ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Edmonton Oilers played with an edge and an eagerness to snap out of their slump, taking full advantage of a sleepy start by Minnesota in a 4-1 win that snapped a six-game losing streak.
The Wild sure could use some of that same urgency.
And their head coach let them hear about it.
"There's some guys out there that just are a shell of the players that I've known for 2 1/2 years," Bruce Boudreau said followin the Wild's fourth straight loss
Joel Eriksson Ek had the Wild's lone goal 2:50 into the third period , one encouraging sign for a team that just lost captain, center and defensive stalwart Mikko Koivu to a season-ending knee injury . Eriksson Ek was recalled from the AHL to take Koivu's place, and coach Bruce Boudreau limited his compliments to Eriksson Ek and fellow youngsters Luke Kunin and Kyle Rau.
As for right wing Mikael Granlund, who has just two goals in his last 37 games?
"I can't go out there and hang on his back and follow him up like a close-talker and say, `Hey, shoot the puck!' He's a smart enough player," Boudreau said.
The Wild, who are clinging to seventh place and the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, have 57 points for their lowest total at the 54-game mark since the 2005-06 season.
"There's some guys out there that just are a shell of the players that I've known for 2 1/2 years," Boudreau said.
Minnesota's momentum from Eriksson Ek's goal was wiped out less than three minutes later. Jason Zucker checked Edmonton defenseman Kris Russell hard and sent him hurtling face first into the left post, angering the Oilers and drawing an interference penalty the Wild disputed. Twenty seconds into the power play, Draisaitl pushed the lead back to two for his eighth goal in the last six games.
Zach Kassian, who also had an assist, scored on an empty-netter after the puck skipped out to him following a denial of Granlund on the other end by Talbot.
With a snowstorm swirling outside all day and keeping some fans away, the energy in the arena was already substandard. Then the Oilers took the lead on the first shot on goal of the game, when Darnell Nurse stepped into a pass from Connor McDavid and let the puck fly from the top of the left circle past goalie Devan Dubnyk's glove.
"This was the quietest that I've heard it in the first period, ever," Boudreau said, "but we didn't do anything to excite them, either."
The Oilers started the day in 12th place, but they're now only three points behind the Wild, who have yet to make clear to new general manager Paul Fenton whether they're contenders this season or not.
"Everyone wants to be here in this room and win, but if we keep putting up efforts like this, it's pretty easy for the GM to make a phone call," right wing Marcus Foligno said.
NOTES
Eriksson Ek has three goals in 36 games this season.
UP NEXT
The Wild play at New Jersey Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon in New York against the Islanders.