in for meeting and video Tuesday and practice Wednesday, so Burns' first on-ice session with the full team appears to be Wednesday.

If the Wild doesn't practice, you'll likely hear from me next on Thursday as Brian Stensaas has Wednesday's practice. Russo Radio on KSTP Wednesday at 6 p.m. though.