ST. PAUL, Minn. — The moment the final horn sounded, Kirill Kaprizov skated into the neutral zone to scoop the puck up so he could present it to Jesper Wallstedt for his second career shutout and first at home.

Awarded a second consecutive start, the 22-year-old goaltender delivered a career-high 36-save performance during the Minnesota Wild’s 2-0 win over the Calgary Flames.

Wallstedt was especially strong in the third period when the Wild were outshot 13-4. But Matt Boldy’s goal with 6:13 left in the second period and Kaprizov’s empty-netter opened a five-game homestand with the Wild’s fourth win in five games.

Joel Eriksson Ek had two assists, Boldy had two points, and Marcus Johansson extended his career-best point streak to nine games with an assist on Boldy’s winner.

“I thought our D just did a great job with taking their sticks, and then I just have to work around finding the puck and seeing it,” Wallstedt said. “If they’re shooting from out there and I get to see it, I’ll try to keep the rebound as often as I can. I felt like when they were in our zone, they were a lot of the time on the outside. I thought we did a good job keeping them on the outside, and the times they tried to generate offense was when they just threw pucks at the net.”

In a hard-fought battle, the Wild never felt on the ropes even if they defended more than they would have liked. Their penalty kill was 3-for-3 and has now killed 12 consecutive power plays.

“I thought we were pretty good, locked up in our boxouts and stick details and things around the net,” coach John Hynes said. “And then when there was a breakdown and things like that, we had guys that were committed to blocking shots, which is a big, big difference as well. From a defensive standpoint, it doesn’t allow the pucks to get into that blue paint area and create chaos.”

The Wild next host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

1000th game, first time wearing THE HAT pic.twitter.com/ltC0u6erAH

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 10, 2025

Wallstedt earns Hynes’ trust

Wallstedt has started five games this season and got the Wild at least a point in all five (3-0-2). He was given his first non-back-to-back start because of a solid win against the New York Islanders — and probably also because Filip Gustavsson needs a breather after a 4-7-1 start to his season with a 3.19 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.

“Obviously, to start, it’s a lot of confidence from getting back-to-back starts,” Wallstedt said. “Obviously, that means a lot. I knew it was a big opportunity to go out there and obviously try to make a difference. I felt very confident and felt the practice that I’ve done over the weeks when I haven’t played has played a huge role in where my game’s in a good spot. Obviously, the way our D plays right now is making it a lot easier for us goalies to kind of just focus on us doing our job.”

Wallstedt saw the puck well, was square to the puck and looked confident as he challenged shooters. He credited his defense for keeping the Flames to the perimeter and letting him see the puck cleanly. He said there were few tips, which made things easier, but the reality is he was calm and poised even when Calgary spent extended shifts in the Wild end.

“He was great,” Boldy said. “Just looked so confident. Ready for every play, and his game’s been really good. So, just gotta keep it going.”

THE WALL OF ST. PAUL pic.twitter.com/bhpniWY11m

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 10, 2025

Johansson plays 1,000th game

Johansson became the 412th player in NHL history and the 20th born in Sweden to play in 1,000 games. He also became the fourth Wild player to record a point in his 1,000th. (Mikko Koivu, Ryan Suter and Matt Cullen are the others.)

Johansson, who will be presented with the customary silver stick before Tuesday’s game, extended his point streak to nine games 13:47 into the second period when he took a hit to make a play. He got the puck down low for Boldy, who beat Devin Cooley on a one-on-one for his eighth goal.

Matt Boldy breaks the ice over a period and a half into this one 🧊 pic.twitter.com/IB9DoQS7aI

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 10, 2025

Johansson was the 11th player to play his 1,000th game in a Wild uniform. His daughters, 9-year-old Mila and 5-year-old Elize, read the starting lineup in the locker room.

special lineup read for a special day 💚 pic.twitter.com/E99eClEfbg

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 10, 2025

Johansson said he has a full house with his parents, brother and his kids and lots of friends in Minnesota from Sweden.

“Yeah, it’s very special. It’s pretty cool,” Johansson said. “It’s hard to realize it’s happened, kind of. You try and not think about it too much and not worry about it, and then all of a sudden it’s there. I’ll enjoy this for sure.

“I mean, it feels like a long time, but also it feels like it’s blown by at the same time. I’m very grateful for it and it’s fun to share it with the guys in here.”

Johansson has long been one of the Wild’s most popular teammates.

“He’s such a talented player,” Boldy said. “There’s a reason he’s played so many games and has produced so much and been on winning teams and everything. We’re really lucky to have him. The person he is away from hockey and in the locker room, too, is one of the best I’ve ever met. So to have guys like that on our team that are that type of person and when you’re that type of player, it’s a pretty special combination.”

Irony as Hunt-Jiricek form defense pair

Veteran Jake Middleton was a late scratch, so David Jiricek reentered the lineup after being scratched two games in a row. In a twist, he was paired with Daemon Hunt. It was a little more than a year ago that Hunt was traded to Columbus in a package for Jiricek. The Wild claimed Hunt off waivers late in training camp, and Sunday night they were a pair.

“It’s kind of funny,” Hunt said. “We joke about it now, but great guy, great player. It’s kind of funny how we’re teammates now. But it was good playing with him tonight. Enjoyed it.”

Hunt, 23, drafted by the Wild at No. 65 in 2020, was plucked off waivers to give the Wild insurance as another left-shot defenseman. Despite that, he was scratched 14 games in a row. But Jiricek needed a breather, so Hunt played the past two games on his off side before Sunday night.

Hunt keeps things simple and has shockingly not looked rusty at all despite having to patiently bide his time.

“It was tough, I think, more mentally just coming to the rink and not playing, not playing,” Hunt said. “But kind of looked at it as a glass half full. I’m in the NHL. Not playing yet, but I’m just working hard, trying to be positive and enjoying my time. I mean, this is the time of my life playing in the NHL, and I just worked hard and just waited for my moment. And I think the past three games have been pretty good.”