Devan Dubnyk has changed the Minnesota Wild's fortunes, particularly on the road.
Monday in Toronto was no different against the slumping Maple Leafs.
Dubnyk made 35 saves as Minnesota beat Toronto 2-1, extending the Wild's franchise record road streak to nine wins. Minnesota is 13-1-2 since acquiring Dubnyk and set a franchise record with its 21st road win in a season.
In the third period against the Maple Leafs, the Wild needed Dubnyk at his best. After controlling the game for the first two periods and outshooting Toronto 27-18, Minnesota was outshot 18-5 in the third period. Dubnyk came up with several highlight-worthy saves and kept his team in the lead.
Dubnyk is 13-1-1 on the road with the Wild with a .952 save percentage and a 1.45 goals-against average.
THREE STARS
1. Dubnyk, G, Wild: Dubnyk enjoys Minnesota, but he's been even better on the road. Monday was Dubnyk's 32nd straight start since being coming to the Wild. Dubnyk is now 23-6-1 with Minnesota and owns a 1.74 goals-against average and .937 save percentage.
The lone goal Dubnyk allowed was after the puck trickled through his pads on the initial save. Dubnyk squeezed together after the initial shot, but the puck found its way through and Minnesota native Jake Gardiner was able to win the race and poke the puck into the net.
Dubnyk made 17 saves while facing a lot of pressure in the third period.
2. Thomas Vanek, F, Wild: Don't look now, but Vanek is streaking, too. Vanek now has six goals and four assists during an eight-game point streak. Vanek's current streak is the longest of any Wild player this season. He's second on the team with 49 points and is third with 19 goals.
Vanek assisted on Charlie Coyle's goal to open the scoring. After Coyle took the faceoff, Vanek hauled in the loose puck and drove towards the net. Coyle scored on a rebound. In the third, Vanek showed his scoring touch by scoring on a one-timer from Ryan Suter.
Vanek has 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) in 52 career games against Toronto.
3. Jonathan Bernier, G, Maple Leafs: While Dubnyk made the lead stand up in the third, Bernier kept his teammates in the game the first two periods. Bernier had allowed at least three goals in each of his last seven starts.
He was coming off a relief appearance on Saturday in which he allowed one goal and kept some momentum with 30 saves against Minnesota.
Seen: On the road again, the Wild's penalty kill was in control. Minnesota allowed two power-play goals in the last game. But the Wild held Toronto scoreless in four chances on Monday and is now 70 of 75 on the penalty kill since the All-Star break, the NHL's best mark during that span.
The Wild own the league's top penalty-kill unit at 86.7 percent. Minnesota has killed 84.8 percent of shorthanded situations on the road, the league's fifth-best percentage.
Said: "I think all teams in this league are capable of making a push and we kind of stuck to a simple road game throughout the game, and chipped away and got those two goals. We were able to put ourselves in a good spot. Unfortunately they got one kind of late there. Obviously they get a little momentum and the building gets excited after that. But we have so much confidence in here in any situation. That certainly showed after they get a late one. We just know how to finish the game off." -- Dubnyk.
Next: Minnesota's quick road trip out east wraps up tomorrow on Long Island. The Wild will face the Islanders and an MVP candidate in center John Tavares, who is tied for second in the NHL with 73 points this season.
Tavares has his right wing back, former University of Minnesota forward Kyle Okposo. Okposo missed six weeks with a detached retina. New York also has former Gophers defenseman Nick Leddy and Minnesota native Anders Lee.
The Wild return home following the game and will host Calgary on Friday.
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