Music: {allcanada} Kuemper earns second shutout as Wild blank Oilers

Thursday, February 27, 2014

{allcanada} Kuemper earns second shutout as Wild blank Oilers

EDMONTON -- Mikael Granlund doesn't appear to be suffering from a Sochi hangover.

The center, who won a bronze medal with Finland at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, scored in his first game back from Russia, helping the Minnesota Wild to a 3-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers.

Stephane Veilleux and Dany Heatley also scored for the Wild, who extended their winning streak to three games.

Darcy Kuemper made 21 save to earn the second shutout of his career. The Oilers have been shut out in eight games this season, including five times at home. Ben Scrivens made 18 saves for the Oilers.

The game was the first for each team after the Olympic break, with the Wild looking the sharper of the two.

Granlund scored at 2:04 of the first period on the Wild's first shot, converting a pass from Zach Parise as the teams played 4-on-4.

The lead stood up through the first period as the Oilers struggled to find their skating legs, managing six shots in the period.

Their best chance came from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who fired a shot that bounced up over Kuemper but was cleared off the goal line by defenseman Jared Spurgeon.

In the second period, Veilleux increased the Wild lead to 2-0 with his second goal of the season at 9:37. Veilleux took a pass just inside the blue line and was able to get his shot through a screen and past Scrivens.

Prior to the goal, Kuemper made a nice stop on Jordan Eberle with the Oilers on the power play. The puck found its way through a crowd to Eberle, who had taken a spot at the side of the net, but Kuemper slid across and turned away the Oilers right wing.

Heatley extended the Wild lead to 3-0 at 9:29 of the third period, lifting a rebound over Scrivens following a scramble in front. It was Heatley's 26th point in 26 career games against the Oilers.

Earlier in the period, Oilers right wing Nail Yakupov was hit in the leg with a shot from teammate Justin Schultz. Yakupov left the game and did not return.

The Oilers came into the game having won five of their previous seven games. They'll host the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

The Wild conclude their two-game road trip against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

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