Wallstedt helps Wild knock off Jets 5-2 in pre-season test

WINNIPEG — Jesper Wallstedt left a lot of Jets hopefuls shaking their heads on Saturday night.

The Minnesota goalie stopped 38 of 40 shots as the Wild whipped Winnipeg 5-2 in an NHL pre-season game.

“I felt good,” Wallstedt said. “It was fun to be back playing games. I felt confident and I felt committed to the job. It’s been a long summer. We finished a little early last year.

" … It’s good to be back playing games and I thought the team played really good as well and took care of our chances at forward.”

Ben Jones, Jakub Lauko, Graeme Clarke, Daemon Hunt and Caeden Bankier scored for Minnesota.

Wallstedt stopped 28 of 29 shots through the first 40 minutes, 18 in the second period.

“Yeah, I think it just kept me in the game and kept me awake,” he said. “I think I got a lot to do, especially in the second period. It just kept my head in the game and it kept me focused on the job. I felt confident and I felt comfortable in this scenario.”

Colby Barlow and Colin Miller replied for Winnipeg.

“I thought Jesper was really solid,” said Wild coach John Hynes. “He looked pretty calm in the net. I though he made some saves when we had some breakdowns, and he came up with some big ones.

"In the NHL, you have to be able to fight through traffic, you have to be able to find tips and rebounds and things like that. When he was called upon in those situations, he did a good job.”

Kaapo Kahkonen made 23 saves on 28 shots for Winnipeg at the Canada Life Centre.

“I liked a lot of things we did tonight,” Hynes said. “I thought we played a pretty fast, direct game, a lot of the components that we implemented in the first couple of days of training camp. I thought the guys did a good job of that and the other parts of the game that we didn’t cover, I felt that they were able to use their instincts and play well.

“I thought both special teams were effective tonight — something we know that we need to be good at in the pre-season going into the regular season.”

The Wild scored two power-play goals and killed five penalties.

Barlow scored with 46 seconds left to make the score look respectable.

Jones gave the Wild a 5-1 lead early in the third period. He intercepted a Mason Shaw pass behind the net and slipped the puck past Kahkonen for an unassisted marker.

“I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t the prettiest effort on my part by any means,” said Shaw, a former Wild defenceman. “Obviously, I’d like some things back. I’d rather not pass the puck to their team when they score a goal. We move forward and get back to work tomorrow.”

Jets coach Scott Arniel was expecting some sloppy play.

“The two power-play goals, there’s some sloppiness on execution, which you are going to see at this time of year,” he said. "Pretty much told the young guys just learn from it.”

The Wild took a 4-0 lead when Lauko blocked a Miller shot at the Minnesota blue line, then scored on the breakaway.

Minnesota boosted the score to 3-1 almost midway through the middle frame. Clarke’s shot deflected off a Jet near the front of the net and past Kahkonen.

Miller beat Wallstedt with a cannon from the point with 1:03 left in the opening frame to pull within 2-1. Vladislav Namestnikov assisted.

The Wild had taken a 2-0 first-period lead, converting a pair of power plays. With Hayden Fleury off for tripping, Hunt beat Kahkonen with a slapshot from the blue line. Luke Toporowski and Ryder Ritchie assisted.

Minnesota had opened the scoring on the power play. With Alex Iafallo off for slashing, Bankier pounced on a puck that had bounced off Elias Salomonsson’s skate and beat Kahkonen from in front of the net for an unassisted goal.

NOTES

Finnish defenceman Ville Heinola suffered a setback when it was discovered that an infection had set in where he had had surgery on an ankle fractured during last season’s pre-season. He may require another surgery. That will be updated next week. … Winnipeg’s Fleury reportedly played despite his wife giving birth to a son on Friday night. The defenceman who played for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, was signed as a free agent the past summer. … The Jets held a moment of silence for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were killed by a reportedly drunken driver while cycling.

NEXT UP

Jets: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday afternoon.

Wild: Visit the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2024.

Jim Bender, The Canadian Press