Dumba, Niederreiter spark Wild over Blues
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild followed a familiar script on Sunday, getting stellar goaltending and just enough offense in a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.
Matt Dumba and Nino Niederreiter scored to build a two-goal lead and Devan Dubnyk had 20 saves for Minnesota, which is 6-1-2 in its past nine games. Mikael Granlund added an empty-net goal in the final minute for the Wild (15-8-4), who beat the Blues for the first time in three tries this season.
St. Louis also got exemplary goaltending via 22 saves from Jake Allen and a goal from Vladimir Tarasenko, but fell behind 2-0 and could not complete the comeback. The Blues (16-9-4) have struggled on the road for much of the season and have now lost two of their last three away from home.
Eric Staal was credited with an assist on Granlund's empty net goal, for his 800th career point.
The scoreless first period was not without fireworks, as both teams had power-play opportunities and gloves were dropped between Blues enforcer Ryan Reaves and his Wild counterpart, Kurtis Gabriel. Minnesota was outshot 11-6 but had the best chance to score the opening goal when Eric Staal was stopped by Allen on a breakaway.
The Wild final broke through with their first shot of the second period. Dumba made a rush to the blue line and flipped a fluttering puck toward the net. The soft shot eluded Allen's blocker and hit the upper left corner of the net. It was the second goal in as many games for Dumba, and his fourth of the season.
Niederreiter doubled the lead near the midway point of the second, fighting off a check from Blues defenseman Colton Parayko and wheeling to the blue line where he sent a low shot through a mess of sticks and skates in front of Allen. The goalie had no view of the puck through the traffic and it landed in the lower left corner of the net.
The Blues got on the board late in the period when Robby Fabbri spun around a Minnesota defender and zipped a cross-ice pass to Tarasenko. From the right circle, Tarasenko got off a wrist shot that beat Dubnyk on the stick side. It was the team-leading 14th goal of the season for Tarasenko, who had been held without a goal in the previous four games.
NOTES: For Blues assistant coach Mike Yeo, this weekend offered a rare chance to watch his son, Kyler, play high school hockey in person. Yeo was fired last season after four-plus years as the Wild coach, but his family chose to stay in the Twin Cities to allow Kyler to finish high school. He is a senior at Hill-Murray, which got a win on Saturday night. ... Minnesota D Christian Folin is back practicing with the team and warmed up on Sunday but was scratched for the seventh consecutive game. He suffered a lower body injury in the Wild's home win over Pittsburgh on Black Friday. ... St. Louis RW Nail Yakupov was a healthy scratch for the seventh time in the past eight games. Acquired by the Blues from Edmonton on Oct. 7, the former no. 1 overall draft pick has two goals in 17 games for St. Louis. ... The Blues conclude their current four-game road trip on Tuesday when they visit the Nashville Predators. Minnesota concludes a three-game homestand on Tuesday when the Florida Panthers come to town.