EDMONTON, Alberta -- There was plenty of post-Olympic rust to go around, but none seemed to stick to Darcy Kuemper.

Kuemper made 21 saves to earn his second career shutout as the Minnesota Wild returned from the Olympic break on a winning note, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 Thursday night.

Mikael Granlund, Stephane Veilleux and Dany Heatley scored for the Wild, who won their third game in a row.

The Oilers have lost two in a row after winning five of their previous six.

It was the fifth time this season that the Oilers have been shutout at home and eighth time this season they have failed to score in a game.

The game started with Oilers forward Matt Hendricks checking Wild defenseman Nate Prosser into the boards in the first minute of play. Prosser was helped to the dressing room and did not return until the second period.

Minnesota got revenge for the hit by taking a 1-0 lead a minute later when Oilers goalie Ben Scrivens was caught out of position, Zach Parise fed the puck in front and Granlund scored into an empty net.

Each team only accounted for six first-period shots apiece, with Edmonton's best chance coming late when a high bounce flipped off of Kuemper's back and landed in the crease before being sent to safety by Jared Spurgeon.

Kuemper made a big save seven minutes into the second when he was quick to come across and rob Jordan Eberle at the side of the net on the tail end of an Oiler power play.

Minnesota made it 2-0 midway through the second period when Erik Huala fought off Oiler Anton Belov behind the net to send a backhand to Veilleux and he blasted a one-timer from the top of the circle past Scrivens for just his second goal of the season.

The Wild took a three-goal lead midway through the third as Charlie Coyle made a nice play to swing out from behind the net and find Heatley in front, who lifted his 12th of the season over a sprawling Scrivens.

 

Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
loading...

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More From KSOO-AM / ESPN Sioux Falls