Granlund, Dubnyk Lead Wild Past Canadiens 1-0
MONTREAL (AP) — Mikael Granlund scored, Devan Dubnyk stopped 32 shots for his first shutout of the season and the Minnesota Wild defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 Monday night.
The Wild have won three straight games, all on the road.
Carey Price stopped 24 shots for the Canadiens, who have dropped two in a row.
Montreal lost Shea Weber to injury. The Canadiens' captain was hit in the face by a puck while blocking a shot six minutes into the first period.
Granlund scored the game's only goal at 6:58 of the third period after pouncing on a no-look pass giveaway by Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry deep in his own zone.
Granlund scored his 12th of the season when he waited out Price, who was partially blocked by players in front of the net.
The Wild have won eight consecutive games against the Canadiens dating to Nov. 8, 2014. Granlund has at least a point in each of those victories.
Weber blocked a shot by Granlund and the puck rode up his own stick and hit him on the left cheek.
Weber winced in pain on the bench but played seven more shifts and finished the first period. He did not return for the second.
The 33-year-old already missed the first 24 games of the season with foot and knee injuries dating to last season.
Defensemen Petry, Victor Mete and Jordie Benn were forced to carry the load of Weber's absence, playing 26 minutes, 40 seconds, 21:15 and 21:12, respectively.
Montreal was also without forward Kenny Agostino for most of the game. Agostino was given a game misconduct just 2:28 in because of a late hit on Minnesota's Eric Fehr, who left the game after hitting his head on the edge of the players' bench. Fehr did not return.
The depleted roster took its toll in the third period as Granlund netted his first goal since Nov. 29.
The Canadiens failed to avenge a 7-1 loss in the teams' last meeting. It was Montreal's worst defeat of the season.
UP NEXT
Wild: At Boston on Tuesday.
Canadiens: At Detroit on Tuesday.
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