Canucks' Nilsson tops Wild with second shutout
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Jake Virtanen scored his second goal in as many games in the third period as the Vancouver Canucks closed a long road trip on a high note, beating the Minnesota Wild 1-0 on Tuesday.
Virtanen's initial shot was blocked by Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon, but the Vancouver top-line right winger gathered his own rebound and snapped a wrist shot just inside the far post to end a defensive battle in just the second home game of the season for Minnesota.
The Canucks (5-3-1) got 29 saves from goalie Anders Nilsson, who has two shutouts in three starts this season. Vancouver went 4-1-0 on their five-game road trip.
The Wild (2-3-2) got 24 saves from goalie Devan Dubnyk but were blanked for the first time this season.
For the Wild, who have had been affected by the injury bug early in the season, there was good news in the return of right winger Mikael Granlund, who had not skated since the season opener and had missed five games with a groin ailment.
After a scoreless first period in which Minnesota had an 11-6 edge in shots, the Canucks turned up the offense in the second, out-shooting the Wild 14-10. But neither team was able to break through until Virtanen scored his second of the season near the midway point of the final period.
NOTES: Wild LW Zach Parise underwent surgery on his back on Tuesday morning and is expected to miss approximately 8-10 weeks. Parise, 33, has not played this season. "He's been in a lot of pain," Wild GM Chuck Fletcher said. "I give him credit, he did what he could to avoid surgery, and rehab and get back and play, but at the end of the day I think (surgery) will help him get back and feel better quicker." ... After D Troy Stecher was injured in Vancouver's 4-1 win in Detroit on Sunday, the Canucks recalled D Patrick Wiercioch from their AHL team in Utica, N.Y. Wiercioch was not in the lineup on Tuesday. ... RW Justin Kloos, who was named Minnesota's Mr. Hockey as a high school senior at Lakeville South in 2012, made his NHL debut with the Wild on Tuesday, skating on the fourth line.