Wild Stay Red-Hot, Blank Oilers Behind Wallstedt’s Stellar Play
The Minnesota Wild rolled into Rogers Place on Tuesday night riding a 10-game point streak-and they didn’t miss a beat. In a tight, physical battle with the Edmonton Oilers, it was the Wild who found just enough offense and leaned on their goaltender to grind out a 1-0 win. With the victory, Minnesota extended their unbeaten-in-regulation streak to 11 games (9-0-2), while Edmonton fell to .500 on the season at 11-11-5.
Let’s break down how this one unfolded-and why Jesper Wallstedt might be the most quietly dominant goalie in the league right now.
First Period: Faceoff Execution Turns Into the Game-Winner
The only goal of the game came midway through the first period, and it was a textbook example of how execution off the draw can change a game. Nico Sturm won a clean faceoff in the offensive zone, pulling the puck directly back to Jonas Brodin.
Brodin wasted no time, stepping into a slap shot that beat Stuart Skinner glove side. That’s goal number three on the season for Brodin, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Wild carried that 1-0 lead into the first intermission, holding a narrow 8-7 edge in shots-but more importantly, they had the scoreboard advantage.
Second Period: Oilers Dominate But Can’t Crack the Wall
If you’re Edmonton, this is the period that’ll sting. The Oilers came out with real urgency in the second, tilting the ice and generating consistent pressure. They outshot Minnesota 15-6 in the frame and had several high-danger looks, but Wallstedt was locked in.
Whether it was a rebound chance in tight or a wrister through traffic, the Wild netminder turned everything aside. His positioning was sharp, his rebound control was clean, and his composure never wavered-even as the Oilers ramped up their pace.
By the end of two, Edmonton had a 22-15 advantage in shots, but still trailed 1-0.
Third Period: Wallstedt Slams the Door
The final 20 minutes were all about the Wild protecting the lead-and Wallstedt making sure it held. Edmonton fired 10 more shots on goal, bringing their total to 32, but again came up empty.
Wallstedt, who’s been on an absolute tear lately, turned in his fourth shutout in his last six starts. That’s not a typo-four shutouts in six games.
He’s not just hot; he’s in a zone.
On the other end, Stuart Skinner was quietly excellent in his own right, stopping 23 of 24 shots for a .958 save percentage. It’s a tough-luck loss for Skinner, who did everything he could to keep his team in it, but just didn’t get the goal support.
What’s Next
The Oilers stay home for the third game of their five-game homestand, hosting the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. It’s a chance to regroup and get back in the win column after a frustrating night offensively.
As for the Wild, they’ll continue their swing through Western Canada with a visit to Calgary. If Wallstedt keeps this up, Minnesota might just ride this heater deep into December.
These two teams will meet again later this month in Minnesota, and if this game was any indication, expect another tight, goaltending-driven battle.