Offtopic » Outlier or slump-buster?

Only the remaining 52 games of their schedule will decide that Greg Joseph Jersey Elite , but for now, the Minnesota Wild are hoping the answer is the latter. Tuesday night’s 7-1 rout of the Montreal Canadiens was just their fourth win in 11 games and their first laugher in almost a month.Article continues below ...Minnesota will look to stack a second win on top of that one Thursday night when the Florida Panthers visit Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., for the second of its four-game homestand.“If we don’t build on it, we’re not going to climb,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We’re not in a playoff spot right now, so we’ve got to continue to have success and put a little run together. What better opportunity than this time when you have four games in a row at home?”At 16-12-2, Minnesota currently stands a point out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, its 12-5-2 start canceled out by its recent skid. The rout of Montreal http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/greg-joseph-jersey , though, provided a variety of signs that indicate a winning streak might be on tap.For starters, the Wild buried the Habs with four power-play goals, the first time they’ve done it since Oct. 14, 2010, when they victimized Edmonton. Their penalty kill was successful on their only opportunity, and goalie Devan Dubnyk bounced back from a brutal 7-2 loss in Edmonton Friday night with one of his typically stingy performances.Dubnyk stopped 29 shots, seven in the first nine minutes of the second period when Montreal made its push to equalize. Saves on Brendan Gallagher’s point-blank chance and Jonathan Drouin’s rebound attempt at the doorstep were more like flat-out robberies.“I mean, that’s my job. That’s what I’m here for and it’s OK to have to do that every once in a while Authentic Greg Joseph Jersey ,” Dubnyk said. “I thought we did a really good job in front of the net. We were hard on guys that were shooting pucks from the point. We were getting blocks or were working on guys if the pucks were laying in front and that’s a big part of it.”While Minnesota was regaining confidence Tuesday night, Florida (11-12-6) was continuing its third straight season of mediocre play and results. The Panthers gave up four third-period goals in St. Louis to erase a 1-0 lead and fall 4-3.Florida may have at least two games in hand on all its opponents in the Atlantic Division, but it still sits in last place, already 21 points behind Tampa Bay and four out of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.What irked second-year coach Bob Boughner about this loss was the Blues‘ winning goal, a Brayden Schenn rebound marker. Boughner felt the referees missed a St. Louis penalty just before Schenn scored.“I thought it was a cross-check,” Boughner said. “The guy that cross-checks him ends up getting the puck and it’s in the back of our net. That’s how it played out.”The Panthers are expected to give forward Anthony Greco his NHL debut Thursday night. Greco has 12 goals and 11 assists in 24 games for their AHL affiliate in Springfield, Mass., and has notched 57 goals in three-plus seasons with Springfield. GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — J.T. Compher was just trying to play his game and contribute after 16 games out of the Colorado Avalanche lineup due to injury. He ended up with a memorable night.Compher scored a pair of short-handed goals on the same penalty kill in his return to game action Myles Garrett Jersey Elite , and the Avalanche defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-1 Friday night.“Just trying to get a feel for the game. We’ve been working hard these last few weeks once I’ve been feeling better to be in good hockey shape and feel confident about my game,” Compher said. “It was a fun one for sure.”Philipp Grubauer made 37 saves in his fifth win and first shutout of the season. Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and assist, and Tyson Barrie also scored for the Avalanche.Colorado has earned points in six straight games, with victories in five of contests.Dylan Strome scored a power-play goal in the third period as the Coyotes lost for the fourth time in five games.Compher scored twice in less than 1:30 on the Coyotes’ first power pay of the game. His first goal came at 7:28 of the first when Matt Nieto gathered the puck off a turnover, drew two defensemen and dished off to Compher, who scored on a clear shot.At 8:53, with the Coyotes still on the man advantage, Compher scored on a breakaway. It was his fifth goal in six games played. Compher had been out since Oct. 16 with a head injury.Antti Raanta had a rocky return, starting in net for the first time since Nov. 2 and surrendering three first-period goals. The Coyotes’ No. 1 goaltender missed eight games with a lower body injury before finishing with 34 saves on Friday.“The first one’s a straight shot Authentic Myles Garrett Jersey , you have to make that save,” Raanta said. “It was three-nothing and the game was pretty much over. Rough start for sure. You give three goals in three shots, you’re pretty much burying your whole team.”The Avalanche went ahead 3-0 on Rantanen’s goal. It came at 9:39 of the first when linemate Gabriel Landeskog flipped a pass up the ice and over the defense to Rantanen, who beat Raanta for his ninth goal of the season.The Avalanche’s high-scoring top line of Rantanen, Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon added to their combined point total with six points. The group has 94 points this season.“One any given night, it’s being led by our top guys,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “It was a pretty good all-around game for our guys.”MacKinnon assisted on Barrie’s goal at 6:11 of the third period, and got an assist on Landeskog’s power-play goal with 4:19 to play in the game.“Watching those guys every night has been a real treat,” Compher said. “They compete night in and night out.”The Coyotes’ four-goal loss was their worst at home this season.“It’s disheartening. You’re prepared game-plan wise but it takes ownership of a player to be ready to play Jarvis Landry Jersey Elite ,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said.NOTES: Actor Vince Vaughn, of “Old School” and “Wedding Crashers” movie fame, dropped the ceremonial puck before the game, then threw it to fans in the seats. … Coyotes D Jordan Oesterle was scratched for the second straight game … Avalanche F Gabriel Bourque was scratched for just the third time this season. … Colorado is one of two Western Conference teams with eight road victories this season.UP NEXTColorado: Hosts the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.Arizona: Hosts the Calgary Flames on Sunday afternoon.