MONTREAL (AP) Jason Zucker scored three goals in the third period and Devan Dubnyk made 41 saves for a shutout as the Minnesota Wild beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 to end their three-game losing streak Thursday night.
It was the second multi-goal game in two nights for Zucker, who scored twice in a 4-2 loss at Toronto on Wednesday.
Montreal goalie Charlie Lindgren, who had won two starts in a row and was unbeaten in five career NHL games, made 32 saves. Dubnyk, now 7-1-1 against Montreal, posted his first shutout this season and the 25th of his career.
The Canadiens had two goals wiped out after video review.
Tyler Ennis hit a post behind Lindgren on a breakaway and, when the puck went down to the other end, Karl Alzner tipped Alex Galchenyuk’s pass out of the air and into the Minnesota net 6:21 into the game. But it was waved off by the officials and called no goal after video review even though Alzner’s stick appeared to be quite clearly below the height of the crossbar.
Officials ruled goaltender interference when Charles Hudon scored from the crease with five minutes left in the third period.
The deadlock was broken 2:46 into the third with the Wild down a man when Zucker scooped up a loose puck in the neutral zone and went in alone to score on a deke to his backhand.
Zucker was positioned in front of the net to deflect Nino Niederreiter’s shot past Lindgren at 11:23. Zucker completed the hat trick with 35 seconds remaining.
It was the Wild’s second win in their last six games, both against Montreal. They beat the Canadiens 6-3 at home last week. Montreal has lost only twice in its last seven games, both times to Minnesota.
The Canadiens got bad news just before the game that top defenseman Shea Weber (lower body) and center Jonathan Drouin (hand) would not dress. With goalie Carey Price already out due to a lower-body injury, the Canadiens were without arguably their three best players.
Minnesota played without forwards Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle.
Claude Julien, in his second stint with Montreal, coached his 200th game for the team. He has coached 1,038 NHL games in all.
UP NEXT
Wild: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night.
Canadiens: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.
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Zucker nets hat trick, Dubnyk helps Wild blank Canadiens 3-0
