Wild Smash Panthers 5-1 For 5th Straight Win
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Devan Dubnyk made 29 saves and five players scored a goal each as the Minnesota Wild won their fifth straight game, 5-1 over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.
Zach Parise, Erik Haula, Eric Staal, Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker scored for Minnesota, which has points in 10 of its last 11 games. Zucker added an assist, and Jason Pominville and Jonas Brodin each had two assists for the Wild.
Roberto Luongo's regrettable history in Minnesota continued as he stopped 12 of 17 shots before being pulled midway through the third period. Luongo is 0-7 and has been pulled in four of his last seven games at the Xcel Energy Center.
James Reimer stopped all five shots he faced in relief of Luongo. Dylan McIlrath scored his first goal of the season for the Panthers, who have one win in their past six games.
Dubynk is 7-0-2 in his last nine games and leads the league in goals-against average and save percentage. Since making his Wild debut on Jan. 15, 2015, Dubnyk leads all NHL goaltenders in shutouts, save percentage and goals against-average while placing second in wins in that span.
The Panthers thought they had pulled within a goal midway through the second period when Kyle Rau scored off Dubnyk's skate. A video review showed Derek McKenzie was offside and the goal was waved off.
Staal scored his seventh goal 67 seconds later to make it 3-0. Pominville passed to a streaking Staal for a breakaway. Luongo got his blocker on the initial shot, but Staal followed by batting the puck out of the air.
Parise opened the scoring in the first period with his first goal in eight games. He has five on the season and three in 11 games since returning from injury.
NOTES: Luongo is 3-12-1 all-time at the Xcel Energy Center. He entered with a goals-against average of 3.21 and .884 save percentage in Minnesota. . Wild D Christian Folin returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a sprained MCL in his left knee. . Florida D Keith Yandle played in his 581st consecutive game, surpassing Johnny Wilson for sole possession of the ninth-longest streak in NHL history. . Minnesota F Kurtis Gabriel had to retreat to the locker room following a first-period fight with Panthers D Dylan McIlrath. Gabriel's jersey ripped nearly the length of his back, splitting the numbers. It was Gabriel's fourth fight in six games since being recalled from the AHL.
UP NEXT
Panthers: The second game of their three-game trip is Thursday in Winnipeg.
Wild: They are at Nashville on Thursday.
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