Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk surprised, disappointed by his 0-5 start

MONTREAL – Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk has been tested like this in the past.

Just last season Dubnyk hit a snag after the Capitals' Tom Wilson collided with him during a Nov. 13 game.

But what's different about his latest rough patch is it's at the start of the season, a winless debut that has surprised and disappointed Dubnyk.

"Going 0-5 to start the season, I don't think I've ever been there," he said. "Even back when I was younger, I don't think I've been in that spot."

After giving up four goals for the third time this season Tuesday in a 4-2 loss in Toronto, Dubnyk backed up Alex Stalock in Thursday's 4-0 loss to Montreal.

He has a .867 save percentage and 4.44 goals-against average and was pulled last Saturday in the second period after getting tagged for a fifth goal by the Penguins in an eventual 7-4 setback for the Wild.

"I'm hoping that it's the ebbs and flows [of the season]," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "At certain points, you need your best players to step up or you need your best goalie to win you a game or you need something to go right. And right now, there's not a lot going right."

What gives Dubnyk confidence that he will rebound is he hasn't felt off in any of his starts. But that's also what's making him frustrated.

"I felt really good every game this year," he said. "Pittsburgh kind of got out of control there in the second, and I wasn't as sharp as I had felt. That one kind of got out of hand. But honestly that's the weird part about it. It's not a bad feeling."

Next up for Dubnyk is not overcorrecting and instead trusting the skills that have gotten him to being an established starting goalie in the NHL.

"I've played enough hockey games to know what I need to do and what I need to not do, and I felt pretty good on the ice in the games," he said. "Make sure you don't go change that part of that and then have goals go by you that shouldn't be."

Winger Kevin Fiala was back in the lineup Thursday after being a healthy scratch Tuesday, the first time that's happened since the Wild acquired him in a trade last season from the Predators.

Defenseman Nick Seeler also returned after being scratched for five straight games.

"Just trying to keep a good positive attitude and be a good teammate," Seeler said.

Seeler and Carson Soucy have been sharing the left spot on the third pairing next to Brad Hunt, and Seeler views every game as an opportunity to prove he should stay on the ice.

"It can be draining being out of the lineup for that many games," said Seeler, who's in his second full season with the Wild. "As long as you stay mentally strong and persevere and work through it and try to have a good attitude every day and work on the things you know you need to work on, I think it makes it easier. "

The Wild finished the loss to Montreal shorthanded. Center Joel Eriksson Ek didn't play in the third period after blocking three shots by Shea Weber in the second. Eriksson Ek was spotted leaving the arena with a walking boot on his left foot. Boudreau didn't have an update on Eriksson Ek's his status after the game.

• Victor Rask was the odd forward out vs. the Canadiens, sitting because of a lower-body injury he suffered against the Maple Leafs.