Zucker-Coyle lead Wild past Blue Jackets

A pair of Midwest-based NHL teams ran into each other in pre-season action Thursday (Sept. 25), the Wild downing the Blue Jackets at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

Jason Zucker played a key role for the Wild, setting up the first goal and adding another helper later before securing the win with his empty netter exactly one minute from the final buzzer.

Charlie Coyle also had three assists in the game, including on the first goal when he and Zucker worked together to set up Chistian Folin for the first goal of the contest 5:53 into the first period.

Nino Neiderreiter hammered a slapshot home to double the margin about five minutes later with assists going to Coyle and Jonas Brodin and the Blue Jackets got on the board late in the period as former Wild forward James Sheppard put one in with assists for Andrew Bodnarchuk and TJ Tynan.

Brodin scored the lone goal of the second period jut 84 seconds from the end, from Thomas Vanek and Coyle.

Erik Haula made it a 4-1 lead for the Wild near the halfway mark of the third, from Zucker and Tyson Strachan but Brandon Dubinsky’s powerplay goal had the Jackets back within a pair with 8:35 to go, from Fedor Tyutin and Jack Johnson.

Niederreiter and Nate Prosser had the helpers on Zucker’s empty net tally

Devan Dubnyk led his team to the win in goal with a 22 save effort while Curtis McElhinney and Anton Forsberg shared the work for the Blue Jackets, combining to stop 23 of 27.

The Blue Jackets will hit the road Friday (Sept. 25) to continue its pre-season against the Penguins and the next action for the Wild will also be on the same night at Edmonton against the Oilers.