Staal goal lifts Wild to ninth straight win, 4-2 over Canadiens

“It’s fun winning. We’re going into the break feeling really good. It’ll be a good effort to put everything on the line (Friday) and then exhale for a couple of days.”

Minnesota last won nine in a row March 8-24, 2007.

Jordan Schroeder and Jared Spurgeon also scored for the Wild (20-8-4), who erased a pair of one-goal Montreal leads. Jason Zucker added an empty-net goal with 23 seconds left in the game.

Max Pacioretty and Artturi Lehkonen scored for Montreal (21-8-4), which ended a two-game winning run. The Canadiens are now 15-3-2 at home.

The game featured a duel between two of the NHL’s leading goalies, with Devan Dubnyk having the edge over Price as the Canadiens outshot the Wild 34-27. Dubnyk was part of the Canadiens organization briefly in 2014 before he moved on and established himself as a top goaltender with Arizona and Minnesota.

“There was a lot of build up, so it’s impossible not to think about it a little bit, but he’s still the best goalie in the world,” Dubnyk said of Price. “It doesn’t make a difference.

“It’s always a challenge coming into this building. It’s a fun place to play.”

Price felt the same.

“He’s a good goalie,” Price said of Dubnyk. “His journey has been a rough one at times but you’ve got to respect his resilience and the way he’s carried himself through the process.

“You have to tip your hat to the guy. It wasn’t about me versus him, but you always want to outplay your opponent and tonight they had one better.”

After a scoreless first period, the Canadiens struck shorthanded. After Brian Flynn and Tomas Plekanec were stopped on back-to-back chances, Phillip Danault sent Pacioretty in alone to beat Dubnyk with a low shot from the right side 2:01 into the second.

Price was at the heart of Minnesota’s tying goal at 7:07 as his clearing attempt was picked off by Schroeder and the recent call-up from AHL Iowa circled the net and shot high. Price got most of it, but inadvertently nudged it into the net with a skate.

Lehkonen was alone in front to put in Flynn’s rebound at 10:35, but Spurgeon, playing his 400th NHL game, finished a three-pass attack in the Montreal zone with a shot from the right side at 15:13.

It was the Wild’s turn to score shorthanded 3:08 into the third when Mikael Granlund chopped the puck past Mark Barberio to send Staal down the left side for a shot that beat Price on the short side.

The Canadiens play Friday night in Columbus, where they lost 10-0 on Nov. 4, to begin a stretch of seven straight away games. Their next home game is Jan. 9 against Washington.

Coach Michel Therrien said that back-up Al Montoya will start in goal, as he did the last time against the red-hot Blue Jackets.

“It’s another game,” said Therrien. “We understand they have a very good team and it will be a challenge for everyone.”

He was upset with the power play, which went 0-for-4.

“Execution on our power play is not there, and confidence too,” he said.

Montreal defenceman Alexei Emelin missed the game as his wife gave birth to their third child. Therrien said the Emelin will not play in Columbus.

Joel Hanley was called up from St. John’s to fill in on the blue line, which was already missing Andrei Markov and Greg Pateryn to injuries.

Zach Parise sat out sick for Minnesota, so Kurtis Gabriel dressed.

Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Staal goal lifts Wild to ninth straight win, 4-2 over Canadiens

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