Wild improve offensive onslaught in decisive win over Rangers
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Back in net for the first time in five games, Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubynk had little time to settle in before facing a penalty shot.
Dubnyk stopped an old teammate just 49 seconds in, then Mikko Koivu and the rest of the Wild took any further pressure off Dubnyk.
Dubnyk made 21 saves in his return to action after missing four games with a groin strain. Koivu had two goals and an assist, scoring for the third straight game for Minnesota in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
"It's not ideal," Wild coach Mike Yeo said of the early penalty shot. "He hasn't been in the net for a while and we spot them a penalty shot early in the game. So, welcome back. But obviously that's a huge save for us."
The Wild allowed just five shots by the Rangers in the first, however, and Matt Dumba, Jason Pominville and Chris Porter also tallied for Minnesota, which earned a point in its ninth straight game (6-0-3).
New York lost starting goaltender Antti Raanta in the first period when he was hit in the forehead area of his facemask by a slap shot from Wild defenseman Marco Scandella. Raanta allowed one goal on four shots in 6 minutes, 11 seconds.
New York coach Alain Vigneault said Raanta has a head injury and the team will call up a goaltender for Friday's game at Winnipeg.
Henrik Lundqvist relieved Raanta and stopped 27 of 31 shots.
"I didn't face so much in the first, so that was good," Lundqvist said. "But it's awfully tough to come in like that. In the first, after that, I think you're in it. I played good in the second but in the third I just need to be better. That fourth one's a killer and I know that comes down to focus and I was surprised by the shot."
New York defenseman Keith Yandle got the penalty shot, but Dubnyk made a glove save on the attempt. The two played together last season in Arizona.
"I've seen that move a couple times from him so I was ready for it," Dubnyk said. "I actually didn't think he was going to do it because he scored on me once that way in practice in Arizona. I kind of stuck my glove out there to try to protect from it and was preparing for something else. It's a dangerous move, unless you know it."
It was the lone instance of Dubnyk being tested early.
The Rangers' first shot on goal other than the penalty shot came more than 13 minutes into the game. New York had scored at least four goals in three of their last four games, but Minnesota's defense continued its recent string.
The Wild have allowed nine goals in their last eight games, and just six in regulation during that span.
Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper have played a big part in goal. Kuemper went 3-0-2 with a 1.32 goals-against average and .943 save percentage in place of Dubnyk. Dubnyk's own shutout streak stretched to 165 minutes, 23 seconds before Dominic Moore scored his third of the season with just nine seconds left in the second.
Minnesota, meanwhile, continued its offensive onslaught. The Wild had scored two or fewer goals in six straight games before Tuesday's 6-2 win against Vancouver.
"Now it's been going in," Koivu said. "For sure we want to score as much as we can but at the same time I think we've been good defensively. That allows us to be good offensively as well."
Ryan McDonagh scored in the third for the Rangers, who have lost four of five.
"We're going into the third period a lot of times trailing," Vigneault said. "When you're trailing you've got to try and open things up a little bit and it's cost us."
Notes: Jarret Stoll made his Minnesota debut against the team which waived him on Tuesday. The Wild claimed Stoll, the 12-year veteran and two-time Stanley Cup winner, this week after he was waived by New York. He played 29 games in his first season with the Rangers. . . . D Dan Girardi (knee) missed his second straight game for the Rangers. C Derek Stepan (broken ribs) missed his 10th game. D Kevin Klein (strained oblique) missed his eighth game. Stepan and Klein could return Friday. . . . Wild C Erik Haula was scratched for the first time this season with Stoll joining the lineup.
