ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Ducks are not doing themselves any favors in the final few weeks of the regular season, and their Pacific Division title hopes coming to an end might be the least of their problems.
Hunter Haight got his first career goal and rookie Jesper Wallstedt auditioned for action in the playoffs with 35 saves, as the Minnesota Wild finished their regular season by handing the Ducks a 3-2 loss on Tuesday night.
Mason McTavish scored on a power play in the first period and again on a tip-in with 45 seconds left for the Ducks, who clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 during an off night on Monday when Nashville lost to San Jose.
The Ducks (42-33-6, 90 points), who have one game left in the regular season, are 1-6-2 in their last eight games. They can no longer win the Pacific Division after Tuesday’s loss and could still fall to the second Western Conference wild-card spot, which would mean matching up with Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado in a best-of-seven first-round series.
The Ducks haven’t won a playoff series since a second-round victory over Edmonton in 2017, though that’s two years more recent than Minnesota’s last postseason advancement.
Danila Yurov and Robby Fabbri also scored for the playoff-bound Wild (46-24-12, 104 points), who have won 21 of their past 22 games against the Ducks, including eight in a row.
Wallstedt, who is second in the NHL in save percentage, went 18-9-6 in his debut and has given the Wild plenty to consider for a potential postseason goalie rotation with Filip Gustavsson. Wallstedt allowed only 12 goals over his last six starts.
The Wild, who rested 10 regular skaters, giving Haight, the team’s 2022 second-round draft pick (No. 47 overall), an opportunity as the second line center in his eighth NHL game. He ripped a shot from the slot in the second period to get on the board.
The Ducks opened the scoring with a power-play goal 10:27 into the first period. McTavish handled the puck in the middle of the left circle and unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that beat Wallstedt.
Minnesota evened the score at 1-all with 3:18 remaining in the first period. After the Ducks committed a turnover in their defensive zone, Yurov got the puck in the right circle and took advantage by scoring on a wrist shot.
Haight put the Wild on top 2-1 midway through the second period. Nick Foligno handled the puck behind the net and passed it toward the slot for Haight, who fired a shot just inside the right post and into the net.
Haight, 22, grinned wide as teammates celebrated with him along the boards after his first goal, which came in the ninth game of his rookie campaign.
Minnesota made it 3-1 with 6:57 remaining in the third period. Fabbri spotted a loose puck near the front of the crease and tapped it across the goal line.
The Ducks cut the deficit to 3-2 with 45 seconds left. McTavish deflected a shot by Mikael Granlund for his second goal of the night and his 17th of the season.
More to come on this story.
UP NEXT
The Ducks play at Nashville on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT to conclude the regular season.