Wild Come Up Short Against Ducks

ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Wild had their chances but ultimately lost 2-1 against the Western Conference-leading Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead late in the first period on a goal by Francois Beauchemin but the Wild tied the game midway through the second on a power play goal by Zach Parise.

The tie did not last long, as Anaheim's Jakob Silfverberg got one past Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk a little over two minutes after Parise's goal, giving the Ducks a 2-1 lead.

Dubnyk saved 22 shots before being pulled in the final minute of the third period as Minnesota tried to tie the game with a one man advantage.

The Wild peppered Ducks goalie John Gibson with shots in a desperate attempt to tie the game, but Gibson saved each one and the game ended in a 2-1 loss for Minnesota.

With the loss, the Wild fall to 37-24-7 (81 points) and currently sit in the sixth seed in the West -- one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks.

Minnesota has another tough Western Conference test tonight as they play at the 43-19-5 St. Louis Blues tonight.