NHL scores 2016: In the midst of a topsy-turvy Central, the Wild are hitting their stride

Last season, there was hardly any breathing room in the Central Division. The Blackhawks, Blues, Stars, and Predators nearly had a chokehold on a division that was the deadliest in the NHL by far.

This year, as always, is a different story. We see some familiar suspects in Chicago and St. Louis sitting at the top, but a casual look to the No. 3 spot in the Central might give you pause.

If the spread of points doesn’t do it for you — yes, Dallas is really 5-6-3 — the Wild sitting at a solid 15 points might. I’ll admit, I wasn’t a believer in the Wild in my predictions this year. The addition of Bruce Boudreau wasn’t enough in my mind to overcome what I believed to be a lack of scoring and goaltending that didn’t impress.

Yet the Wild are proving me wrong, which honestly isn’t hard to do these days but is still a feat in its own right. Their 4-2 takedown of the Penguins on Thursday encapsulated all the things that are going better for them this year.

First, Eric Staal’s scoring resurgence is doing them wonders. The forward has surpassed his meager six-point performance in 20 games from his time with the Rangers, and is now averaging almost a point per game, with 11 in 12 games. Staal was key in the Wild’s win over the reigning Stanley Cup champions, nabbing the game-winning goal and two assists.

Not only that, Devan Dubnyk is bouncing back well from his .918 save percentage year. The goaltender faced 41 shots in a game that saw 85 total between both sides, and he saved 39. Overall, Dubnyk seems to be playing better and allowing fewer soft goals that would get opponents back into the game.

A combination of more scoring and better netminding has the Wild, for now at least, leading heavy playoff hitters like the Predators and Stars. Who knows, this start may just come in handy down the line for Minnesota when a postseason berth is hanging in the balance.

Bruins 5, Blue Jackets 2
Wild 4, Penguins 2
Ducks 4, Hurricanes 2
Canadiens 4, Kings 1
Red Wings 3, Canucks 1
Lightning 4, Islanders 1
Sharks 4, Panthers 2
Predators 3, Blues 1
Stars 4, Flames 2
Jets 3, Coyotes 2

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1. It was a big night for flashy saves

At this rate, you expect at least one a night from Carey Price. He certainly delivered here.

We also got Ryan Miller going full baseball player on a puck that may have been going high, but it nonetheless looks incredible.

2. Steve Ott scored a goal? Steve Ott scored a goal!

Yes, that Steve Ott, who before this season had just three goals in the past three seasons, scored a key goal in the Red Wings’ 3-1 win over the Canucks.

Vancouver not only has lost eight of its last nine — it also allowed Ott to score on it. Feel shame, Vancouver!

3. The Islanders are giving the Canucks a run for their money for the NHL’s worst team

It’s not the Islanders’ year, it seems — bad ice, a strange goaltending trio, and now a 5-7-2 start to the season that has them just two points above the Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division basement.

Their 4-1 loss to the Lightning is the third time in their last five games they’ve allowed four-plus goals, and their worst was to Tampa Bay on Nov. 1 in a 6-1 beatdown. It’s a shame, really, for a team that made the second round of the playoffs last year for the first time since 1993 to have fallen this far.

The Stars mustered 22 shots on goal for their fifth win of the year. Jamie Benn’s tie-breaker in the middle stages of the third period saved them from their fourth straight loss.