Ryan Suter and Nick Bjugstad scored, Cam Talbot made 24 saves and the Minnesota Wild returned home with a 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
Bjugstad scored his fifth goal of the season 3:42 into the third period to break a 1-all tie as Minnesota set a franchise record with its ninth straight win on home ice.
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Ryan Suter and Nick Bjugstad scored, Cam Talbot made 24 saves and the Minnesota Wild returned home with a 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
The Wild were back home following a road trip to Colorado in which they were outscored 11-1 in two games. The suddenly high-scoring squad still looked sluggish early against Anaheim but recovered following Terry’s opening goal early in the second.
Terry has a four-game point streak in which he’s scored twice and added three assists.
PIVOTAL THIRD
ONE-GOAL DIFFERENCE
Minnesota started a three-game homestand, where it is 11-3-0 this season. The nine-game win streak is the longest current run in the NHL. The Wild had three eight-game home streaks before this season, the last coming in 2016.
Troy Terry scored for Anaheim, which has lost six of seven. Ryan Miller made 21 saves in his fifth consecutive start for the Ducks.
Anaheim Ducks' Isac Lundestrom (48) controls the puck against Minnesota Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek of Sweden (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 22, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP PhotoStacy Bengs)
The Wild were back home following a road trip to Colorado in which they were outscored 11-1 in two games. The suddenly high-scoring squad still looked sluggish early against Anaheim but recovered following Terry’s opening goal early in the second.
The Ducks outshot Minnesota 10-5 in the first but were 0 for 2 on the power play.
Five minutes into the second, Wild forward Mats Zuccarello slipped, leading to a turnover. Terry chipped the puck past the defense at the blue line for a quick breakaway and beat Talbot with a backhand.
Anaheim Ducks' Troy Terry (61) shoots the puck into the net against Minnesota Wild's goalie Cam Talbot (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 22, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP PhotoStacy Bengs)
Terry has a four-game point streak in which he’s scored twice and added three assists.
Minnesota, with the NHL's worst power play, finally struck with the man advantage when Suter’s wrist shot found its way through traffic as Miller was screened by Marcus Johansson. It was Suter's first goal of the season and first in his past 32 games.
Bjugstad struck quickly in the third, cleaning up a rebound for an easy shot into a semi-open net.
Anaheim Ducks' Jakob Silfverberg (33) passes the puck away from Minnesota Wild's Zach Parise (11) and Minnesota Wild's Jordan Greenway (18) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 22, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP PhotoStacy Bengs)
PIVOTAL THIRD
Perhaps a tie heading into the third period wasn’t a good sign for Anaheim. The Ducks have had their worst offensive output in the third this season with just 19 goals while giving up 43.
Meanwhile, the Wild have done most of their damage in the third, scoring 33 goals.
Minnesota Wild's Kirill Kaprizov (97) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks' Nicolas Deslauriers (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 22, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP PhotoStacy Bengs)
ONE-GOAL DIFFERENCE
Anaheim has played 33 games this season and 21 have been decided by one goal. It’s the highest percentage of any team in the league, and the Ducks are on pace to play the most one-goal games in the NHL in more than 10 years.
HOME SWEET HOME
Anaheim Ducks' Ben Hutton (7) and Minnesota Wild's Nick Bonino (13) go after the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 22, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP PhotoStacy Bengs)
Minnesota started a three-game homestand, where it is 11-3-0 this season. The nine-game win streak is the longest current run in the NHL. The Wild had three eight-game home streaks before this season, the last coming in 2016.
INJURY NEWS
Anaheim defenseman Josh Manson returned to the lineup after missing six games with a lower-body injury. He’s been limited to seven games this season. ... Miller started again in the absence of John Gibson, who missed his fourth straight game.
Anaheim Ducks' Cam Fowler (4) tries to maintain control of the puck against Minnesota Wild's Carson Soucy (21) and Minnesota Wild's Victor Rask (49) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 22, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP PhotoStacy Bengs)
Johansson returned for Minnesota after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The teams finish a two-game series Wednesday in Minnesota. Anaheim is on a six-game trip, its longest of the season.
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