RALEIGH, N.C. _ The run is over.
After going more than three weeks without losing in regulation, progress that lifted the Wild into the playoff conversation, the team finally had its point streak snapped at 11 games Saturday by the Hurricanes in a 6-2 loss at PNC Arena that also nixed the Wild's five-game win streak.
Carolina's top players were the extinguishers.
Center Sebastian Aho scored a hat trick _ including the decisive goal _ and added two assists, while linemate Teuvo Teravainen assisted on three goals.
But the Hurricanes were the ones who fell behind early.
Just 2 minutes, 21 seconds into the first period, the Wild's fourth line capitalized. After losing control of a Marcus Foligno pass, winger Ryan Donato caught up with the puck after it was turned away by goalie Petr Mrazek and Donato buried it for the 1-0 lead.
Clunky play, though, prevented the Wild from growing that advantage, opening the door for the Hurricanes to take over _ which they did.
Lucas Wallmark evened it at 9 minutes on a shot he slung in from the slot before Carolina moved ahead on a 5-on-3 power play. With center Joel Eriksson Ek and winger Jordan Greenway in the box for penalties on the same shift, Andrei Svechnikov redirected in a pass at the back post at 15:02.
Only 4:43 into the second, Aho finished off a give-and-go with Teravainen that started with a Ryan Suter turnover in the neutral zone.
The Wild got that deficit back to 1 by 9:08, after winger Mats Zuccarello placed a shot under Mrazek's right arm off the rush. But Aho retaliated with 4:45 to go in the frame on the power play, directing the puck in as he skated by the crease.
Overall, the Hurricanes went 2-for-3 with the man advantage and the Wild blanked on four chances.
Carolina tacked on a fifth at 12:24 of the third, a point shot through traffic by Joel Edmundson, and Aho completed the hat trick into an empty net with 1:21 to go.
Alex Stalock had 34 saves. Mrazek made 22 stops.
