Dubnyk a bright spot for Wild in tough first two games

WINNIPEG -- It's been a tough go for the Wild through two games of its First Round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets.
Goals have been at a premium. Shots on goal have been tough to come by. But despite a pair of losses in Games 1 and 2, the Wild has been buoyed by two strong goaltending performances by Devan Dubnyk.
"Sometimes the other team has the jump and they have everything going for them and they did," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "[But] I thought Dubnyk was outstanding."

The Wild played solidly again in the first period on Friday, battling the Jets to a scoreless intermission. Winnipeg turned it on in the second, running up a 14-5 advantage in shots.
But thanks to Dubnyk -- who stopped 40 of 44 shots and now has 77 saves in two games -- Minnesota was down just 1-0 and was within one shot of resetting the game.

Unfortunately for the visitors, however, it went 15:05 into the third before registering even a shot on goal. By then, it was 3-0 after a pair of goals from in tight. Patrik Laine made it 4-0 before Zach Parise spoiled the shutout in the final minute with his second goal of the series.
"I think tonight, in the first period, it was good, it was the same type of thing [as Game 1], we had more push," Dubnyk said. "We've just gotta find a way to push a little more. We come to the third period in an extremely difficult situation in a good spot, down one goal, one shot away. I think we just need to have a little more in the third. Not gonna be good enough."
As the series shifts back to Minnesota, Dubnyk said he has confidence that the Wild will rebound. Only two teams -- Winnipeg is one of them -- secured more points on home ice this season than the Wild.

Minnesota has routinely rebounded from tough games like Friday's, time after time this season.
"We're a good team, that's the thing," Dubnyk insisted. "I've got no lack of confidence in that, so we'll get back at it and feel good at home."
If Dubnyk's play in Winnipeg is any indication, the Wild will have its chances to get right back in the series on home ice.
"He's played great. You're not gonna win many getting 14 shots, 15 shots, 20 shots. There's just not a lot of room for error," Parise said. "Dubnyk's playing great, he's giving us a chance. And we're not really giving ourselves much of a chance."
"We just go back home and know that we're a real good home team and make sure that we get the next one for sure," Dubnyk said. "We gotta find a way to be better, I think we all agree we've been in good spots in both games but I don't think anybody can disagree that third period is not going to be good enough."
Related:
- Postgame Hat Trick: Jets 4, Wild 1 - Wild hopes Dubnyk's playoff experience pays dividends