Islanders Power Play Struggles Continue In Loss To Minnesota
Marcus Foligno, Jason Zucker and Jonas Brodin also scored for Minnesota. Devan Dubnyk stopped 29 shots to win for the second time in six starts this season for the Wild.
Anthony Beauvillier, Nick Leddy, Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal scored for New York, which had won three in a row. Thomas Greiss finished with 27 saves.
Staal scored short-handed to cap a three-goal first-period burst for Minnesota in 7:26. He later assisted on Kunin's tally as the rookie became the first player in Wild history to score short-handed for his first NHL goal, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
New York entered the game with the league's worst power play at 7.1 percent this season and had allowed three short-handed goals in its first nine games. The Islanders were 0 for 5 on the power play against the Wild, in addition to allowing two more short-handed goals.
Minnesota overwhelmed New York from the outset. The Wild were were outshooting the Islanders 10-0 at the start of the game and 13-1 after Staal earned a breakaway for a short-handed marker. Kunin's tally came in the second as Staal broke free on a 2-on-1. The veteran center sent a cross-ice pass to Kunin, who snapped a quick shot past Greiss.
Greiss has allowed 17 goals on 166 shots in five games this season.
NOTES: Wild F Nino Niederreiter (left high ankle sprain) skated with the team during Thursday's morning skate and could be looking at a return next week. He's missed five games with the injury. ... Mitchell was recalled from Iowa of the AHL earlier in the day. ... New York is 2 for 33 on the power play this season (6.1 percent). ... Minnesota tied its franchise record with two short-handed goals in a game, the third time it's done so in franchise history. ... Islanders F Josh Bailey had three assists and leads the team with seven assists this season.
UP NEXT
Islanders: At Nashville on Saturday.
Wild: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.
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