Wild can't capitalize vs. shorthanded, lowly Oilers

The game plan was simple.

With the Edmonton Oilers playing without four of their regular six defensemen yet stymieing teams of late on the back of goaltender Cam Talbot, the Wild was instructed to get pucks deep and pound Edmonton's blue line with a physical forecheck.

The Wild instead ignored that gameplan, turned pucks over constantly, got into a track meet with the fast, skilled opponent and took a big hit in the standings by losing, 2-1, to a squad vying for yet another lottery win.

"We didn't want to commit to that, and we were trying to make passes through three guys, and then when we got over the blue line, it's a 3-on-3, and we're still trying to make a pass through guys," interim coach John Torchetti said.

Connor McDavid, the fourth No. 1 overall pick selected by the Oilers in a six-year span, scored the winning goal with 7 minutes, 29 seconds left after gaining a step on defenseman Jared Spurgeon and beating Darcy Kuemper.

"You're kind of at an awkward angle, coming in fast," McDavid said. "The goalie doesn't really know how to play that, I don't think. Probably should have been a save, but we'll take it."

Kuemper, who denied McDavid on a shorthanded breakaway in the second period, got the nod for an ill Devan Dubnyk. Kuemper made 23 saves but gave up the winner on a stoppable shot late in the third period for a second straight start.

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"[McDavid] was reaching and was still able to get pretty good wood on it against the grain. Not many guys can do that," Kuemper said. "It surprised me a little bit and kind of snuck in between my arm and my pad."

Torchetti said he knew it "wasn't a great shot, but we shouldn't have allowed it." It came after an offensive-zone faceoff that could have been won had Thomas Vanek won his battle with Andrej Sekera. Zach Parise tied the score at 1-1 in the second on an offensive-zone faceoff play, Parise's second goal in 19 games and first at home since Jan. 10.

"We have to get hungry in that area, and win that edge battle," Torchetti said.

Speaking of hungry, playing a chip and chase game requires effort and a willingness to play a hard game in the dirty areas. This is not the first time – old coach or new – that the Wild didn't commit to get pucks deep when an opponent clogged up the neutral zone or stood up at the blue line.

The Wild's not the biggest team, nor the most physical. Asked if it's just not in his players' makeup to commit to this type of game, Torchetti said, "We have to. Moving forward, we have to. It's my job, [Friday] morning, to let us know right out of the gate. I'm going to show some film, and say, 'this is not how we play,' and go from there.

"We can't be learning lessons like that now. We should be playing playoff hockey now. We have to make sure that we're committed to it, and moving forward, if certain guys don't want to get it deep, then they'll sit."

The Wild, 21-4-1 in its past 25 against Edmonton at home, is 2-8-3 at Xcel Energy Center in the New Year. This loss hurt. The Wild, with 14 games left, remained two points back of the idle Avalanche for the West's eighth and final playoff spot. The Wild has played one fewer game than Colorado and opens a three-game road trip Saturday in Montreal. The Avs open a four-game road trip Saturday in Winnipeg.

"We know it's going to be a dogfight," defenseman Ryan Suter said. "We've put ourselves in a tough position here and we know it's going to be difficult to get in the playoffs. We can get in the playoffs. We have the team that can. We just need to play better."