Zucker, Dubnyk enable Wild to fluster Flyers
PHILADELPHIA -- Jason Zucker's one-man show continued on Saturday night when he scored the game's only goal in the Minnesota Wild's 1-0 win over the Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center.
Zucker scored his ninth goal of the season, and team-high third game-winner, at 1:08 of the third period to break a scoreless tie. He has scored each of Minnesota's last six goals over the span of three games.
Devan Dubnyk stopped all 32 shots he faced to earn his second straight shutout as the Wild (7-7-2) won back-to-back games for just the second time this season.
Brian Elliott (26 saves) took the loss for the Flyers (8-7-2), who were blanked for the fourth time this season. Four of Philadelphia's seven regulation losses have been by shutout. They entered Saturday's game on a modest 2-0-1 streak.
Zucker's game-winning goal came on his first shift of the third period when he banked a shot off Elliott from the goal line. Elliott had committed to a shot by Wild defenseman Matt Dumba and was returning to his goal crease when Zucker wristed a shot off his leg and into the net.
The Flyers' top line of Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek was held off the scoresheet for just the fourth time this season. Giroux, Couturier and Voracek have combined for 60 points this season; the remainder of the Flyers' roster has combined for just 46.
The Flyers had an opportunity to tie the game with their third power play of the game 8:33 into the third period, but generated little offense as the Wild forced most of their shots from the perimeter. The Flyers have just one power-play goal in their last five games (1-for-16).
The Wild, meanwhile, have been perfect on the penalty kill their last four games, killing off 12 straight man-advantage opportunities.
Dubnyk was at his best in the second period when he stopped Couturier and right winger Michael Raffl from point-blank range. He also benefitted from seven blocked shots in the opening 40 minutes.
NOTES: G Alex Stalock rejoined the Wild in Philadelphia after attending the birth of his daughter on Wednesday. He served as a backup to Devan Dubnyk, who made his 13th appearance of the season. Stalock (1-1-1, 2.40 GAA, .925 save percentage) could get the call when the Wild and Flyers meet again on Tuesday night in St. Paul. ... Flyers rookie C Nolan Patrick, the second overall pick of the 2017 draft, missed his eighth straight game with a head injury. He is expected to miss Tuesday's rematch against the Wild but could return to the lineup Thursday night in Winnipeg. Flyers D Andrew MacDonald missed his ninth straight game with a knee injury but is expected to return to practice on Monday. He also may play on Thursday. Flyers D Robert Hagg, who played on a top pairing with D Ivan Provorov, entered the game ranked third among NHL rookies in average ice time (19:18). ... The Wild play three of their next four games at home.