St. Paul, MN – Luca Sbisa scored the deciding goal with 3:04 left to play, capping a furious third-period rally that lifted the Anaheim Ducks to a 2-1 triumph over the Minnesota Wild at XCel Energy Center.
Patrick Maroon also scored during Anaheim's late charge, while Jonas Hiller turned aside 30-of-31 shots in a strong effort between the pipes to help the surging Ducks earn their fourth straight victory while halting Minnesota's four-game home win streak in the process.
"We knew they had been playing well lately, especially at home," said Hiller. "We talked about being ready to go, but we weren't. We got the two points, though, and that's all that counts at the end of the day."
Devin Setoguchi converted a power-play chance for the Wild's lone tally, with Niklas Backstrom coming up with 19 saves in a losing cause.
Anaheim's offense was lifeless for much of the game, but sprung to action during a third period in which the Ducks put up 14 of their 21 shots.
The Ducks pressured the Minnesota zone early on and were rewarded 3:06 into the session. Toni Lydman sent a drive wide of the net, but the puck caromed right back to Maroon and the forward put it in through an open left side to knot the score.
Sbisa later but Anaheim in front with a well-placed blast that whistled over Backstrom's right shoulder and into the upper left corner with just over three minutes remaining.
"That shot hit my shoulder and helmet then went in," said Backstrom. "You know, I should have had it. I don't feel good about that one."
Minnesota's fate was sealed soon after when Ryan Suter was sent off for slashing the Ducks' Andrew Cogliano with 1:10 left to play.
The Wild dominated play through the first two periods, building a 22-7 shot advantage, but went into the third clinging to just a 1-0 lead after failing to capitalize on several opportunities.
Minnesota did have an early goal waved off, however, with Torrey Mitchell's apparent backhand score 2:27 into the contest nullified after a video review determined the puck didn't entirely cross the line before Hiller covered it up.
The Wild couldn't convert a lengthy 5-on-3 chance near the midway stage of the opening frame, but did cash in on another power play near the end of the session.
With Sbisa in the box for a high-sticking call, Setoguchi fired a wrister through Hiller's legs from the left circle off a cross-ice feed from Matt Cullen exactly two minutes prior to the break.
The Wild peppered Hiller with 14 shots in the second period, but the Anaheim netminder turned them all back to keep it a one-goal differential heading into the third.
Game Notes
Anaheim's Corey Perry received a major for interference and a game misconduct for elbowing Wild forward Jason Zucker into the board with 4:21 elapsed in the second period. Zucker did not return to the contest ... Minnesota had a string of six straight home games in which it earned a point end, having gone 5-0-1 over that stretch ... Both Suter and Anaheim's Bobby Ryan had seven-game point streaks snapped, with Ryan having notched three goals and five assists during that span and Suter recording one goal and eight helpers ... Sbisa's goal was his first since Mar. 16 of last season, when he tallied against Los Angeles.
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