Without Josh Harding in net, the Wild continue to struggle, as Niklas Backstrom once again gave up three-plus goals in Minnesota’s 4-1 loss in Philadelphia.
With the loss, Backstrom has now dropped seven straight games in net, and has given up three or more goals in all five games he’s played this month.
The good news for the Wild is that head coach Mike Yeo said Harding could return to the team as early as Friday for Minnesota’s next game against Winnipeg.
On this night however, goaltending wasn’t the only issue for Minnesota.
Without winger Zach Parise, who missed the game with a lingering lower-body injury, the Wild once again put up just one goal, tonight supplied by Mikael Granlund in his second game back with the Wild after missing nearly a month with a concussion.
But Wayne Simmonds scored twice, the final an empty-netter to seal the win, while Claude Giroux and Luke Schenn also added goals for the Flyers.
The Wild have now dropped five of their last seven, and will have to wait until Friday to get back into the win column, when they travel to Winnipeg for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
