Eriksson Ek’s third period goal lifts Wild to 3-2 win over Ducks
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and an assist, including the game-winning score early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild capped a successful season-opening road trip with a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.
Eriksson Ek ripped a quick wrist shot past Ryan Miller’s glove side off a pass from Jordan Greenway 1:53 into the third for his second goal of the season.
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Ryan Hartman and Nick Bonino also scored for Minnesota, which has won three of its first four games. Kaapo Kahkonen made 22 saves.
Nicolas Deslauriers and Cam Fowler scored for Anaheim, and Ryan Miller stopped 29 shots.
Hartman opened the scoring at 13:51 of the first period with the first short-handed goal of his eight-year NHL career. The defenseman scored on a breakaway after forcing a turnover in the neutral zone.
Bonino extended the Wild’s lead to two goals at 5:50 of the second when he won the faceoff during a power play and buried a wrist shot past Miller. It is Bonino’s first goal with Minnesota after being acquired in an offseason trade with Nashville.
Deslauriers and Fowler scored less than four minutes apart in the second to tie it at 2-all. Deslauriers took advantage of a rebound near the Minnesota net for his second goal of the season at 8:58. Fowler then knotted it with a snap shot from the right circle at 12:21, after being set up with a cross-ice pass from Carter Rowney.
ICE CHIPS
Wild: D Ian Cole made his Minnesota debut after being acquired in a trade on Tuesday and saw 17:31 of ice time. … Kirill Kaprizov recorded the second assist on Eriksson Ek’s goal. He leads rookies in assists (four) and points (five)
Ducks: Rowney had two assists and has three points (all assists) in the past two games.
WHAT’S NEXT
Wild: Have their home opener against the San Jose Sharks on Friday.
Ducks: Host the Colorado Avalanche for two games starting Friday.
