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Over the Boards

Parise: Wild getting more than just saves from Dubnyk

Thursday, 03.12.2015 / 4:40 PM

By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer / Over the Boards blog

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Over the Boards blog
Parise: Wild getting more than just saves from Dubnyk

Devan Dubnyk has done more than just stop the puck to give the Minnesota Wild a chance to securing a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Left wing Zach Parise said Dubnyk has also given the Wild confidence to rediscover the way they feel they need to play in front of the goalie.

That, as much as stopping the puck, is the impact quality goaltending can have on any team.

The Wild weren't getting quality goaltending before Dubnyk arrived on Jan. 14, and they were a mess with an 18-19-5 record and .893 save percentage that led to 3.0 goals-against per game.

The Wild have gone 19-4-2 since Dubnyk made his debut on Jan. 15. Dubnyk has started every game and has a .937 save percentage and 1.67 goals-against average.

Devan Dubnyk
Goalie - MIN
RECORD: 28-9-3
GAA: 2.11 | SVP: .928
Minnesota is on pace to be the first wild card in the playoffs from the Western Conference.

"When he came in and made some big stops in his first couple games it let us take a deep breath," Parise said. "It had felt like every mistake we were making was magnified and ending up in the back of our net. I'm not saying that's the goalie's fault, because when we were losing we started to really change the way we played. Not even realizing we started to cheat on the offensive and we weren't playing a winning style of hockey. Now we've gotten back to that, so I think that's put less pressure on our goalies. We have kind of rediscovered our game to play the way that makes us a good hockey team."

The Wild's possession metrics since Dubnyk arrived are actually slightly worse, albeit in 17 fewer games, than what they were in the pre-Dubnyk part of this season.

According to War-on-Ice.com, the Wild have a 50.9 even-strength shot attempts percentage (SAT) with Dubynk; they were 52.5 percent without him.

Part of the reason for the 1.6-percent dip is the Wild have been leading in more games, so they have been protecting more than pushing. They have had the lead entering the third period in 14 of their previous 25 games; they held the lead after two periods in 15 of their first 42 games.

That only illustrates further how much good goaltending is to credit for the Wild's surge up the standings. They were eight points out of a playoff position before Dubnyk arrived; they are the first wild card with a four-point cushion entering play Thursday.

"He came in and made the saves he should make and needs to make, and on top of that he's made some you don't expect him to make," Parise said. "It's just like every goalie, he's kept us in games when we haven't had good starts. He's protected leads for us. He's just been solid. His numbers speak for themselves. I mean, he's just been awesome for us. I don't think you expect anybody to put up those type of numbers. Since he's been here he's been incredible."

Parise is seeing early returns from another trade acquisition. Forward Chris Stewart has four points on two goals and two assists in five games since arriving from the Buffalo Sabres on March 2.

"I don't think lacking is the word, but we just didn't have a player like him with that size," Parise said of Stewart, who is 6-foot-2, 231 pounds. "In our division and I guess in our conference you need players like that, the big power forwards that get in front of the net. You can see him play a skilled game too, and he's such a big guy. We needed a guy to play physical and get in front of the net and win those type of battles in front of the net. He has delivered. He has been really good."

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