AP

Fleury gets 73rd shutout to lead Wild over Blue Jackets 2-0

Feb 23, 2023, 4:46 AM | Updated: 8:03 pm

Minnesota Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury, left, makes a save as Jared Spurgeon, right, and Columbus Blue ...

Minnesota Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury, left, makes a save as Jared Spurgeon, right, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Boone Jenner look for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)


              Columbus Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson, center, carries the puck across the blue line between Minnesota Wild's Ryan Hartman, left, and Jared Spurgeon during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
            
              Columbus Blue Jackets' Eric Robinson, right front, checks Minnesota Wild's Matt Dumba during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
            
              Minnesota Wild's Ryan Reaves, right, steals the puck from Columbus Blue Jackets' Andrew Peeke during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
            
              Minnesota Wild's Brandon Duhaime, right, scores a goal against Columbus Blue Jackets' Joonas Korpisalo during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
            
              Minnesota Wild's Brandon Duhaime, top right, scores a goal against Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo as Adam Boqvist defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
            
              Minnesota Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury, left, makes a save as Jared Spurgeon, right, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Boone Jenner look for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 30 shots for his 73rd career shutout and the Minnesota Wild beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 on Thursday night for their fourth straight win.

Fleury is 12th on the NHL’s career shutouts list, three behind Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito, who are tied for 10th.

Brandon Duhaime and Kirill Kaprizov scored for Minnesota, which passed Colorado for third place in the Central Division.

“It was a great team effort,” Fleury said. “The guys blocked a lot of shots and let me see the puck.”

Joonas Korpisalo stopped 23 shots for Columbus, which was shut out for the sixth time this season and third at home. The Blue Jackets have lost four of their last five home games and remain in the NHL basement.

“They don’t give up much,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “They are a big body team. They’re well coached, they’re big on the wings. They’ve got solid D. They’re goaltender’s good. They defend. They are a hard man-on-man (team), too, so if you’re not getting inside and you’re not beating your guys, it’s going to be a long night.”

Despite being outshot 13-8, the first period was all Minnesota with goals from Duhaime at 3:01 and Kaprizov at 8:48 for the only scores of the game.

“Any time you can get a lead, it really solidifies what you are doing,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. “Then we can really bear down and wait for our opportunities, as opposed to trying to push.”

BLANKED

With his shutout, Fleury secured his first career shutout against Columbus. He has now blanked 29 of 32 NHL teams, with the exceptions being only St. Louis, Vegas and Minnesota.

HELLO AND GOODBYE

Johnny Gaudreau, who missed the two previous Blue Jackets games with a lower-body injury, returned to the lineup, but Cole Sillinger was scratched sick. Minnesota recalled defenseman Dakota Mermis from AHL Iowa.

TIME FOR A TRADE

The Wild acquired a fifth-round selection in this year’s NHL draft in a three-team trade with the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins. Minnesota acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov from Washington in exchange for forward Andrei Svetlakov. Minnesota then traded Orlov to Boston in exchange for a fifth-rounder. Washington retained half of Orlov’s salary and Minnesota retained 25% of his remaining salary. Minnesota also reassigned forward Adam Beckman to AHL Iowa). The Wild now have seven picks in this year’s draft.

KIRILL THE THRILL

Kirill Kaprizov, who leads the Wild in goals (34) and points (68), has scored five goals in his last six games and registered points in 13 of his last 15 games. He is tied for eighth in the NHL for goals this season.

SOME STREAK

With their assists on Kaprizov’s goal, Ryan Hartman and Jake Middleton extended their point streaks to three and two games, respectively.

UP NEXT

Wild: Visit Toronto on Friday night.

Blue Jackets: Host Edmonton on Saturday.

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