Cam Talbot makes 30 saves, Wild beat Blackhawks

Cam Talbot made 30 saves for his first shutout of the season and the Minnesota Wild beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 on Wednesday evening to prolonged their factors streak to 10 video games.

Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Fiala and Frederick Gaudreau every had a aim and an help for surging Minnesota. The Wild head into the NHL’s All-Star break on a 9-0-1 roll.

The 34-year-old Talbot, named an All-Star for the primary time, had his twenty fifth profession shutout.

“It’s been a variety of enjoyable this yr taking part in behind this group and being a part of this group,” stated Talbot, who improved to 18-8-1 and lowered his goals-against common to 2.81. “Shutouts are staff stat, however wins are what’s most essential.

“It’s definitely good to throw a type of (shutouts) in each infrequently.”

Fiala prolonged his career-high factors streak to 12 video games, matching Mikael Granlund’s Wild file set in 2017.

Fiala is having fun with his roll, together with the Wild’s.

“It’s very enjoyable,” the Swiss ahead stated. ‘We’re profitable, it looks like on a regular basis, you already know. We’re assured we’re going to win each recreation irrespective of who we play.

“It’s nonetheless early to say as a result of we’ve received 40 video games to go, however I’ve huge confidence on this group that we are able to go all the way in which, for certain.”

Kirill Kaprizov scored his team-leading nineteenth aim to stretch his career-best factors streak to eight video games. Nico Sturm additionally linked to assist Minnesota enhance to 3-0-0 in opposition to fading Chicago.

Zuccarello has three targets in his final 4 video games and factors in 11 of his final 12, with six targets and 14 assists within the span. Fiala has 9 targets and 7 assists in his streak.

The Blackhawks misplaced their third straight and are 1-5-2 of their final eight. Marc-Andre Fleury allowed 5 targets on 30 pictures earlier than being relieved by Collin Delia late within the third.

Chicago performed once more with out captain Jonathan Toews. He missed his third straight recreation due to a concussion.

Repeated turnovers and protection errors doomed the Blackhawks on this one, interim coach Derek King stated.

“That’s what we’ve received to determine the way to cease,” King stated. “It’s the second mistake, the snowball impact, I suppose you may wish to name it. And tonight, the snowball impact was in impact and was hurting us.”

The Wild outshot the Blackhawks 13-8 within the scoreless first.

Talbot made a point-blank, sliding proper pad save on Seth Jones within the last minute.

The Wild jumped to a 2-0 lead on targets by Gaudreau and Zuccarello 2:03 aside early within the second.

Gaudreau opened the scoring with a power-play aim at 4:54 when he ripped a screened shot from the best circle previous Fleury’s glove.

Zuccarello added his 14th aim at 6:56. He was open on the low fringe of the best circle and transformed Jordan Greenway’s feed from behind the online.

Kaprizov made it 3-0 with 5:52 left within the second, scoring from the slot after taking Zuccarello’s brief lateral feed.

Chicago’s Ryan Carpenter and Philipp Kurashev narrowly missed on close-in probabilities within the last moments of the second interval. Minnesota’s Brandon Duhaime swept a free puck from the aim line to assist protect the shutout.

“I don’t know the way it stayed out, to be trustworthy with you, till I watched the replay,” Talbot stated. “If he’s not there and backchecking laborious, the shutout doesn’t occur.”

Fiala and Sturm scored targets 1:24 aside halfway by the third because the Wild pulled away.

OWNER SOURS TOWN HALL

At a pregame occasion for followers, Blackhawks proprietor Rocky Wirtz angrily rejected any dialog linked to the franchise’s response to former prospect Kyle Seashore’s declare that he was sexually assaulted by then-video coach Brad Aldrich coach in 2010.

The city corridor was supposed assist the franchise enhance its popularity. Nevertheless it was derailed by Wirtz’s response when a reporter tried to ask Danny Wirtz, Rocky’s son and the staff’s CEO, about what the group was doing to deal with the ability dynamic between gamers and coaches in mild of Seashore’s accusations.

“I’m going to reply the query, not Danny,” Rocky Wirtz stated. “The people who have been concerned are not right here. We’re not wanting again at 2010, we’re wanting ahead. And we’re not going to speak about 2010.”

Wirtz later issued an apology.

NOTES: Minnesota D Matt Dumba missed the sport with an upper-body damage and is out day-to-day. F Marcus Foligno (higher physique) sat out his second. … Wild D John Merrill and D Nico Sturm returned from COVID-19 protocol. … F Matt Boldy and F Connor Dewar performed after being recalled from Minnesota’s taxi squad. … Chicago D Wyatt Kalynuk skated whereas D Caleb Jones was a wholesome scratch.

UP NEXT

Wild: At Winnipeg on Tuesday evening.

Blackhawks: At Edmonton on Wednesday, Feb. 9.