Zucker, Pateryn return to lineup, Wild fall to Canucks 4-1

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Elias Pettersson scored his 21st goal and fellow All-Star Jacob Markstom stopped 23 shots in the Vancouver Canucks‘ 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Bo Horvat added two goals — the second into an empty net with 5.7 seconds left — and Troy Stecher also scored the Canucks. They’ve won nine of 11 and picked up their second win in a two days.

Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves, and Marcus Foligno scored for Minnesota, The Wild were held to 24 total shots after averaging 40 in their previous three games.

A day after scoring four third-period goals in Buffalo to snap a two-game skid, the Canucks scored three in the second period and briefly broke out of a power-play funk.

After a scoreless first period, Vancouver ended an 0-for-18 power-play drought stretching over five games on Pettersson’s second-period goal as things were turning chippy. Minnesota answered with Foligno’s eighth goal of the season at the 11:58 mark to bring some life to an otherwise sleepy arena.

But the tie lasted only 13 seconds, with Horvat tapping in a loose puck just outside the crease off a shot from Tanner Pearson. The Canucks struck again 1:13 later when Stecher’s hard wrist shot from just above the right circle beat Dubnyk’s glove to make it 3-1.

The Wild were whistled for eight penalties, and Minnesota’s 20th-ranked power play unit went 0 for 5 on the man-advantage. Minnesota emptied its net early in the fourth but couldn’t solve Markstrom.

NOTES: Stecher’s goal was his first in 26 games. … Wild LW Jason Zucker returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a fractured right fibula, and D Greg Pateryn played for the first time this season after having surgery to repair a sports hernia in October. … Vancouver played its fourth game in six days. … Foligno has four goals in four games.

UP NEXT

Canucks: Wrap up their five-game trip Tuesday night in Winnipeg.

Wild: At Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.