Slow start and odd colllapse hurt Wild

The Wild suffered its first home loss of the season and once again they found a new way to lose. The start of the game was familiar with the Wild trailing by two goals less than five minutes in. Minnesota scored three quick goals in the second period taking a 3-2 lead but couldn't make the lead last longer than five minutes.

Then in the third period Nashville scored a short-handed goal. It was the third short-handed goal allowed this year by the Wild which is tied for most in the league. Thoughts and links below....

• One thing that excited me during the first two games about the Wild despite the losses was Martin Havlat's supreme ability to pass the puck while drawing defenders. Now it seems that Havlat is not making those high quality passes. There are probably a few reasons for this and things that the Wild and he need to fix. First, the Wild just simply don't have possession of the puck enough. Second, it seems as though Havlat doesn't have players in the play supporting the puck. Such a contrast to watch him rush the puck and have maybe just one guy who is covered working himself into the play whereas when you watch Wild opponents have three to four guys joining the play when one teammate rushes the puck. Last, it is clear that Havlat is now pressing and trying to almost do too much all by himself. Unfortunately it's hard to say that he doesn't have to.
  
• Not to make excuses for the Wild, but they truly aren't getting many breaks. Mikko Koivu got handcuffed on a rebound while staring at an open net. John Scott and company had server whacks at a rebound out front. These two plays seem to find the back of the Wild net. And then Michael Santorelli scores his first career NHL goal on a puck that hits him in the skate while he was being well covered by Zidlicky toward the side of the net.
• Todd Richards is growing impatient and it's hard to blame him. Last night Cal Clutterbuck played five more minutes than Havlat. Kyle Brodziak also played more than Havlat. He decided to not even play veteran Peter Sykora. It would be nice for him to ride with the same lines for a three game stretch. That's asking a lot of if the team were to lose those three games, but I truly think some chemistry at the forward position is an immediate need.
  
• For a team that doesn't have a lot of team speed, dynamic offensive talent and top tier talent, there is no excuse to not be more gritty. They rarely win the battles along the boards and in the corner and sometimes it seems that they are more interested in making it look like they are going after the puck then being dead-set on winning the battle and coming away with the puck.
  
• Similar to the last bullet, for some reason the Wild players seem more interested in looking as if they are in position defensively or covering up guys than actually doing so. Watch a forward try to dangle through a team in the playoffs and you'll see five opponents collapsing on him to take the puck away all while maintaining their defensive responsibility. Watch the Wild and you see guys reaching with their sticks to try to irritate puck carriers rather than take the puck away and gain possession immediately.
  
• Attitude. Simply put, at this time the Wild doesn't have the right attitude.
  

Read AP Game Story HERE
Read Wild.com's Glen Andresen Game Recap HERE
Read Star Tribune's Rachel Blount's Game Story HERE
Read Star Tribune's Rachel Blount's Wild Notes HERE
Read Pioneer Press' Bruce Brothers Game Story HERE
Read Pioneer Press' Bruce Brothers Wild Notes HERE
Watch Full Game Highlights HERE