1. Connor McDavid was the difference.
After a first period in which Minnesota outshot Edmonton 12-5 but came away with a scoreless tie, McDavid scored twice in the span of 2:49 in the second period as the hosts opened up a two-goal lead.
Despite a wide shot advantage in the first neither team was able to threaten with much in the way of quality scoring chances. That changed right away in the second as the Wild applied pressure. Matt Cullen even hit a crossbar, but Minnesota was unable to find a way to get a shot past Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot.
Enter McDavid, who began the evening tied for third in the NHL with 81 points and tied for ninth in goals with 31. The reigning Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy winner broke through 9:11 into the second, gathering in a rebound of his own shot in the slot and firing past Devan Dubnyk.
Less than three minutes later, with the Oilers enjoying a power play, McDavid rifled a shot through a screened Dubnyk for his second of the night and 33rd of the season.
2. Zach Parise saw his point streak come to an end.
It's been quite a run for the Wild winger the past few games. He scored a goal in Minnesota's 5-2 win in Vancouver on Friday, his third consecutive game with a goal and his sixth straight with a point of any kind.
It wasn't for lack of effort, however. Parise finished second among Wild players with five shots on goal, two fewer than team leader Jason Zucker.
With Mikko Koivu's five-gamer snapped in Vancouver and Parise's stopped Saturday in Edmonton, it's up to Charlie Coyle to keep his going.
After going 12 games without a goal entering the trip, Coyle scored an empty-net goal to ice the win against the Canucks. He then scored again on Saturday and now has 10 goals on the season.
