In a few months, if the Wild wind up playing the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year, it should petition the NHL to play outside.
The team that has ended the Wild’s season the past three postseasons was thoroughly ambushed at TCF Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon during a 6-1 romp that extended the Wild’s win streak to four games.
It also snapped the Wild’s “home” winless streak at eight games. The Wild, who have had an overnight attitude adjustment since last weekend’s firing of Mike Yeo, improved to 4-0 under new coach John Torchetti with 21 goals scored in 12 periods (5.25 goals per game). The Wild scored 21 goals in the last nine games of Yeo’s tenure.
On a 35-degree overcast day that included a few snow flurries early that added to the wonderful pageantry of the first NHL outdoor game in Minnesota history, the Wild put on a show for the 50,426 fans.
Jason Pominville, whose new life since Yeo was dismissed is emblematic of the entire team, continued his terrific play of late with a goal and two assists. Linemates Nino Niederreiter and Erik Haula combined for five points with Haula being awarded a goal late when he was hauled down with Chicago’s net empty.
Defenseman Matt Dumba scored a goal and drew a power play that led to a goal, Thomas Vanek, scored for the second consecutive game, and Ryan Carter scored a goal and assist.
Haula registered his fourth multi-point game in the past seven with a career-high three points and Mike Reilly picked up an assist.
Devan Dubnyk made 31 saves for his third consecutive victory since snapping a personal nine-game slide.
It was a terrific day for the Wild with the exception of Jason Zucker, who has a history of concussions, leaving the game late in the second period. Zucker, without the puck, was checked in the face by defenseman Michal Roszival. Zucker fell backward, then hit his head on the ice. After a long delay, Zucker left the ice with the assistance of trainers.
Once again, for a fourth straight game under Torchetti, the Wild was the faster, more energetic team. As players have said for a week, Torchetti’s intensity and vigor has been contagious.
Dumba scored the game’s first goal just 3 minutes, 25 seconds into the game, then drew a retaliatory penalty that led to Vanek’s 16th goal of the season and second in two games.
The Wild jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Dumba’s ninth goal of the season and fourth in the past nine games.
Veteran center Jarret Stoll, playing in his fourth outdoor game, got it started with a painful blocked shot on Andrew Shaw. As Stoll limped to the bench, Justin Fontaine sprung Carter for a breakaway.
Goalie Corey Crawford stopped Carter’s first shot and then a second shot before Dumba popped home the rebound.
That triggered a jubilant celebration with the charismatic Dumba jumping into the game.
Less than two minutes later, Dumba crushed Andrew Desjardins by the Blackhawks’ bench. It was a clean hit, but Phillip Danault felt compelled to jump him anyway.
That resulted in a power play for a Wild man advantage that has been hot lately. The Wild has scored at least one power-play goal in 11 of the past 13 games and is 12 for its last 47. The latest came after a Mikael Granlund faceoff win.
Reilly walked the blue line right, fed Pominville and he took a slap pass that Vanek sliced with precision through a Niederreiter screen and underneath Crawford.
For Vanek, it was his first point on the University of Minnesota campus since March 13, 2004.
The second period was led once again by the Niederreiter-Haula-Pominville line. Two games after combining for six points in Calgary, the line buzzed all second period with terrific puck support.
Thirty seconds after Pominville stripped a puck in the defensive zone, Haula set up Niederreiter for his 11th goal to the left of Crawford. Eight minutes later, Niederreiter returned the favor to Pominville.
Pominville has six points in the past three games after having two in the previous 23.
In the third period, with Scott Darling in net to relieve, Carter followed his own rebound for his sixth goal.
Dubnyk’s shutout was spoiled late in the third on a goal by Patrick Kane, the NHL’s leading scorer.
RESULTS
Vancouver 5, Colorado 1
NY Rangers 1, Detroit 0 (OT)
Carolina 2, Tampa Bay 4
Anaheim 5, Calgary 2
Minnesota 6, Chicago 1
Buffalo 3, Pittsburgh 4