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Continued: Vital point vanishes in a flash vs. Wings
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DETROIT - Last summer, Marian Hossa was tendered a long-term contract from the Wild worth more than $8 million annually.
Despite Marian Gaborik's pleading, the Slovak superstar snubbed the dough and instead signed a one-year deal with the freshly anointed Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
Sunday afternoon, Hossa showed even less appreciation by sticking a harpoon into the Wild's season.
With the Wild 54.3 seconds from committing the crime of the century and stealing at least a point from Joe Louis Arena, Hossa scored the winning goal in a gut-wrenching 3-2 Wild defeat.
"They could have scored six goals," said Gaborik, who buried the tying goal with 1:03 left in the second period. "If we didn't have [Niklas Backstrom], it would have been much worse. But to get that close to getting at least a point, it's that much more heartbreaking."
Only mathematics -- not reality -- has the Wild still alive.
"Look at the standings, and you see it," coach Jacques Lemaire said.
The Wild is three points from eighth with three games left, but that's even deceiving because the Wild is on the short end of every tiebreaker.
"To not get anything out of this, it's frustrating. It's tough," Backstrom said.
Backstrom made 41 saves as the Wild was outshot 44-23 (34-11 at one point) by the talent-stacked Red Wings. The Wild had no right whatsoever to be in the game, but Backstrom allowed Minnesota to claw back on goals by Cal Clutterbuck and Gaborik.
But a toenail's length from overtime, the Wild lost all senses during a fatal shift.
Gaborik was first into the offensive zone, which was fine. But Clutterbuck reacted incorrectly, Lemaire said. Clutterbuck should have stayed high but instead joined Gaborik to pressure defenseman Jonathan Ericsson in the corner.
Ericsson made an outlet pass by both forwards, where things turned from bad to worse. Center Eric Belanger lost an edge and fell.
"I still almost intercepted that pass," Belanger said.
The puck reached Pavel Datsyuk along the wall. Defenseman Marek Zidlicky stepped up, and Datsyuk hit Tomas Holmstrom, who had come off the bench, for a 2-on-1 with Hossa.
Hossa whipped his 38th goal over a despairing Backstrom.
"You make three mistakes on one shift at a very late moment in a game," said Lemaire, bristling. "I just can't understand it. It's like we turn the lights off on three guys.
"You've got to think all the time, especially against a team like this. We didn't touch the puck in the first period. So what does it tell you? You better be sharp, especially when you've got a chance to be [in OT]. Wake up, you know?"
Indeed, there were three mistakes, but it was Zidlicky who caused the 2-on-1. This is a mistake Zidlicky has made over and over again this season. He routinely gets enticed into stepping up in the neutral zone, and it almost always results in an odd-man rush.
"The only thing I can say is this is how you play in this situation," an angry Lemaire said. "After that, you've got it in your hands. And then you don't do it, I'm going to say it again. OK? That's all I can do."
The Wild played its best period in the third, holding Detroit without a shot for the first 5 1/2 minutes and having the better of the chances in the final five minutes.
"Too bad we didn't finish," Gaborik said. "[Chris] Osgood was shaky out there. We could have scored a couple more goals on him."
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