Wild 2, Maple Leafs 1
TORONTO -- Mikael Granlund's third-period power-play marker pushed the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night at Air Canada Centre.
Granland one-timed a cross-ice feed from Thomas Vanek, glove-side on Garret Sparks, at 11:35 of the third period for his eighth goal of the season. Mikko Koivu had the other Minnesota goal.
Devan Dubnyk made 21 saves to improve to 24-21-5 on the season.
The win keeps Minnesota (30-25-10) in the wild card race in the Western Conference. The Wild entered Thursday's games holding the last wild card spot.
The Wild have now won five straight over Toronto (21-32-10) and three straight overall.
Jake Gardiner had the lone goal for the Maple Leafs, who lost four straight and eight of nine. The Leafs are last in the league, five points back of 29th-placed Edmonton, which won in Philadelphia on Thursday.
Toronto pulled Sparks, who made 20 saves in the loss, late in the third for an extra attacker, but was unable to find the equalizer.
The two teams were tied 1-1 after 40 minutes.
Gardiner opened the scoring at 7:33 of the middle period, beating a screened Dubnyk with a blast from the point for his sixth of the season. The Minnetonka, Minn., native now has two goals in seven career games against his hometown team.
Minnesota responded on the power play less than four minutes later as Koivu's pass attempt went off a body in front and between the legs of Sparks for his 14th of the season. With the goal, Koivu has a team-leading eight power-play goals this season.
The Wild scored 13 power play goals in their past 11 road games.
NOTES: D Jonas Brodin returned to the Wild lineup after missing 13 games with a broken foot. ... RW David Jones, acquired by Minnesota from Calgary before Monday's NHL trade deadline, made his Wild debut. ... Minnesota LW Jason Zucker continues to practice as he recovers from a concussion suffered Feb. 21. ... Leafs RW P.A. Parenteau missed his third game because of an upper-body injury. ... RW Brad Boyes missed his first game with an upper-body injury suffered in Toronto's 3-2 loss on Wednesday in Washington. As a result, Toronto recalled LW Brendan Leipsic on an emergency basis. ... The Maple Leafs continue their four-game home stand on Saturday against Ottawa while the Wild's brief two-game road trip takes them to Buffalo.