Column: Ducks let Wild slip past them 3-2 in overtime

Little has gone smoothly this season for the Ducks, who have battled through injuries to half their defensive corps, six of their top forwards, and their backup goaltender. A Friday that began with an air of optimism because injured centers Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler participated in the morning skate and are on track toward returning to the lineup ended with a head-shaking 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild at Honda Center, leaving the Ducks still out of a playoff spot 30 games into their season.

Wild defenseman Matt Dumba scored on John Gibson 3 minutes 43 seconds into three-on-three play, dropping the Ducks’ overtime record to 0-3. They’re 2-7 in overtime and shootouts combined. They’ve earned points in four straight games (1-0-3) but they’ve let a lot of points slip away, and defenseman Cam Fowler vented his frustration over that.

“It feels like we’re tentative,” he said of the team’s overtime performances. “I don’t want to speak for the other guys. For me, we just can’t seem to create any offensive chances. We’re just playing with the puck, we’re changing, we’re trying to manage the puck, and one breakdown and it seems like it’s in the back of our net right now. So it’s something that we’ll look at.”

They must remedy it soon. “Whatever we’re doing right now is just not the answer,” Fowler said. “We need to figure out a way to at least push the pace offensively, at least create some sort of scoring chances. It seems like we’re on our heels a lot. We still end up giving up a chance in overtime and for whatever reason it’s always finding the back of our net.

“I know it’s not as bad as it feels right now. I’m just frustrated but I think it’s something that we need to address.”

The Ducks played a good first period and scored the first goal on a shot by Kevin Roy that slipped under the pad of Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk at 9:17 of the period. But in the second period, according to coach Randy Carlyle, “we started to get too cute,” and they lost the lead on goals by Newport Beach native Jason Zucker off a nifty backhander as he cut toward the slot, and by Zack Mitchell on a rebound two minutes and nine seconds apart. “We allowed them to take control of the hockey game and it cost us two goals,” Carlyle said. “We were trying to play the soft way and that wasn’t working very well.”

Still, the Ducks managed to pull even at 13:35 of the third period on a goal by Adam Henrique, who was acquired in a trade with New Jersey on Nov. 30 to compensate for losing the experience and skill Getzlaf and Kesler have long brought to the lineup. Henrique continued his strong play by taking a pass at the left post from a falling Corey Perry and catching Dubnyk leaning the wrong way, allowing Henrique to score his third goal with the Ducks. He has points in each of the five games he has played for his new team and six points in that span.

Help is on the horizon for the depleted Ducks, who are 7-7-3 at home and 12-11-7 overall. Getzlaf, who had a lower-body injury early in the season and suffered a broken facial bone after being hit in the face by a puck on Oct. 29, is closer to returning than is Kesler, who essentially had to learn how to skate again. Getzlaf, who has been ordered to wear a protective visor when he suits up, is scheduled to accompany the team on a six-game trip that begins next Thursday in St. Louis.

“I’d play tonight if they let me. I feel good,” Getzlaf said after the morning skate. “There’s obviously going to be some bumps and bruises and things to build through when you come back off a layoff like this, but you can’t really do that until you’re in a game. I can do anything I want out here. Once you get in a game things are different and the minutes and stuff add up. I’ll just do my best to prepare and be ready to go when they say I can.”

Kesler called his participation in the morning skate “another milestone” in his recovery but cautioned he’s not close to being able to play. “I’m feeling better. I still have some things to work on and it’s probably going to be a bit of a slow process but there’s really no time frame still. It’s still after Christmas,” he said.

“It’s always fun getting back with the guys and skating with them. And for me it’s a huge step. I still have a long ways to go. We’ll see. Every day is a challenge. Every day I still push myself to the breaking point and I’m trying to get back as fast as possible. It’s just not moving as fast as I’d like. But it is moving.”

His recovery can’t move fast enough for the Ducks.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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