Wild shake their six-game skid with 7-0 victory

BUFFALO, N.Y. – As it turns out, all the Minnesota Wild needed to end their worst losing streak of the season was a game against the lowly Buffalo Sabres.
In a game that featured two of the NHL’s most struggling teams, the Wild snapped a six-game losing streak in emphatic fashion with a 7-0 blowout win over Buffalo.
“We just needed a win,” said Wild right winger Jason Pominville, who had three assists in the victory. “We just needed to find a way to win.”
Minnesota (19-19-5) had lost six games in a row and 12 of their previous 14 games before the victory. Buffalo’s franchise-worst losing streak, meanwhile, has been extended to nine games.
Seven goal scorers contributed for Minnesota, with left wingers Zach Parise, Matt Cooke and Thomas Vanek, centers Kyle Brodziak and Erik Haula, and defensemen Matt Dumba and Jared Spurgeon all lighting the lamp.
“We would’ve taken it any way, to be honest with you,” Wild coach Mike Yeo said. “But I think for a lot of guys to come out of a game and feel good about their game, to feel rewarded for the way that they played ... we played one of our best defensive games in an awful long time and that helped us create offense as well. So hopefully this is a building block.”
It was a perfect debut between the pipes for goalie Devan Dubnyk, who was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes for a third-round pick on Wednesday. Dubnyk was not tested often but stopped all 16 shots in his Wild debut.
“He showed poise in the net and obviously his size,” Yeo said. “They had the first scoring chance of the game, he made the save and that was big. ... Definitely a good start.”
Goalie Jhonas Enroth made 30 saves for the stumbling Sabres (14-28-3), who were overmatched from start to finish.
The Sabres have been outscored 39-9 over the nine-game losing streak, and Buffalo has the second-worst record in the NHL.
“Losing’s hard enough when you lose a tight game,” Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges said. “When you get blown out, you get embarrassed in your own building, I feel bad for the fans that come here to support us. And we go out there and have an effort like that in front of them. They don’t deserve that. They deserve better.”
Added Sabres coach Ted Nolan: “I think we’re all embarrassed. We said that after the first period.”
Minnesota 2 3 2- 7
Buffalo 0 0 0- 0
First Period-1, Minnesota, Parise 15 (Koivu, Pominville) 5:13. 2, Minnesota, Vanek 8 (Koivu, Pominville) 19:01 (pp).
Second Period-3, Minnesota, Brodziak 6 (Haula) 6:00 (sh). 4, Minnesota, Dumba 2 (Pominville, Parise) 9:06. 5, Minnesota, Spurgeon 6 (Blum, Carter) 18:54.
Third Period-6, Minnesota, Cooke 4 (Brodziak) 4:26. 7, Minnesota, Haula 4 (Vanek, Folin) 18:27 (pp).
Shots on Goal-Minnesota 15-12-10-37. Buffalo 3-10-5-18.
Power-play opportunities-Minnesota 2 of 6. Buffalo 0 of 3.
Goalies-Minnesota Dubnyk 10-5-2 (18 shots-18 saves). Buffalo Enroth 11-16-2 (37-30).
A-18,963 (19,070). T-2:26.