ST. PAUL, Minn. _ The Wild didn't get the chance to practice with its revamped lineup before it debuted, but that didn't matter.
After a two-trade, one call-up makeover in recent days, the new look responded by holding off the Blue Jackets, 2-1, Saturday in front of 19,054 at Xcel Energy Center to cap off a whirlwind week with two wins and two losses.
And two of the additions, center Victor Rask and winger Pontus Aberg, set up the deciding goal, a finish by winger Zach Parise _ his team-leading 20th of the season.
Unlike its previous game when the Wild was tagged for three goals less than eight minutes after puck drop, a discouraging 3-0 loss to the Ducks Thursday on the heels of the trade that brought Rask in from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for winger Nino Niederreiter, the group had a steady start and eventually capitalized first for just the 18th time this season.
Rookie Jordan Greenway was the source, as has usually been the case. He one-timed the puck top shelf over Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's glove 16 minutes, 7 seconds into the first. Seven of Greenway's nine goals have been the first of the game for the Wild, and his five that have opened the game's scoring are tops among NHL rookies.
Center Eric Staal and winger Charlie Coyle earned assists on the play, another different line for the Wild amid its shake-up.
The Wild's lead doubled just 1:29 later when Aberg's pass into the slot was buried by Parise, who has now reached the 20-goal plateau in nine of his 14 seasons.
Rask also notched an assist on the goal, giving him and Aberg their first points with the Wild; Aberg was acquired in a trade with the Ducks Wednesday that sent minor-leaguer Justin Kloos to Anaheim. The Wild also had defenseman Louie Belpedio on the ice after recalling him from the American Hockey League Friday.
An ensuing power play gave the Wild a chance to add to its cushion, but it couldn't convert.
Instead, it was the Blue Jackets who scored with an extra attacker early in the second to cut their deficit in half.
Just 3:07 into the middle frame, winger Artemi Panarin's wrist shot from inside the left circle eluded goalie Devan Dubnyk for Panarin's 19th goal of the season.
That penalty was the first of many in the period, but neither team made the other pay.
Overall, Columbus went 1 for 4 with the man advantage; the Wild blanked on all four of its looks _ one of which came in the third.
It looked like that period could hold an advantage for the Wild since the Blue Jackets were finishing off a back-to-back after losing the night before at home to the Montreal Canadiens.
And although the Wild didn't pull further away _ it did come close on a shot by Rask that hit the post _ the Blue Jackets' six pucks on net were contained by Dubnyk, who racked up 19 total saves; Bobrovsky made 29 stops.
This gave the team four out of a possible eight points during the week, a ho-hum result but one that ensured the Wild began the next week with a better vibe than how it started the previous one _ with a 7-4 letdown to the then-last-place Philadelphia Flyers.
