Just 22 seconds later, Matt Boldy eluded Niko Mikkola on a 2-on-1 rush to get to the left corner, where he heaved the puck to the middle for a Marcus Johansson one-timer.
Then, 2:40 into the second period, Boldy deflected in a Zuccarello shot on the power play. In the process, Zuccarello became the fastest player in Wild history to reach 200 assists, getting there in 70 fewer games than Mikko Koivu’s 400.
Joel Eriksson Ek drew the penalty, getting hauled down in front of the net while wearing his normal helmet. Eriksson Ek ditched the full-face shield he wore last Saturday at Columbus in his return from a broken nose.
That was the power play’s first of only two chances, a stellar showing by the Wild’s special teams since they didn’t commit a penalty.
Later in the second period, at 11:19, the Panthers finally eluded Gustavsson on a crease-crashing redirect by Sam Bennett.
But the Wild were unfazed.
