Wild yields 14 goals in 0-2 start with high-powered Avalanche coming to town

No one in the NHL has been scored on more than the Wild.

Trips to the penalty box outnumber their goal celebrations while their own net has been tumultuous, what with their starting goaltender already getting pulled.

Oh, and the Wild haven't even reached their toughest assignment of this season-opening four-game homestand.

That's on Monday when the reigning Stanley Cup champion Avalanche stop by Xcel Energy Center to rekindle their Central Division rivalry with the Wild.

"We've got a good Colorado team coming in with a high-end offense," Mats Zuccarello said. "So, everybody's got to look at themselves and say, 'Am I doing enough defensively out there? Am I happy about myself?'

"I don't think as a team we can be happy right now."

As important as it is to remember the Wild have played only twice, the results so far are biting.

This is the first time in franchise history the team has given up seven goals in back-to-back games, and none were empty-netters. After getting overwhelmed 7-3 by the Rangers on Thursday, the Wild made a bolder comeback attempt against the Kings on Saturday but still fell short 7-6.

Los Angeles, Columbus and San Jose have also given up a league-high 14 goals, but they have all logged more games than the Wild.

"We're trying to get out of it, and you push a little hard and you get maybe on the wrong side of things," coach Dean Evason said. "We know how we play the game for the most part. We've just got to get back to that."

What stung the Wild vs. the Kings was their letdowns kept happening soon after they scored.

After the Wild shrunk a 3-0 hole to a one-goal deficit in the first period, Los Angeles answered 1 minute, 45 seconds later. In the second, the Kings were even quicker, capitalizing 58 seconds after the Wild moved to 5-4. But they saved their best response for last: Just 31 seconds after the Wild pulled even at 6 in the third period, the Kings served up the game-winner.

"Too many swings up and down," said Sam Steel, who had that sixth equalizer for his first goal with the Wild. "Just a lapse and they're back up."

But those weren't the only momentum battles the Wild lost.

Like in the opener, the Wild sunk into penalty trouble, especially early, and Los Angeles converted twice on the power play. Four of the Wild's seven infractions on Saturday were trips and another was a hook.

There were in-game adjustments, like juggling the forward lines. And more change could be on the horizon.

Mason Shaw was recalled from the minors on Sunday after being one of the final cuts at training camp.

Perhaps the most intriguing decision the Wild must make, though, is who starts in net next.

Marc-Andre Fleury was relieved Saturday before the second period, leaving after he surrendered four goals on 14 shots, including a point-blank puck from the blue line.

"Just want to get this over with and stop thinking about these stupid goals," Fleury said. "Just win a game for this team and do well."

Fleury has stopped 38 of 49 shots overall. Filip Gustavsson, in his team debut, made 17 saves on 20 shots from Los Angeles.

"He's probably like everybody," Evason said of Fleury. "He's probably trying to do a little bit too much and sometimes when you do that, you get a little out of position and you're not yourself."

Fleury said he hoped to be back between the pipes against the Avalanche, who have racked up the second-most goals in the NHL over the past three years.

"Just try to put it behind me as quick as possible and get back on the ice and stop some pucks," Fleury said. "Just put in the work. That's all I've got to do."

He was talking about himself, but that also could be how the Wild are thinking.