ST. PAUL-After two weeks away from the Xcel Energy Center, the Wild came up short in their homecoming, losing 1-0 to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.
Flames speedster Johnny Gaudreau scored the only goal of the contest on the power play, and that was enough for goaltender Chad Johnson, who finished with 27 saves en route to the shutout.
Wild center Eric Staal helped create a couple of great scoring chances on the opening shift of the night but couldn't find the back of the net. That sparked the rest of the team as the Wild were buzzing early on.
Still, the Flames were able to weather the storm, and then Gaudreau got loose on the power play. He took a pass near the blue line, rushed into the zone and backhanded the puck far side past goaltender Devan Dubnyk to give his team an early lead.
The referees got in the way in the second period, calling five penalties in total-including four penalties in a two-and-a-half minute span-as neither team was able to establish a rhythm.
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In the midst of the avalanche of penalties, the Wild were 5 for 6 on the penalty kill in the game. That said, its only goal allowed on the power play was the game-winner to Gaudreau.
As the game wound to a close, the Wild pushed hard down the stretch with a desperate flurry and couldn't net the tying goal. Johnson made a number of key saves in the final minutes as the Flames held on for the win.
The Wild play the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at the Xcel Energy Center.
