The Dallas Stars scored two more power-play goals in their 4-0 win in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round at American Airlines Center on Tuesday, pushing the Wild to the brink of elimination.
Game 6 is at St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday.
The Wild's penalty kill has allowed nine goals on 22 opportunities against the Stars (59.1 percent,14th among Stanley Cup Playoff teams), and they've allowed at least two power-play goals in four of the five games in the series.
Seven of the power-play goals the Stars have scored against the Wild have come without forward Joe Pavelski, who had an assist on one in Game 1 before he was injured on a hit from Wild defenseman Matt Dumba in the second period. Tyler Seguin, who has replaced Pavelski on the top line and first power play, has four goals on the man-advantage in the series.
"I think we have to be smart when we pressure and when we don't," Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau said. "And they have good players, of course, but again, we have to just try to be smarter when to put pressure and not."
It doesn't help that the Wild are missing Joel Eriksson Ek and Mason Shaw, two of their top penalty killers. Eriksson Ek, who's out with a lower-body injury, has played one 19-second shift in the playoffs (in Game 3). Shaw tore the ACL in his right knee on April 1.
On Tuesday, Minnesota lost another penalty killer in forward Marcus Foligno, who was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for kneeing Stars forward Radek Faksa 2:14 into the first period. Faksa returned later in the period.
"Yeah, you feel sorry for the guys," Foligno said. "I mean, we worked hard. We're working hard all series. We're not getting a lot of great calls. You feel like you let your team down, so, yeah, it's a tough feeling coming back in here by yourself and seeing your team down a man the whole game."
RELATED: [Complete Stars vs. Wild series coverage]
It was a tough special teams night all around for the Wild, whose power play went 0-for-3. Part of that was Stars goalie Jake Oettinger denying them on all six power-play shots en route to his second NHL playoff shutout.
"We've talked about their goaltender a lot. He was great again tonight," Wild coach Dean Evason said. "We had some real good looks close, tight in, and yeah, we've got to find ways to score goals not only on our power play but generate some more in-zone [shots]. We talked about it the other night as far as getting to the net and getting in his eyes so that he doesn't see as many as he does because obviously he's in [a zone] right now."
Forward Marcus Johansson said better puck movement would help the power play.
"I think we've got to move the puck a little bit quicker and get pucks to the net," he said. "It sounds stupid maybe, but I just feel like, support each other, move the puck a little bit quicker, and I feel like we'll get enough looks."
But the biggest culprit remains the penalty kill. So how do the Wild fix it before Game 6?
"More desperate there, I think," Foligno said. "Maybe look at more where pressure needs to be put. Go over video, things like that. But, yeah, it's frustrating, two power-play goals to start the game after things haven't gone away with the penalty kill, so go back to the drawing board and work some kinks out."
The Wild are fighting to stay in this series, trying to advance to the second round for the first time since 2015. The penalty kill has been frustrating, but they believe they can turn things around.
"This series isn't over," Dumba said. "Simple as that."
