ST. PAUL, Minn. _ Before the Wild began a five-game homestand last week, the team felt the stint had the potential to decide the outcome of its season.
That very well may end up being the case but in the meantime, all the stretch has done is shrink the team's margin of error with eight games to go after it was tripped up 3-1 by the Avalanche on Tuesday in front of 18,785 at Xcel Energy Center to remain a point out of the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference.
With the occupant of that spot, the Arizona Coyotes, idle Tuesday, the Wild blanked on an opportunity to jump back into a playoff position _ which they held when this season-long spell at home started.
But by finishing 1-3-1, not only did the Wild fail to capitalize on that chance but the competition behind them in the standings also moved closer since Colorado is just a point shy now.
Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer was steady, and fortuitous, during a 36-save effort propped up by goals from defenseman Tyson Barrie and center Tyson Jost.
The latter came 13 minutes, 4 seconds into the second period to break a 1-1 tie not long after Colorado had a goal disallowed.
Winger Colin Wilson roofed the puck over goalie Devan Dubnyk off a wrap-around amid a scrum in front that included center Carl Soderberg hanging over Dubnyk. The Wild challenged for goalie interference, and the goal was quickly reversed for the team's fifth successful challenge in 10 tries this season.
But minutes later, the Avalanche converted again and this time it counted.
Jost got behind the Wild defense and lifted a rising backhander by Dubnyk.
After that, the Wild had plenty of chances to rally. And winger Jason Zucker was the poster boy for the close calls.
He sailed a backhand in front of an empty net and had another backhand try hit Grubauer up high. One other shot before the second ended trickled through the crease after Grubauer caught a piece of it.
The Wild started the third with leftover power play time, but they couldn't cash in to finish 1-for-3.
Its previous goal came with the man advantage, erasing a one-goal hole the team fell into during the first period.
Colorado hemmed the Wild in their own zone, and their wave of pressure finally culminated in a goal when the team worked the puck out to Barrie for a blistering slapshot at 10:31.
It was the 48th time the opposition has opened the scoring against the Wild.
While the period was still competitive, the Wild's urgency level was higher in the second and it was rewarded.
During an early power play, winger Zach Parise tipped a Ryan Suter shot in at 1:52.
This was the fourth straight game in which the Wild's power play has delivered; it was the fifth goal in that span. The tally was also Parise's second in as many games, his team-leading 26th.
The Avalanche went 0-for-3 with the man advantage. Dubnyk totaled 35 saves. Defenseman Ian Cole added an empty-netter with 1:54 remaining.
Although this was the Wild's last game on the schedule against an opponent currently below them in the standings, perhaps a change of scenery will help the pursuit of a seventh straight playoff appearance.
At 19-15-2, the Wild have had the bulk of their success on the road. This loss dropped it to 15-16-7 at home.
