"For 65 minutes Saturday night, the Wild continued to build a case that they're returning to the form that rocketed them to the top of the NHL standings earlier this season. They played fundamentally sound hockey in their zone, commanded the game in the third period and came back from a one-goal deficit to secure a point in a building in which they haven't won since 2003.

But in the regular season, the league decides tie games with this pesky proceeding called a shootout. It's an annoyance to purists, but based on what Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the All-Star Game last month, it's not going anywhere. And right now, it's a problem the Wild need to solve.

They lost 2-1 to the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center because their fine effort was dictated by a shootout. When their entire team was on the ice, the Wild controlled the game, outshooting the Stars 34-26 and giving up just six shots after the second period. They didn't allow a 5-on-5 goal, got stellar play again from Dany Heatley, Kyle Brodziak and Nick Johnson, and goaded the Stars into nine giveaways.

It was an effort that probably deserved a victory. The Wild got a consolation prize.

"To get one point is big," Heatley said. "I think we felt like we deserved two." "