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The Minnesota Wild have accomplished what only one other team this season has been able to do - defeat the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. Your Minnesota Wild did just that by a score of 4-2 with goals from Jason Pominville, Mikael Granlund, Zach Parise and Erik Haula.
The Wild withstood an early barrage from the NHL's best team in the opening minutes. Jason Pominville potted his 21st of the season to take an early lead with a shot that was taken from behind the goal-line that banked off Jonas Hiller and in. Dustin Penner would tie the game up with a hard shot from just above the top of the left circle.
The Ducks found themselves marching to the box early and often on their way to 12 penalty minutes. The power plays for the Wild in the first period were a struggle. Minnesota would take 1-1 tie and time left on their third power play of the night into the 1st intermission.
The Wild opened the second period quickly. In fact, really quickly. Mikael Granlund would tip home a pass from Zach Parise just 13 seconds in to take a 2-1 lead. The second period would see the the physicality amp up as Lucas Sbisa would paste Pominville with a hard check. Luckily, the Wild answered the call and kept pace with the Ducks for the rest of the period. Matt Cooke was a force in the second period. He was playing physical and came inches away twice from scoring goal getting denied by the crossbar and left post behind Hiller.
Not much more can be said for the job Darcy Kuemper has done in between the pipes for the Wild during his recent stint with the big club. He stood tall in the net as the best team in the league started to make a push late in the 2nd period.
The Wild looked to protect a 2-1 lead to finish the game, but everyone knows that you can't sit back and hope that you can win against a team like Anaheim. Zach Parise scored to push the lead to two by deflecting a Marco Scandella shot. It was his first goal since he returned three games ago after missing 14 games. Then just a 1:44 later, Erik Haula would deflect a Pominville shot from the high-slot in past Hiller for the three goal lead.
The Ducks would make a push in the final 10 minutes but couldn't muster more than a Mathieu Perreault goal after the Wild's Mike Rupp took a terrible 4-minute double minor. Keumper would make some really big saves to keep the Ducks at bay and cinch the win.