Wild 1, Maple Leafs 0
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota defenseman Matt Dumba scored the game's lone goal, and Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves to win a goaltending battle in the Wild's 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center.
The result was nearly altered late in the third period.
A challenge by Minnesota coach Mike Yeo turned a 1-1 tie back into a one-goal Wild lead with four minutes to go. An apparent goal by Toronto center Peter Holland was overturned after officials ruled Holland was offside entering the Minnesota zone.
Toronto goaltender James Reimer shook off the rust from a four-game layoff due to injury and displayed the form which earned him a 2.07 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage in 15 prior appearances.
Reimer, who made 27 saves in his return, withstood a barrage of Minnesota scoring chances in the opening period to keep his team in it.
Dumba's power-play blast from the right circle sailed past Reimer's outstretched glove at 9:24 of the second period. Center Charlie Coyle and defenseman Jared Spurgeon assisted on Dumba's third of the season and first in 11 games. It was the Wild's first shot on goal of the period and first in 16:03 overall.
In a game that got off to a fairly sloppy start with multiple turnovers and four icings in less than four minutes, Reimer did not have to wait long for his first test. Wild left winger Zach Parise's slapper from the left faceoff dot less than 30 seconds after the puck drop was easily gobbled up by Reimer.
The shot was the first of a dozen Minnesota peppered Reimer with in the period's first 13:21, during which time Toronto managed just three shots on Dubnyk.
Another prime Minnesota scoring opportunity was thwarted by Toronto defenseman Roman Polak, who got a stick on Coyle's wraparound attempt with 4:30 to go in the first.
Dubnyk stopped 13 consecutive Toronto shots in a stretch spanning the first two periods in which his own team failed to register one shot.
Minnesota improved to 11-2-1 when scoring first this season and raised its record to 4-2-0 against the Eastern Conference.
A scary incident occurred in the second period when Minnesota center Mikko Koivu's shot was deflected into Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf's face. A dazed Phaneuf skated off slowly but stayed in the game.
NOTES: Toronto G James Reimer, sidelined 10 days due to a groin injury, started for the first time since a Nov. 23 home loss to Boston. ... Wild assistant coach Darby Hendrickson was selected by Toronto in the 1990 draft and skated in 233 games with the Maple Leafs (1994-99). ... Maple Leafs C Tyler Bozak skated in his 400th NHL game Thursday. ... Toronto LW Joffrey Lupul missed his third consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. ... Thursday's contest marks the first of two consecutive games at Xcel Energy Center for the Wild, a set that finishes a stretch where six of seven Minnesota games are on home ice. The Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. ... Toronto concludes its three-game road trip Saturday in St. Louis.