SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Sometimes a little luck is needed to keep a winning streak alive.

The Minnesota Wild found that out Thursday night.

Minnesota extended its team-record winning streak to 12 games with a 6-4 win over the New York Islanders.

The Wild's game-winning goal midway through the third period bounced off both of Erik Haula's legs and into the net, helping Minnesota stay red-hot heading into Saturday's matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who own a 14-game winning streak.

"We're going to enjoy this one right now," Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk. "We knew that one (Saturday) was going to be a story, but the important thing was to get this one."

Wild forward Nino Niederreiter fired a shot that deflected off Haula's left leg, then right leg, then past goalie Jean-Francois Berube and into the net to put Minnesota up 5-4 with 9:30 remaining.

Haula's sixth goal of the season was much-needed for the Wild, who allowed a pair of Islanders goals earlier in the period as Minnesota temporarily let its two-goal lead disappear.

As for the fluky nature of the goal, you will not hear the Wild complain.

"I guess when you're playing well, you get bounces like that sometimes,? Haula said.

Mikael Granlund's empty-net goal with 1:41 to play sealed it for the Wild, whose last defeat was a shootout loss Dec. 2 at Calgary.

Dubnyk, one of the best goaltenders in the NHL this season, endured one of his shakiest outings. Dubnyk allowed four goals on 28 shots, including two in a span of 42 seconds early in the third that resulted in a tie game.

It was the first time he allowed more than three goals all season and the first time in 11 games he surrendered more than two goals.

Brock Nelson scored 55 seconds into the final period, then again at 1:37 to lift the Islanders into a 4-4 tie. That gave New York some life after falling behind by two.

"We score the first one, and they weren't out there long. They stayed on the ice and they got the second one." Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said. "So all of a sudden you get two quick ones and you're back in it, the momentum's in our favor there."

Minnesota struck first, taking a 1-0 lead on Marco Scandella's second goal of the year at 12:34 in the first period. Just 1:29 later, the Islanders tied it on Jason Chimera's goal that beat Dubnyk over his left shoulder.

It was a Minnesota native who put New York up 2-1 early in the second. Defenseman Nick Leddy scored on the power play when his shot trickled just across the goal line before Dubnyk could turn to make the stop.

The Wild's fortunes turned in the span of 80 seconds in the second period.

Trailing 2-1, Minnesota's Chris Stewart scored from a nearly impossible angle to tie the game at 2-2. Stewart, whose skates were behind the net, banked a shot off Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak and into the goal.

Just 35 seconds later, defenseman Jared Spurgeon put Minnesota up 3-2 when he made a move on a defender and beat Halak for his fourth goal of the season.

The floodgates were open at that point for the Wild. Less than a minute after Spurgeon's go-ahead goal, Jordan Schroeder gave Minnesota a 4-2 lead with his second goal of the year.

The three goals were the fastest three goals in Wild franchise history. The previous record was 1:41.

"They're a good team playing well," Chimera said. "We did some good things, other than the second period in a span of three or four minutes when they scored three goals.

Minnesota's fourth goal of the night chased Halak. Halak faced 25 shots before he was benched.

All eyes now turn to St. Paul on Saturday, as the two hottest teams in the NHL face off. One team's lengthy winning streak will be coming to an end.

The Wild hope it isn't theirs.

"I don't even know if I want to come to the rink tomorrow," Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I know it's going to get a lot of airplay, but you know what, we're going to treat it like another game."

NOTES: The Wild reassigned F Kurtis Gabriel to the Iowa Wild of the AHL. Gabriel played in 10 games with Minnesota after he was called up from Iowa on Dec. 1. He tallied his first career NHL point with an assist on Dec. 7. ... New York's lineup included three native Minnesotans returning to their home state for Thursday's game: Anders Lee (Edina), Nick Leddy (Eden Prairie) and Brock Nelson (Warroad). ... Minnesota scratched D Nate Prosser. ... The Islanders scratched F Stephen Gionta, F Casey Cizikas and G Thomas Greiss.