The Wild couldn’t hold onto a 2-0 lead and wound up losing 3-2 to the Buffalo Sabres at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday night.
Minnesota got the scoring started on Zach Parise’s eighth goal of the season just four minutes into the game, and Matt Dumba’s eight of the season made it 2-0 at the 7:45 mark of the first period.
For Parise, it was the 341st goal of his 14-year career, passing Dave Christian for the most goals by a Minnesota-born player in NHL history. Parise was born in Minneapolis in 1984; Christian was born in Warroad in 1959.
Despite the milestone, Minnesota couldn’t finish off the Sabres, who were on the second end of a back-to-back after winning in Winnipeg on Friday night.
“I think we probably could have stepped on their throats a little bit, the way the first period was going,” said goalie Devan Dubnyk, who finished with 26 saves. “It’s always disappointing to give up a lead and especially when it’s late.”
Buffalo tied the game 2-2 with 7:02 left in the third period, and former Wild winger Jason Pominville scored the game-winner with just 90 seconds left in regulation.
Phil Housley, one of the great Minnesota-born players in NHL history (338 goals, 894 assists), is the head coach of the Sabres.
“It’s tough going into Winnipeg and getting two points there, and then getting two points in Minnesota, where they’ve only lost one game, they’re pretty deadly in this building,” the St. Paul native said after the game.
No rest for the Wild as they face the Blackhawks in Chicago at 5 p.m.
