"If you want to make people believe you're a playoff contender rather than a pretender, you can't lose to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets are dead last in the NHL by 11 points! Yet the Wild, after five good games in a row, took a step back Tuesday night when it got outworked and outclassed during a 3-1 loss at Nationwide Arena.

Only Niklas Backstrom's 34 saves kept the score from being totally one-sided.

"We have to understand that we're playing playoff hockey right now," coach Mike Yeo said. "And I don't think we played that game like that. You play playoff hockey, you play like every play is the difference. There was too much complacency in our game. We need desperation every shift by every guy.""