The NHL's three-day Christmas break begins Wednesday, but for a handful of struggling players, it began a day early.

Forwards Erik Haula and Justin Fontaine and defenseman Nate Prosser were scratched Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"It's not like we're quitting on these guys," coach Mike Yeo said after Tuesday's morning skate. "It's not like we don't believe in them. It's just a means to try to get them in the right mind frame."

Fontaine has scored one goal in his past 13 games and Prosser is minus-9 and hasn't had a plus game in the past 15.

Haula was scratched for the first time this season. After 15 points in 46 regular-season games and seven points in 13 playoff games last season, Haula has three goals and one assist this season and is minus-5.

"He has the ability to create offense. We've seen his speed be a factor. We have to find a way to make it more of a factor again this year," Yeo said. "But the way he earned his way into the lineup and how he was successful was the defensive part of his game. When you look at probably the best hockey he's played in the Colorado series, he had one singular focus and that was to shut a very important line for the opposition down.

"He brings something different to the table than a lot of the other guys that we have and he's a very valuable part to our group when he's on top of that part of his game."

Haula said the first 2½ months have been disappointing.

"There's areas I can do better at. I definitely have more to offer the team," Haula said. "I've got to let it go here and enjoy the couple days we have off and come back with a great attitude and let that first half go and finish strong.

"My game is to move my feet, play good defensively and win my battles," Haula said.

"… I don't think I'm a minus player. Defensively I think I can play against anyone and that's one area where I have to clean up."

Curry recalled

Nothing's ever surprising when it comes to Wild goalie health, so it was hardly a surprise when minutes before warmups the team announced John Curry was recalled from Iowa.

Niklas Backstrom, the scheduled starter because of Darcy Kuemper's recent home struggles, had been battling the Wild's latest sickness (a stomach bug) for a week. It finally knocked him from the lineup and Kuemper got the start.

Kuemper had been yanked in four of his previous five home starts, so earlier in the day, Yeo said, "He just needs to shut the brain off for a couple days, not think about hockey and get recharged and excited to come back [after the break]."

Kuemper had to quickly turn that brain back on and think about hockey, especially during a terrible first half of the opening period by his teammates. Philly unleashed the game's first eight shots. By the 9:33 mark, the Flyers already had a 2-0 lead.

Granlund, Bickel play

Center Mikael Granlund, who missed Saturday's game because of a stomach bug, returned and Yeo dressed enforcer Stu Bickel at wing. He logged 4:50 of ice time.

"It's been pretty comfortable for other teams to come into our building," Yeo said Tuesday morning. "When there's a thought or presence of you might get hit or it might be a tough, physical game, it's a little bit more difficult to execute, you're not quite as quick to go back and retrieve a puck, you're not quite as willing to go to the hard areas."