ST. PAUL, Minn. _ It wasn't as pretty as some of the Wild's other recent triumphs.
And there were much fewer witnesses, with less than the announced crowd of 18,907 at Xcel Energy Center actually in attendance Monday while snow pounded the Twin Cities.
But the result counted all the same, another win _ this one a 3-1 finish over the Senators _ that sealed points in six straight for the Wild, extended their impressive streak on home ice to 14-1-3 and confirmed a successful stretch for the team before the All-Star break with just one more game to go (Thursday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins).
Winger Jason Zucker scored for a fourth consecutive game, burying the go-ahead goal 4 minutes, 59 seconds into the third, while backup Alex Stalock posted 37 saves in his first action since Jan. 9.
While blizzard-like conditions swirled outside, it was business as usual for the Wild.
Starts have been a strength of the team lately, and this game was no different.
Just 45 seconds after puck drop, Zach Parise buried a cross-crease feed from center Eric Staal for his second goal in as many games _ another indicator the winger is feeling more and more comfortable in his return from back surgery.
The Wild could have easily upped their cushion amid 14 first-period shots, only one of which came on a later power play. Same in the early part of the season, as Zucker _ who took a slap shot off the back of the helmet in the first _ had a backhand miss, and winger Daniel Winnik sent another close call through the crease.
Not capitalizing came back to haunt the Wild, as the Senators eventually tied it on a Matt Duchene breakaway at 9:38 _ a shot he slid five-hole on Stalock.
Even after surrendering the tying goal, the Wild had plenty of chances to regain the lead later in the second.
Winger Chris Stewart, who was back in the lineup after sitting out last game, couldn't corral a puck in-tight, Winnik's wind-up of a three-on-two setup by Staal bounced out and defenseman Erik Karlsson impeded Zucker's ability to get off a shot on a breakaway in the waning seconds of the period.
But a lack of execution kept the teams even into the third before Zucker's tally _ which looked eerily similar to Parise's goal from the first period, as Zucker one-timed a pass through the crease from winger Mikael Granlund.
A four-game goal streak is the longest for Zucker since he scored eight times in five straight games Nov.8-16 and overlaps with a string of impressive wins for the Wild _ victories like the one they had Jan. 13 against the Jets and last Saturday over the Lightning.
The Wild had another opportunity on the power play after defenseman Fredrik Claesson was called for interference for taking out Staal as he pursued a loose puck, and the team capitalized to go 1-for-2 with the man advantage; Ottawa went 0-for-2.
After splitting the defense, Granlund lost the puck _ right to defenseman Matt Dumba, who fed it back to Granlund for the score past Senators goalie Mike Condon at 10:09; Condon ended up with 33 saves. The goal capped off a two-point effort for Granlund, who set up Zucker's goal, and Granlund has eight points in his last six games and 16 in 12 games since the Wild resumed action after the league-wide holiday break.
