Depleted Wild can’t finish another three goal comeback against Ducks

October 15, 1:34 AMMinnesota Wild ExaminerCharlie Beattie

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Ryan Carter celebrates with Mike Brown after his second-period goal (AP photo)

The Wild didn’t lose anymore players off their roster on Wednesday night, but team losses kept coming as Minnesota could not climb out of another 3-0 hole against the Anaheim Ducks on the road, losing 3-2.

With Petr Sykora likely out for the rest of the road trip and Cal Clutterbuck placed on IR with a severely sprained ankle, the Wild took a makeshift roster into Honda Center, and their spotty effort wasn’t enough to overcome the team they had beaten in overtime eight days earlier; a win that still stands as their lone victory of the season.

Cory Perry got the scoring going early, taking a bouncing pass from defenseman Nick Boynton at the blue line; he charged past Wild defender Shane Hnidy and put a backhand high over a sprawling Niklas Backstrom at the 1:41 mark.

Perry doubled the lead six minutes later, taking a feed from Bobby Ryan right in front of the net and out-waiting Backstrom for a 2-0 lead. The Wild played flat in the first period, as Anaheim outshot Minnesota 14-8.

Minnesota charged out of the gate in the second, dominating play and setting up several quality chances early in the period. Jonas Hiller, who has been in net for all three Anaheim wins this season, made key saves to keep the lead at 2-0.

Ryan Carter, a native of White Bear Lake and former Minnesota State Maverick, upped the lead to 3-0 with just fewer than 5 minutes to play in the second when he tucked a rebound underneath the left pad of Backstrom. Eric Belanger got the Wild on the board 1:24 later with an excellent individual effort, stealing the puck from the Ducks’ Luca Sbisa and rifling a wrist shot over the glove of Hiller and just under the crossbar.

Minnesota came out flat again in the third period, and three Wild penalties thwarted any attempt to gain momentum towards another comeback. With their net empty at the other end Andrew Brunette scored on a tap in goal with nine seconds to play after Kyle Brodziak’s wrist shot hit Hiller up near the collarbone and stunned the Anaheim goalie. Needing to win a draw at center to set up another play, Mikko Koivu could not beat Ryan Getzlaf and time ran out.

The Wild were unable to generate any momentum on their four power plays. The unit that came into the game 7-21 put only one shot on net.

Andy Hilbert and Nathan Smith were recalled from the Houston Aeros to take the places of Clutterbuck and Sykora. Hilbert played just over nine minutes and Smith thirteen.

The Wild will continue their road trip in Edmonton on Friday night and conclude it in Vancouver on Saturday.