Wild on brink of elimination after Game 3 shutout

The Minnesota Wild are on the verge of elimination in their Stanley Cup Qualifying Series after a 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday afternoon.

Game 3 started quietly for both teams as the Wild and Canucks skated to a scoreless tie heading into the first intermission. In the second period, both teams had their opportunities to draw first blood as the game was called tight on both sides.

As the Wild continued to pack the penalty box, Vancouver was the first team to capitalize, taking the lead on a power-play marker by Burnsville native Brock Boeser to put the Canucks ahead.

As the two teams skated to the third intermission, the Canucks got another early goal heading into the third period as Antoine Roussell scored his first goal of the series to put the Wild in a 2-0 hole.

From there, the Wild just couldn't capitalize on their opportunities, which included seven power plays. With Minnesota unable to put one past Jakob Markstrom, who stopped all 27 Minnesota shots, Elias Pettersson tacked on another goal late to finish off the Wild.

The loss makes Game 4 an elimination game in the best-of-five series for the Wild with puck drop scheduled for 9:45 p.m. on Friday night.