Canucks searching for answers as offence sputters in loss to Wild

Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom (32) falls over Vancouver Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin (22) during second period NHL hockey action at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. Monday, March,18, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks'offence continues to sputter.

The Canucks failed to score more than two goals for the eighth time in 10 games as Vancouver lost 3-1 Monday to the Minnesota Wild.

Though they scored seven in last week's win over Nashville, Vancouver's offensive opportunities have not been turning into goals.

“We scored seven in Nashville so we know we can score,”said Canucks'captain Henrik Sedin, who had Vancouver's lone goal Monday.“We also to have confidence in these types of games, where it is a 1-1 tie going into the third and be able to win those games. Right now we aren't getting the wins or points the way we want to. We have to keep grinding away.”

Vancouver is 3-6-2 in their last 11 and went 11 games without scoring a power play marker until Sedin swept a rebound from a Jason Garrison point shot past goalie Niklas Backstrom.

Breaking the power play slump, however, was cold comfort for Sedin.

"At least maybe we'll stop getting questions on it, that's a good thing (about scoring on the power play finally), but if it doesn't mean getting wins it doesn't mean anything,”said Sedin.

Vancouver outshot the visitors 36-25, including 10-8 in the third, but failed to convert on their chances.

The Wild took the lead in the third off a Charlie Coyle deflection and then Matt Cullen added insurance off an odd-man rush created by a defensive breakdown.

“I don't think we gave up a whole lot of chances,”said Sedin.“But when you go down 2-1, you tend to be a little more aggressive on the forecheck and you might give up a little more than you usually do. We played a good 60 minutes.”