Postgame Hat Trick: Wild 3, Maple Leafs 2

Dan Myers gives three takeaways from the Wild's 3-2 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center:

1. The Wild capitalized on a breakaway when Eric Staal scored Minnesota's initial goal at 10:09 of the second period.
The goal briefly tied the game and got the Wild off the schneid, as Minnesota has had a handful of chances all alone on the break without being able to capitalize.
Staal also scored the eventual game-winner at 11:53 of the third period, whipping a low shot from the left circle just inside the right post for second of the night and third of the season.

"He wasn't happy with his game last game," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "Real good players, they bounce back because they have a lot of pride. I thought he was really good. He had the puck a lot and his legs were moving. When that happens, good things happen."
Charlie Coyle, who sprang Staal on his breakaway goal with a pretty pass from near the Wild bench, ran his points streak to four games, which tied a career best.
2. Zac Dalpe was rewarded for his good start to the season with a third-period goal.
Consistently one of Minnesota's best forwards through the first four games, Dalpe had just one assist to show for his efforts until his pretty goal early in the third tied the game at 2-2.
Dalpe gained control of the puck in the defensive zone, cruised through center, fought off a Maple Leafs player across the offensive blue line then chipped a forehand shot just under the crossbar for his 12th career NHL goal -- and second with the Wild -- at 2:27.
It was a special moment for the Paris, Ontario native, who was born less than an hour west of Toronto.
"Ontario boy scoring against the Leafs, it's a pleasure for sure," Dalpe said.

3. Zach Parise's 300th goal is coming soon. It has to be.
After failing on a breakaway chance in the season opener in St. Louis, just missing on a couple of grade-A chances against Winnipeg and hitting a post against Los Angeles, Parise nearly finished four more quality opportunities, hit another post and saw Staal's second goal of the game go right between his legs on Thursday night.
"It was a good play by him, being hard on the forecheck," Staal said. "Surveying my options coming out, I looked at Charlie, then I saw Zach beat his guy off the wall. I kind of wanted to lay it back-post for him."
Unable to secure history at home, there's perhaps no better place for Parise to score his 300th goal than where his NHL career got started, in New Jersey. The Wild open a four-game road trip against the Devils on Saturday night at the Prudential Center.
Loose Pucks
• Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 31 saves, including 11 stops in a first period in which the Maple Leafs were outshooting the Wild 11-2 at one point.

• Toronto goaltender Jhonas Enroth made 24 saves in his first start this season.
• Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews scored on the power play in the second period, snapping Minnesota's perfect start on the penalty kill. The Wild was 12-for-12 on the PK prior to the goal.
• The goal for Matthews, the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, was his fifth of the season and first since he scored four on opening night.
• Boudreau said defenseman Jared Spurgeon is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Spurgeon played 18 minutes, 27 seconds Thursday night and blocked a pair of shots.
• Attendance: 18,968
He Said It
"I've never had so many friends before." -- Wild forward Zac Dalpe on the media horde surrounding his locker after the game

They Said It
"I thought we played well tonight. I thought we controlled a lot of the play; we had lots of real good chances. You gotta give their goalie a lot of credit." -- Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock
Three Stars
* Eric Staal
\\ Zac Dalpe
\\* Devan Dubnyk