Field Level Media
Jan 7, 2019
Devan Dubnyk made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season as the visiting Minnesota Wild earned a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.
Mikael Granlund scored the game's only goal, breaking the deadlock after almost 47 minutes of scoreless hockey. The goal was Granlund's 12th of the season, and it snapped a 15-game scoreless drought for the center.
Dubnyk improved to 9-1-1 with a 1.90 goals against average in 11 career games against Montreal, with two shutouts.
The Wild have now won their past nine games against the Canadiens, a streak dating back to November 8, 2014. Minnesota has outscored Montreal by a 36-10 margin over those nine games.
Carey Price did his best to end the Wild's dominant run over Montreal, as the Canadiens goalie stopped 24 of 25 shots.
It was the type of tight game that would hinge on a single mistake, and Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry made that error in the third period. Petry committed a turnover in his own end that allowed Granlund to take the puck and fire it past a screened Price at 6:58.
Both teams had their share of chances, including three power-play opportunities apiece that went for naught. The Canadiens entered the game ranked second to last in the league in power-play percentage while the Wild have scored just once in their past 20 extra-man chances.
Montreal defenseman Shea Weber sustained an upper-body injury and didn't take the ice over the final two periods. The injury was apparently caused when Weber was hit in the face with the puck while blocking a shot during the first period.
Wild forward Eric Fehr didn't return to the game after sustaining an apparent head injury 2:25 into the first period, after a blindside hit from Kenny Agostino sent Fehr awkwardly into the boards. Agostino was ejected on a game misconduct penalty.
Minnesota has now won four of its past five games, including a 3-0-0 mark on its current four-game road trip. The Wild have a quick turnaround for the final game of their road swing through the Atlantic Division, as they play the Bruins in Boston on Tuesday night.
The Canadiens, riding a two-game losing streak, visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
--Field Level Media