Jesper Wallstedt got his first career NHL win and shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center.
Kirill Kaprizov racked up two goals to seal his third straight 40-goal season. Calder Trophy candidates Brock Faber (assist) and Marco Rossi (goal) each made key plays. Wallstedt had 24 saves.
The Wild continue to feast on the bottom dwellers of their division/conference, while struggling against the best (Minnesota is 0-9-1 against the top three teams in their division, the Stars, Avalanche and Jets). They have won eight of 28 games against the nine teams ahead of them in the West, losing 10 of their last 11 against those teams.
- Kirill Kaprizov clinched his third straight 40-goal season (he’s the only Wild player to even have two), and his 16 power-play goals rank tied for fourth in the NHL.
- Freddy Gaudreau racked up his first goal since Mar. 3 and second since New Year’s Eve.
- Ryan Hartman (suspension) and Zach Bogosian (mid-body) both returned to the lineup, each picking up an assist.
- The Wild went with an 11/7 lineup, something they haven’t done much under John Hynes (Jon Merrill was the seventh defenseman).
Different vibe for Wallstedt
Wild coach John Hynes talked about how the team didn’t really put Jesper Wallstedt in a good situation during his early-January NHL debut, when the Swede allowed seven goals in a road loss to the Stars. They did a lot better for their touted prospect in Sunday’s start. Wallstedt, called up Saturday, was alerted Friday and spent Saturday in Chicago, giving him time to rest and prepare. They played him against one of the league’s worst teams, the Blackhawks, as opposed to one of the best in Dallas. And while the competition wasn’t nearly the same, Minnesota delivered a much stronger performance in front of him, allowing just five first-period shots and 24 overall. Wallstedt did look more comfortable and confident in the net, picking up his first NHL victory (with his parents and girlfriend in attendance).
The 40-club for Kaprizov
Nobody told Kaprizov that the Wild’s season is basically over. The Russian superstar continued to play at a high level, including picking up a goal and an assist against the Blackhawks. Kaprizov’s power play tally gave him his third straight 40-goal season; the only other NHL players to complete that feat in the same time are Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak. Kaprizov clicked with linemates Marco Rossi and Mats Zuccarello, who completely froze goalie Arvid Söderblom to set up Rossi’s second-period goal. Where would the Wild be this season without Kaprizov? It’s a shame that the club struggled to find secondary scoring for much of the season, putting a heavy load on Kaprizov and the top line’s shoulders. Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matty Boldy have scored 47 percent (54/114) of the team’s goals since Jan. 13. Considering Hynes called some of his players “passengers” in Saturday’s loss to Winnipeg, Kaprizov’s constant motor should be a great example to the young players.
Put a pretty little bow on the 40th goal of the season for the Thrill 💸#mnwild pic.twitter.com/r2B9H0Snej
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 7, 2024
The Calder Trophy
This was the last head-to-head matchup with Calder Trophy frontrunners Connor Bedard and Brock Faber Sunday and the former Gophers captain delivered with a highlight-reel moment. Midway through the third period, the Wild already up 3-0, Faber raced up the ice along the right side. He looked confident in freezing the goalie Söderblom before dropping a no-look pass back to a streaking Kaprizov for the finish. Faber absolutely has a strong case, so it’ll be interesting to see how the final voting goes. This is nothing against Bedard, who has lived up to the monumental hype put on the teenager’s shoulders as the No. 1 pick. But watching Faber every day, it’s hard to not appreciate all the little things he does in a meaty role. Don’t forget, too, that another potential Calder finalist was on the ice Sunday in Marco Rossi, who scored his 21st of the season. The development and rise of Rossi and Faber has been the biggest bright spot in an otherwise disappointing Wild season.
Just @Brockfaber14 doing Brock Faber things. 😍 pic.twitter.com/lqEQzr4oTA
— NHL (@NHL) April 7, 2024
Three stars
- Kirill Kaprizov, Wild — Superstar was dynamic all over the ice in a three-point night (two goals).
- Jesper Wallstedt, Wild — Touted goalie prospect wasn’t tested much, but picked up his first career NHL win and shutout with 24 saves.
- Marco Rossi, Wild — The other Calder Trophy contender continued his strong finish to the season with another goal, his 21st.
(Photo: Matt Marton / USA Today)
