• ANAHEIM, Calif.-The Minnesota Wild made sure coach Bruce Boudreau's return to Anaheimwas a positive one Sunday evening as they used two second-period goals to beat the Ducks 2-1 at Honda Center.
• Boudreau spent the last 4 1/2 seasons in Anaheim, leading the Ducks to four consecutive Pacific Division titles before he was fired in April and quickly scooped up by the Wild, who improved to 14-1-1 since Dec. 4.
• The Ducks remain tied atop the Pacific Division with the San Jose Sharks after losing at home in regulation for the first time since Nov. 25.
• Matt Dumba and Jared Spurgeon scored less than two minutes apart in the middle frame to account for the scoring and goaltender Devan Dubnyk stopped 23 shots for the Wild, who out-shot the Ducks, 36-24.
• The Wild took advantage of two Anaheim penalties 35 seconds apart early in the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit and take the lead.
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• Anaheim fourth-line center Logan Shaw went to the box for roughing and defenseman Cam Fowler followed with a hooking penalty. Ducks goaltender John Gibson made a huge save on Eric Staal in close, but the Wild maintained possession and Zach Parise slid a pass to Dumba, who beat Gibson through the pads with a one-timer.
• The Ducks managed to kill the 1:19 left on the man advantage, but never got the puck out of their zone before Spurgeon scored on a wrist shot for a 2-1 lead. It was the 10th shot on goal since the Shaw penalty-Anaheim had none in that span.
• The Ducks had their chances with the man advantage in the second period, however, drawing their first two penalties about 2 1/2 minutes apart, but failed to get a shot on goal on either power play and were ultimately outshot 16-6 in the second period.
• Both teams went through a lengthy feeling-out period to start the game, combining for five shots on goal through the first 10 minutes, a stretch that also included a Minnesota power play.
• Shortly after the power play ended, the Wild missed two good scoring chances while holding the puck in the Anaheim zone for nearly a minute, including a blast off the post by defenseman Ryan Suter from just inside the blue line.
• The Ducks then managed to get the puck out of their end and Ryan Kesler's line hopped on the ice.
• Andrew Cogliano battled Wild defenseman Marco Scandella for the puck coming out from behind the Minnesota net and it squirted out to Jakob Silfverberg at the top of the right circle. His shot was saved by Dubnyk, but the rebound came out in front of the crease, where Kesler was there to bat it in the net at the 8:16 mark.
• It was Kesler's 16th goal, moving him into a tie for the team lead, and 25th of his career against Minnesota-the most he's scored against any NHL team.
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• NOTE: Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury sustained Jan. 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Getzlaf, who remains day-to-day, has five goals and entered the day tied for ninth in the NHL with 25 assists. ... D Korbinian Holzer was a healthy scratch for the third straight contest for Anaheim, as rookie D Brandon Montour remained in the lineup for the third straight game and fifth of his career. Ducks G John Gibson made his eighth consecutive start and came in 5-0-3 in his last eight starts with a .932 save percentage. ... Wild G Devan Dubnyk came in 20-7-3 on the season with .939 save percentage. ... D Nate Prosser and RW Kurtis Gabriel were healthy scratches for the Wild. Gabriel played Saturday in an overtime loss at the Los Angeles Kings after sitting out the previous four contests and played 6:50 with no stats and is still looking for his first career goal after 14 games. C Jordan Schroeder, who has two goals and two assists in eight games this season, drew back into the lineup after sitting Saturday.
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