ST. PAUL, Minn. -- When the Minnesota Wild traded for goaltender Devan Dubnyk on Jan. 14, the only thought in head coach Mike Yeo's mind was winning the next game at Buffalo. Yeo knew Dubnyk was talented and figured a change in net would provide a spark for his struggling team.
Dubnyk backstopped a 7-0 road win against the Sabres, becoming the first goaltender in franchise history to post a shutout in his debut with the team. Since then, Dubnyk has given Yeo no reason to make a change in goal by leading Minnesota to the NHL's best record since his arrival.
"We knew that we were acquiring a guy that filled a very important void for us at that time," Yeo said. "We liked his potential. We've seen a lot of good things from him. But to sit there and say we would have expected it to play out the way that it has, I don't think anybody would have."
The Wild are 19-4-2 since Dubnyk was acquired for a third-round draft pick to help save Minnesota's sinking season. The Wild have gone from 12th place in the Western Conference and a season-high eight games out of the playoffs to owning the West's top wild-card spot.
Minnesota's 1.63 goals-against average is the NHL's best during that span, and it's been all Dubnyk.
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound netminder has started all 25 games with the Wild since his arrival, setting a franchise record. Including a start in his Arizona finale, Dubnyk has started 26 consecutive games, a career high and the most in the NHL since Anaheim's Jonas Hiller started 32 straight games in 2011-12.
Dubnyk has shown no signs of slowing down. He is 19-4-1 with the Wild (he was pulled in one game, which Minnesota lost in a shootout), with a 1.67 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and five shutouts with Minnesota. He's won six of his past seven games, while allowing more than two goals just once.
"It's been so much fun," Dubnyk said. "It's been a crazy ride. Obviously winning games is a great feeling we've had in the dressing room. It gives you that boost of energy. When you can enter every single game feeling like you're going to win the game, it's easy to grab that energy even if maybe you're feeling not so much like it that day.
"The games are also so important right now. They have been right from the time I got here. Nothing's changed. They just become more important now. So, it's easy to get up for them. Mentally, I'm fine."
Because of the importance of the games, Yeo hasn't swayed from riding Dubnyk, who will likely start again Friday when the Wild host the Ducks.
"I just think he's looked sharp," Yeo said. "He's looked fresh. Schedule-wise I think we've managed it pretty well. He hasn't practiced, really. He's basically just been playing game after game right now. At least right now, probably the next game, you can expect him in the net. But he's a competitor. He wants the net. He's playing with a lot of confidence and that confidence has filtered through to the rest of the group."
Before picking up Dubnyk, Minnesota had allowed 86 goals in 24 games. Since, the Wild have given up 41 goals in 25 games. Minnesota also has killed 51 of its opponent's past 54 power-plays.
Dubnyk made his 200th career start Tuesday night and made 30 saves in a win against New Jersey. Despite playing 26 straight games, Dubnyk still ranks just 21st among goaltenders in time on ice this season. He played 19 games as a backup to Mike Smith with the Coyotes before the trade.
Meanwhile, Yeo and the Wild have allowed Dubnyk as much rest as possible in between games. Minnesota hasn't practiced much. When possible, Dubnyk has been given the option to rest with the Wild using its two other goaltenders, Darcy Kuemper and Niklas Backstrom, for practices.
"They've been real good about practice time and stuff," Dubnyk said. "Obviously the schedule's always crazy in the last couple months of the year as far as travel and games and stuff. I think any opportunity you can get to rest is good. With the goalie situation we have here, I don't feel like I'm ruining practice just by not going on. Usually when there's a skate when everybody goes on you're going to go on regardless of the situation. But it kind of gives me an opportunity to get a little bit more rest."
Dubnyk is second in the league with a .928 save percentage this season and is tied for second with Nashville's Pekka Rinne with a 2.11 goals-against average. As best Dubnyk can remember, his career-high for consecutive games came two seasons ago in Edmonton when he started the first 12 games of the season.
"Trying to stay fresh for the games, and with that I don't think that we've taxed him too greatly here," Yeo said. "I look at the number of games that he's played as a starting goaltender through the course of this year and he's still relatively low compared to the rest of the league. So, obviously it's something we have to make sure that we monitor, but that said, these games are critical right now and we've got to make sure that we're putting the best group on the ice to give us that chance."
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