Marco Rossi and Frederick Gaudreau each had a goal and an assist for the visiting Minnesota Wild in a 4-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Marc-Andre Fleury, playing his final game in his home province, made 19 saves for the Wild for his 76th career shutout, tying him with Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito for 10th most in NHL history.
The 40-year-old veteran, who has announced this is his last season, is the first goalie in NHL history to record a shutout as a teenager and at 40 years or older.
Liam Ohgren and Devin Shore added a goal apiece for Minnesota, which won its third game in a row.
Jakub Dobes made 23 saves for the Canadiens, who have lost four straight (0-3-1). It was Dobes’ first regulation loss in seven appearances (5-1-1).
Ohgren gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead at 3:41 of the second period. Dobes stopped Ohgren’s tip of a Gaudreau pass, but Ohgren recovered the rebound below the right circle and snapped it far side over Dobes’ blocker.
Montreal enjoyed a long stretch in the offensive zone in the time that followed but struggled to get shots on goal and couldn’t capitalize before the Wild doubled their lead.
Rossi made it 2-0 at 5:47 of the middle period. Marcus Foligno paused inside the zone before feeding an onrushing Rossi at the top of the slot, and Rossi wired it short side over Dobes’ right arm.
Fleury, despite facing few shots, was at the top of his game and showed it with just over seven minutes remaining in the second frame when he sprawled for a pokecheck on Josh Anderson.
The Canadiens upped the pressure in the third, and Fleury showed off his vintage form. After several stops in tight through the first 4 1/2 minutes, he again denied Anderson, getting his glove up to deflect a quick snap shot from the slot.
At 5:56 of the third, Shore pushed the Wild’s lead to 3-0. Rossi pushed the puck to keep it in the zone on a line change, and Shore retrieved it and beat Dobes under his right arm.
Gaudreau scored an empty-net goal at 18:33.
–Field Level Media
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