Minnesota's Xcel Center has ice problems before Game 3

The Minnesota Wild needed to find a way to slow down the Chicago Blackhawks who jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal, but turning the ice surface at the Xcel Center to mush probably wasn't what they had it mind.

Actually it was an overnight power outage in St. Paul that caused the ice surface to soften, but some quick action by the maintenance crew who used backup power when the electricity was off, had the ice back in shape before game time.

Wild players at the morning practice called conditions a bit slow and slushy but with eight hours of additional freezing, it was expected to improve before the 8 p.m. ET start. The ice surface is considered one of the NHL's best-kept and fastest.