The Minnesota Wild were outshooting the Tampa Bay Lightning through two periods Thursday evening, but a third period 4-on-4 goal from Steven Stamkos sent them to their second loss in three nights.
Josh Harding once again started in net for Minnesota, with Niklas Backstrom still not ready to return from a knee injury, and stopped 27 Tampa Bay shots, but Minnesota’s offense put up just the lone goal for the second straight game.
Minnesota committed six penalties, one of which was a double-minor on Matt Cooke for a high stick that drew blood on Ryan Malone. The Lightning scored on their first power play, Tyler Johnson putting away his second of the year in the first period, and despite a tripping call on Tampa Bay that evened out the four minute Lightning power play in the third, Stamkos scored via the 4-on-4.
Minnesota’s only goal was scored by Mikko Koivu on a cross-ice pass from Nino Neiderreiter, Koivu’s first of the year.
Tampa Bay iced it with an empty-net goal late in the third to make it a 3-1 final.
The Wild are back in action Saturday against the Florida Panthers at 6 p.m.
