Just 84 seconds from an uplifting shutout win to take Brett Hull Jerseyinto the All-Star break, the Minnesota Wild got a potentially big power-play opportunity.What happened next epitomized the midseason skid that has become the norm for this team in five years under coach Mike Yeo.The Wild gave up a http://www.officialbluesteamshop.com/Womens_Youth_Brian_Elliott_Jerseyshort-handed goal and went on to lose 2-1 in the shootout to Arizona on Monday. The defeat, leading scorer Zach Parise said, was ''probably as tough as you're going to see.''With a seven-day stretch without games, the Wild have a welcomed respite from the ice. The mystery, once again, will be whether they can play up to their potential upon return.''It's no secret. We've got a great team in here. Every team goes through little dips throughout the season, so it's just about getting http://www.officialbluesteamshop.com/Womens_Youth_David_Backes_Jerseyout of it,'' said goalie Devan Dubnyk, whose misplay allowed the Coyotes to tie the game with 73 seconds left after the Wild held a 24-6 shots advantage through two periods.The Wild have lost seven of Connor McDavid Jerseytheir last eight games to finish 3-7-3 in January.''It seems like we go through it all the time,'' forward Charlie Coyle said, ''but I don't think we're the only team to go through this.''More than two-thirds of the NHL, in an average season, experience at least one losing http://www.officialoilersteamshop.com/Womens_Youth_Connor_Mcdavid_Jerseystreak of five games or longer. The Wild have been no exception, with two such skids in 2014-15 and one in 2013-14. They recovered in time to make the playoffs both times, of course.Considering this pattern, then, there's a pertinent question about how much these slumps truly matter.''We do have a tendency sometimes to make things a little more difficult on ourselves than we wish we did,'' Yeo said. ''But this is another opportunity to fight through some adversity, to build as a team, to get through hard times. And those are things you have to do in the playoffs. To take another step as a team, you don't do that in the regular season. You can set yourself up a little bit. But it's done in the playoffs, and so we have to get there.''This is the NHL, easily the streakiest of the major sports leagues with a tournament that's more winnable for teams that aren't the top seeds than in baseball, football or basketball.
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