|
 Ducks right winger Jakob Silfverberg had a goal and an assist to
help his team snap a three-game losing streak, setting up defenseman
Francois Beauchemin's first-period goal, then scoring his own in the
second as Anaheim's recent domination of the Wild continued.
Minnesota, which has been the NHL's hottest team recently, fell to
1-8-1 in the last 10 games vs. the Ducks.
"It wasn't a great game for us if you're looking for a perfect game,
but it was a character game in that we all hung in together," Ducks
coach Bruce Boudreau said, tipping his cap to goalie John Gibson,
who had 32 saves in the win for Anaheim (43-20-7). "It shows a lot
of maturity for a young goaltender to be able to come into a really
tough building and a loud building when a team is the hottest team
in the NHL and do what he did tonight."
After losses in Vancouver and Calgary, the Ducks salvaged one win on
the trip.
Left winger Zach Parise scored the lone goal for the Wild (37-24-7),
who are 17-4-1 since the All-Star break and play 13 of their final
15 games against probable playoff teams.
"It seems like every time we play them, it's got that feel that it's
one play that's going to make the difference in the game," Wild
coach Mike Yeo said, after Anaheim got its sixth consecutive win in
Minnesota. "Obviously it's not exactly the way we wanted to play,
but there were certainly moments in that game, whether it's on one
side or the other, that we could've grabbed a hold of."
Devan Dubnyk took the loss in goal with 22 saves.
The first period featured only one goal but was not lacking
excitement, starting in the opening seconds when Ducks defenseman
Clayton Stoner and Wild right winger Chris Stewart exchanged words,
then exchanged punches. Both were given major penalties for
fighting.
With under a minute to play, Silfverberg left a perfectly placed
drop pass for Beauchemin, who was just crossing the blue line.
Beauchemin ripped a knee-high slap shot through a screen that sailed
past Dubnyk's glove before the goalie could react.
Minnesota tied it at 1 on a second-period power play. The trouble
for Anaheim began a few minutes earlier when right winger Corey
Perry bumped Dubnyk behind the net and the goalie flopped to the
ice, drawing a penalty. On the ensuing power play, Wild left winger
Thomas Vanek threw the puck at Gibson from a wide angle, and Parise,
crashing hard to the net, swatted in the rebound, which was sitting
loose in the crease.
"It's always a work in progress," said Wild captain Mikko Koivu of
the team's power play, which has struggled much of the season. "You
always want to get better at it. We got one. I thought we got a good
chance early on. We're just not getting many of those right now.
Every time we get it, we need to be sharp, and do the things that
we're supposed to do and just be hungry around that net."
[to top of second column] |
A short time later, with the teams skating 4-on-4, a clearing
attempt by Wild defenseman Matt Dumba was intercepted by Ducks
defenseman Simon Despres, who snapped a shot toward the Minnesota
net. Silfverberg, posted five feet out from the crease, deflected
the shot downward, where it slipped between Dubnyk's knees, putting
Anaheim ahead 2-1.
"It happened really quick," Silfverberg said. "I was kind of
standing all alone in front of the net and he put a wrist shot and I
managed to get my stick on it. Think I tipped it from high to low.
It was a good goal. Tough for the goalie, I think."
Minnesota pulled Dubnyk with 96 seconds to play and got four shots
on Gibson in the frantic final stretch, but could not get the
equalizer. Anaheim is now a NHL-best 27-1-7 in games decided by one
goal.
NOTES: Friday's game was the 500th sellout of a regular-season home
game in Minnesota Wild history. The Wild have hosted 549
regular-season games since joining the NHL as an expansion team in
2000, and have sold out all of their home contests this season. ...
After missing the previous dozen games with a shoulder injury, Ducks
LW Matt Beleskey returned to the lineup Friday. In the 56 games he
played prior to the injury, Beleskey recorded career highs in goals
with 21 and points with 30. ... After he was a healthy scratch in
the previous two games, Anaheim sent D Josh Manson to their AHL team
in Norfolk. Manson has spent 28 games with the Ducks this season,
notching three assists. ... According to Elias Sports Bureau, the
Wild set a franchise record in their 6-2 win over the New Jersey
Devils earlier in the week when 14 different players recorded a goal
or an assist.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
