ANAHEIM, Calif. – Eventually the Minnesota Wild will play someone different.
The team competed solely against its division opponents in a truncated, 56-game schedule earlier this year, but the Wild will get back to its usual programming with an 82-game tour of the entire NHL.
Before then, the team reconnected with a familiar foe in its season debut and the result was a throwback to its tenure in the now-defunct West Division.
After dominating the Anaheim Ducks last season, the Wild continued that prowess Friday night in its season debut by rallying 2-1 on Friday night at Honda Center to stretch its win streak vs. Anaheim to eight.
Marcus Foligno capped off the comeback with 7-2 seconds remaining in the third period, scoring on a wraparound in front of the net.
Goaltender Cam Talbot pushed aside 28 shots to notch his first victory in his return as the Wild's starter.
A one-goal decision was also common last season between these teams, but initially it looked like the Wild's trend of persevering might not hold up this go-around.
Anaheim goaltender Anthony Stolarz was air-tight early in a solid pinch-hit effort, finishing with 41 saves after starting in place of injured No. 1 John Gibson.
The Wild was also missing its mojo.
A power play in the first minute of the game could have generated momentum but instead — in a resemblance to last season's woes — the setup was clunky; the best look came during a drive to the net by the second unit's Frederick Gaudreau.
In the final minute of the first, the Wild's rhythm was further interrupted by a fight between Foligno and Max Jones that started after Jones cross-checked Foligno in the back.
Both players received five-minute fighting majors and 10-minute misconducts, but Foligno was also tagged with an interference minor for a total of 17 penalty minutes.
His absence meant the Wild had to juggle its forward lines, shuffling that isn't exactly conducive to getting in a groove.
After serving those penalties, Foligno returned with less than five minutes remaining in the second period.
By then, the Wild was trailing 1-0.
During the Ducks' power play that carried over to the second from the Foligno infractions, Jakob Silfverberg converted on a wrap-around only 17 seconds into period.
That lead held until the Wild finally answered with its own power-play goal — and with Foligno back on the ice.
On his first shift since his stint in the penalty box, the Wild drew a power play on a Silfverberg hook and this time the team didn't waste the opportunity.
Kevin Fiala, who led the Wild in power-play production last season, pounced on a deflected Mats Zuccarello pass at the back post with 2:25 to go in the second.
Kirill Kaprizov also registered his first point of the season on the play with the secondary assist after feeding the puck to Zuccarello, who appeared to be trying to pass to Foligno in front of the net.
Instead, the puck caromed off Anaheim (and former Wild) defenseman Greg Pateryn and right to Fiala's stick.
Overall, the Wild went 1-for-4 with the man advantage and the Ducks were 1-for-5.
One of those penalty kills by the Wild came in the third period and featured arguably Talbot's sharpest save of the game. He stretched his left skate out to get a piece of a Ryan Getzlaf shot from right in front of the crease, preserving the 1-1 tie.
That paved the way for Foligno's game-winning goal.
———
