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Minnesota Wild owns power play in victory over Arizona Coyotes

Apr 14, 2021; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA;  Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) and Minnesota Wild center Marcus Johansson (90) face off as Arizona Coyotes left wing Michael Bunting (58) and Minnesota Wild left wing Kevin Fiala (22) and linesman Devin Berg (87) watch at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

Mats Zuccarello scored twice on the power play, and Nick Bonino had a goal with two assists, as the Minnesota Wild sent the visiting Arizona Coyotes to their fifth straight regulation defeat with Wednesday’s 5-2 victory at St. Paul, Minn.

Zach Parise recorded a goal with an assist, Jared Spurgeon also had a goal and Cam Talbot made 28 saves for Minnesota, which converted on all three of its power-play chances.

The Wild, 12-for-24 with the man-advantage in seven games this month, outscored Arizona 16-3 while winning all four home meetings this season.

Phil Kessel and defenseman Jakob Chychrun each scored goals for the Coyotes while Antti Raanta stopped 17 shots after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury. Arizona has dropped out of playoff position in the West Division while being outscored 21-11 in its last five games.

Wednesday’s game was moved to an afternoon start as a precaution due to any potential curfew issues amid local unrest in the wake of the recent police killing of Daunte Wright in nearby Brooklyn Center.

Minnesota opened the scoring on the power play with 3:29 left in the first period. Off a pass from Marcus Johansson, Zuccarello banked the puck in off Raanta.

At 2:16 into the second period, though, Arizona tied the score via a power-play goal of its own. From the near circle, Chychrun put in a wrister for his career-high 13th goal of the season.

The Wild, though, took the lead back at the 7:28 mark into the middle frame when Parise put in the rebound of Bonino’s shot. Minnesota made it 3-1 with another power-play score, this time through Bonino off a deflection of Kirill Kaprizov’s pass with 46 seconds remaining in the period.

Johansson set up Zuccarello for his second power-play goal 4:30 into the final period for a 4-1 Minnesota lead. It was 1:20 later that Parise put Spurgeon in position to convert for another insurance goal.

Kessel’s 16th goal of 2021 came off some tic-tac-toe passing through Johan Larsson and Dryden Hunt with 11:24 in left in regulation.

Minnesota has won 13 of 14 at home, where the Wild is 15-4-0.

–Field Level Media

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