Goals 15 seconds apart help Wild beat San Jose
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Devan Dubnyk gave up two goals late in the second period during an otherwise stellar night in net for Minnesota, potential trouble for a team on a skid.
The Wild scored twice themselves in the same decisive stretch, sending the Sharks away with another loss.
Martin Hanzal and Charlie Coyle scored 15 seconds apart before the second intermission to help the Wild stop a fivegame skid and pull out a 3-2 victory over San Jose on Tuesday night.
“This is what we needed against a really good hockey team on the other end,” said Dubnyk, who stopped 21 shots.
David Schlemko and Patrick Marleau had goals that gave each team two scores in a 63second span, a record for the fastest four-goal stretch in Wild history, but the Sharks got no more on the way to a seasonhigh fourth straight loss.
“Obviously, there is some concern,” center Logan Couture said, “but we’ve got a chance to finish strong.”
Matt Dumba scored on a power play in the first period to give Minnesota a recently rare early lead. The Wild cut their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to two points.
Anaheim, Edmonton and Calgary have surged into contention for the Pacific Division title, shrinking the Sharks’ lead to four points over the Ducks and Oilers and five over the Flames.
“We just need to stick with it,” Schlemko said. “You drop four in a row? Obviously, teams are going to be catching up to you. Somebody’s going to be getting points. We’re more worried about this room and our own game and the level we need to get to.”
Schlemko’s wrist shot from the blue line with 2:03 left in the second period tied it.
Hanzal answered with a rebound from the side of the net for his first goal in 10 games with the Wild since being acquired in a trade with Arizona. Coyle followed Zach Parise’s second assist with a one-timer for a 3-1 lead before Marleau brought the Sharks closer with his wraparound.
“We tried hard,” Minnesota head coach Bruce Boudreau said. “They probably ran out of a little bit of gas.”