ST. PAUL, Minn. _ A goalie change was motioned for, a typical response when a team sinks into a three-goal hole in just a breezy 2 minutes, 22 seconds like the Wild did.
But it wasn't Devan Dubnyk who was getting the hook.
Despite facing zero shots in the period and being in the midst of a recently-minted franchise record for a shutout streak, Ben Bishop was ushered out of duty _ leaving with a lower-body injury.
It looked like just the turn of events that could help the Wild mount a comeback, perhaps the type of statement win that would reclaim the mojo they had just last week. But the Wild ultimately squandered the chance to capitalize on the change in net to fall 4-1 to the Stars on Thursday in front of 18,919 at Xcel Energy Center for the team's third straight setback to remain out of a playoff position.
The Wild have also won just once in their past 10 home games.
That quick outburst by Dallas came early in the second after a scoreless opening period in which the Stars were superior.
The first was a point shot from winger Blake Comeau that was tipped by center Radek Faksa at 4:11.
Only 1:14 later, winger Roope Hintz pounced on a rebound that eventually trickled by Dubnyk and tucked itself just inside the post and over the goal line. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon cleared the puck, causing confusion about whether the goal was legit, but video review confirmed it completely crossed the line.
And on the very next shift, winger Joel L'Esperance was left alone in front to redirect a puck over Dubnyk's left shoulder at 6:33 for his first NHL goal.
The ensuing faceoff was stalled for the switch in net, but it was Bishop who left and not Dubnyk. Bishop had yet to encounter any shots from the Wild that period and made just seven stops in the first, a frame in which he surpassed Eddie Belfour's 219:26 franchise record for longest shutout streak _ getting it to 230:53 before he was removed from the game, a run that included Bishop pitching three consecutive shutouts before taking on the Wild.
Backup Anton Khudobin came on in relief and about a minute later, the Wild registered their first shot of the period.
A power play produced more looks and finally a goal, as winger Jason Zucker put back the rebound off a Pontus Aberg shot at 9:14 in his 400th career game. The goal snapped a 0-for-18 rut for the power play, which finished 1-for-1. Dallas went 0-for-1.
The Wild looked rejuvenated after the tally, skating with more pace and urgency, but it didn't translate that newfound energy into more shots on Khudobin _ who was trying to get loose by stretching during a TV timeout.
In the end, the team tested Khudobin just one more time the rest of the second. Zucker had one of the closest calls that didn't actually end up as a shot on net, cutting to the middle around the Stars but getting taken down before he could wind up.
More pucks reached Khudobin in the third, but none landed behind him and the Wild still went more than 13 minutes in between shots at one point. Winger Alexander Radulov added an empty-netter with 18 seconds left.
Khudobin racked up 14 saves, while Dubnyk totaled 27.
The Wild have scored just once in their last 142:05, a dip that coincides with their three-game slide after a season-high eight-game point streak.
