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Fiala Shines, Dumba Ends Goal Drought, and Wild win 3-2.

By Jonathan Brill

SAINT PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 4: Matt Dumba #24 of the Minnesota Wild scores the game winning goal in overtime against Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks at the Xcel Energy Center on February 4, 2020 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAINT PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 4: Matt Dumba #24 of the Minnesota Wild scores the game winning goal in overtime against Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks at the Xcel Energy Center on February 4, 2020 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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A much-needed game-winner, Matt Dumba and Kevin Fiala soar in St. Paul, and the Wild send Chicago back to the Windy City.

SAINT PAUL, MN – FEBRUARY 4: Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau leads his team against the Chicago Blackhawks during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on February 4, 2020, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAINT PAUL, MN – FEBRUARY 4: Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau leads his team against the Chicago Blackhawks during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on February 4, 2020, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Talk about an awesome primetime game on NBC in downtown St. Paul. The script was set before the puck was dropped. Entering yesterday’s game, Patrick Kane was riding a 12 game point streak and is always labeled as the Wild’s kryptonite. In his career, Kane has amassed 49 points in 51 games against the Minnesota Wild (Per statmuse.com).

It was a huge Central Division match-up the Wild needed to come out on top of. Before the puck drop, Head Coach Bruce Boudreau made a few lineup changes trying to spark a sputtering club. Luke Kunin was moved to second-line center with Fiala and Zucker. The newly formed “GREEF” line consisted of Jordan Greenway, Joel Erickson-Ek, and Marcus Foligno. Ryan Donato got the nod over Victor Rask and placed on the 4th line left wing.

This has needed to happen from day one this season. I don’t see how Rask has played over Donato, and I disagree with how Boudreau has him in the doghouse this season. A kid with his scoring and soft hands around the net needs to play in every game. From a developmental standpoint, it makes no sense to squander a 23-year-old with the skill set Donato possesses.

WINNIPEG, MB – FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Fiala #22 of the Minnesota Wild takes part in the pre-game warm-up before NHL action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 26, 2019, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB – FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Fiala #22 of the Minnesota Wild takes part in the pre-game warm-up before NHL action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 26, 2019, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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