Postgame Hat Trick: Flames 1, Wild 0

Dan Myers gives three takeaways from the Wild's 1-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center:

1. The Minnesota penalty kill was busy on Tuesday night, facing a season-high six opponent power plays.
Johnny Gaudreau of Calgary (6-10-1) scored the game's only goal on the Flames' first power play chance of the night.
After that, Minnesota was stingy on the PK, killing the rest of Calgary's man advantages despite giving up few quality scoring chances.
"We killed the whole second period. It just kills the flow, kills the bench. It's tough," said Wild forward Eric Staal. "But we battled and continued to try and play. [Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk] was good. The stuff we gave up, he was there and then kept us alive to try and tie it in the third."

2. The Wild (8-6-1) was into heavy metal on Tuesday, twice hitting the post on great scoring chances.
In the first period, it was Jason Zucker ripping a shot off the right post on a rush opportunity.
In the second, defenseman Mike Reilly wheeled around the net and fired a snap shot off the right post.
It was a tough night to miss those opportunities in what ended up being a low-scoring affair.
The general consensus in the Wild dressing room afterward was that the team didn't do enough to create quality scoring opportunties, especially second chances off rebounds.
"It's still a one-goal game [late]," said Wild forward Zach Parise. "You still have a chance to get a shot and tie the game up, so we we were still right there. I just think the game as a whole, we gotta be a lot better."

3. The Wild hosted an emotional Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night.
It began with Wild players wearing lavender warm-up jerseys that will be auctioned off later this month. Fans donated money at cash registers by rounding up their purchase or naming a donation amount at Xcel Energy Center concessions stands and can continue to at all Hockey Lodge locations through the rest of the month.
Fans also donated new and unused pajamas, all of which will be donated to local pediatric hospitals. During the game, fans held up "I Fight For" placards displaying the names of loved ones battling the disease.

Loose Pucks

• Parise returned to the lineup after missing the past five games with a lower-body injury.
• Dubnyk made 26 saves.
• Flames goaltender Chad Johnson stopped 27 shots for his first shutout of the season and fifth of his career.
• Attendance: 19,048

He said it

"I need my money." -- Wild coach Bruce Boudreau when asked if he wanted to comment on the officiating

They said it

"I just thought he was so steady. We started off probably the first four minutes where we were a little shaky until we settled in and he was so calming. It had an effect on our guys and you saw how well he played. I thought we got going a little bit too in front of him after those saves, so it kind of worked together. He just played such a calm, composed game, and that helped our group." -- Flames coach Glen Gulutzan on goaltender Chad Johnson

Three stars

* Chad Johnson
\\ Devan Dubnyk
\\* Johnny Gaudreau