Wild defeat Rangers for third win in past 11 games

ST. PAUL, Minn. --Kevin Fiala scored two goals for the Minnesota Wild in a 5-2 win against the New York Rangers at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday.

Fiala extended his point streak to four games (three goals, four assists) and has scored 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in his past 26 games.
Marcus Foligno had a goal and two assists, Ryan Hartman scored, and Cam Talbot made 23 saves for the Wild (33-19-3), who won for the third time in the past 11 games and ended a three-game losing streak at home.
"We [have to] play the exact same way now consistently and just have that same effort," Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. "Because we had some success here tonight doesn't mean it's going to continue. [It has to] continue because of how we play and how we prepare and what we do and how we come when the puck's dropped in our next game there [at the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday].
"There's no easy games. There's no easy games going forward. We've got a lot left, so hopefully, we've caught something and we can go forward."

Dryden Hunt and Mika Zibanejad scored, and Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves for the Rangers (36-16-5), who had a three-game winning streak end and are 8-3-1 in their past 11.
"I thought we did some good things, but I thought they were a little more desperate," New York forward Ryan Strome said. "… I think the first period was fairly even, they just had a little more desperation that accounted for those two goals, and then we did a good job getting back in the game and just a couple quick ones hurt us. Obviously, a tough result but [it's game No. 2 of] a four-game (road) trip, move on."
Hartman made it 1-0 at 10:38 of the first period through a screen for his fourth goal in his past four games. Joel Eriksson Ek increased the lead to 2-0 at 14:41, deflecting a one-timer from Foligno.
"I don't want to rate my game," Georgiev said after his fifth straight loss. "They've been frustrating. Just trying to [look at] every shot is a new experience for me, and just go from there."
Hunt got New York within 2-1 at 5:03 of the second period on a 2-on-1 with Strome for his first goal since Dec. 1, ending a 30-game drought. Zibanejad tied it 2-2 at 8:07 after taking the puck from Mats Zuccarello for a shorthanded goal.
Fiala gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal at 9:13 after Matt Boldy swept the puck to him in the right circle for a wrist shot into an open net.
"That (third goal) was real tough," New York coach Gerard Gallant said. "We got that goal shorthanded, and I think it was the same power play that they scored, which is really tough. Usually, you get some momentum from that, and we lost our momentum there, and then the two breakaway goals were tough to handle, but that third goal was definitely tough."
Foligno made it 4-2 at 13:06 after splitting the Rangers defense and tucking the puck in on a backhand.
"It's just a little play where we kind of go out wide and cut in. I think [Matt Dumba's] hit me three times [with the pass] in preseason and I have not scored on it," Foligno said. "The 10th times a charm, I told him."

Fiala scored his second of the game at 17:44 for the 5-2 final with a backhand.
"This game, we led the way, kind of," Fiala said. "We scored the first two goals and led again 3-2 and kept going. We never stopped. In the third period, we did a great job to not give them any life. We kept on rolling, playing great. I'm just very proud of [the] group."
NOTES:Wild forward Jordan Greenway had an assist and one hit in 15:47 of ice time after missing six games with an upper-body injury. The assist was his 100th NHL point (30 goals, 70 assists). … Strome had an assist and one shot on goal in 17:26 of ice time in his 600th NHL game … Rangers forward Artemi Panarin had an assist to extend his point streak to five games (seven points; one goal, six assists). … Fiala has scored 20 goals this season to become the third Switzerland-born player to score at least 20 in at least four NHL seasons, joining San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier (four) and Carolina Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter (five).