Powerful Design: Granlund's vision, precision sets up Dumba's stunner
Matt Dumba and Mikael Granlund connected twice for goals in the Minnesota Wild's 7-1 demolition of the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, and Dumba's second marker was a thing of beauty on multiple levels.
The defenseman ripped home a shot off a brilliant Granlund feed to give the Wild a 6-0 lead in the opening minute of the third period, and Minnesota's solid power-play structure allowed the dynamic duo to execute the sequence to perfection. Let's take a look at how they did it.
As we begin, Zach Parise has the puck behind the Canadiens' net, but the Wild aren't fully set up yet.
Parise wiggles free and finds Ryan Suter at the point, in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Now, the Wild are in business.
Suter walks the line and dishes to Granlund on the edge of the circle. Dumba (No. 24), who had been parked at the point on the near side, cuts to the middle as Granlund (No. 64) takes Suter's pass along the boards.
Granlund moves in down low and draws a pair of Canadiens defenders, with two more nearby. His passing options appear limited, but a certain Wild blue-liner is lurking unmarked on the far side.
Dumba, who remains wide open, makes his move toward the goal. Granlund identifies that and feathers a terrific pass that somehow finds its way through four Canadiens.
Dumba receives the dish and wastes no time unleashing a wrist shot.
The wrister ricochets off both posts and past Canadiens goaltender Antti Niemi to give the Wild a six-goal lead.
Minnesota went 4-for-4 on the power play in the game. Dumba's goal from Granlund early in the third offers a shining example of why the Wild were so successful on the man advantage, and why they boast the eighth-most effective power play in the NHL this season.
(Images courtesy: NHL.com)
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