Wild 2, Panthers 1
Devan Dubnyk remained hot with a 26-save performance as host Minnesota extended its point streak to eight games.
Jason Pominville and Zach Parise scored for the Wild, who are on a 7-0-1 run that has re-ignited their playoff chances. Dubnyk has been the catalyst - and was on his game again Thursday, improving to 9-1-1 since joining the Wild in a trade with Arizona.
Nick Bjugstad netted the lone goal for Florida, which had its four-game point streak snapped (3-0-1). All-Star Roberto Luongo made 21 saves in defeat.
Pominville scored the only goal of the opening period, redirecting captain Mikko Koivu's feed past Luongo with his skate at 4:12. Parise doubled the advantage during a power play at 6:52 of the middle session as he jammed a loose puck past a prone Luongo after whiffing on his initial attempt.
Bjugstad responded just over three minutes later, beating a Minnesota defender to the bottom of the left faceoff circle before lifting a wrist shot that squeezed between Dubnyk's shoulder and the crossbar. But Dubnyk stood tall from there, turning aside all eight shots he faced in the third period
GAME NOTEBOOK: Coming off a 3-for-8 performance with the man advantage in a 6-2 win over Anaheim, the Panthers were 0-for-5 on the power play against the Wild. ... Dubnyk has allowed fewer than two goals in six of his 12 appearances with Minnesota. ... Koivu finished with a pair of assists.