from Craig Custance of ESPN,

It's only the early stages of the second half of their schedule, but the Minnesota Wild are very much aware that time is running out. If they want to get back into a playoff position organically without having to rely on a crazy winning streak, they need to consistently churn out points.

They felt like they left at least one point on the table during Monday night's loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Another pointless game on Tuesday against the Red Wings would have been a disaster heading into the break. That's what makes their shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings at least a little encouraging. They overcame a 4-1 deficit to squeeze out a point on the road. They again outshot their opponent, but the realization is setting in that possession and shots aren't enough. They need to find ways to score and for one night they pulled it off. It's a small step in the right direction for a talented team dangerously close to a wasted season.

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