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Regrets, Wild Players Have a Few

On Friday, Wild defenseman Jake Middleton reflected on the team's playoff series loss to Colorado, specifically analyzing his defensive positioning during Nathan MacKinnon's game-tying goal in Game 5 last Wednesday.
During Game 5, the Wild held a 3-0 lead after a dominant first period, but Colorado rallied to tie the game when MacKinnon scored with 1 minute, 23 seconds remaining in regulation.
Middleton explained the Wild's defensive system mandates defenders stay tight at the net rather than challenging the puck carrier directly, which influenced his positioning during regulation's final moments.
Reflecting on the series at Grand Casino Arena, Michael McCarron, a forward acquired at the trade deadline, said he has thought about a missed breakaway chance "the past 48 hours."
Despite the "lousy" feeling of being on the ice for 13 of Colorado's 24 goals in the series, Middleton maintained he played hard, saying, "There's obviously times that you make a poor decision.

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Wild players have a few regrets after Avalanche series

ST. PAUL — Wild defenseman Jake Middleton was between a rock and a hard place as the seconds ticked down on Game 5 in Denver last Wednesday. With Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood pulled for an extra attacker, Nathan MacKinnon had the puck on his stick in the left circle, and Middleton was the closest Wild player. With MacKinnon on a tight angle, Middleton cheated toward blocking his path for a centering pass, but the Avs superstar center too…

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