Zach Parise scores, Darcy Kuemper posts shutout as Wild beat Sharks 2-0

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Zach Parise broke a scoreless tie early in the second period and Darcy Kuemper earned his sixth career shutout to help the Minnesota Wild get a rare win in San Jose, 2-0 over the Sharks on Saturday night.

Mikko Koivu added an empty-net goal and Kuemper made 25 saves as the Wild once again played a tight defensive game. Minnesota has allowed just three regulation goals in the past six games but ended up losing a pair 2-1 in overtime to start this three-game road trip.

Martin Jones made 28 saves but couldn't stop Parise's rebound attempt as the Sharks dropped their sixth straight game. It's their longest losing streak since losing seven in a row in February 2013.

San Jose's home-ice woes continued as the once-imposing Shark Tank has become quite hospitable to visitors. The Sharks fell to 4-9 at home this season and have lost 20 of the past 29 games here.

Shortly after Mike Brown was stopped by Kuemper on a 2-on-1 early in the third, the Wild finally broke through with the game's first goal.

Parise took a pass from Mikael Granlund alone in front of the net and was stopped on a backhand by Jones. But Parise stayed with the play and whacked the rebound in with a forehand for his second goal in three games. Parise had gone six weeks without a goal before breaking through Monday in Colorado. He missed eight games with a lower-body injury and was goalless in nine others.

That goal ended Minnesota's five-game losing streak in San Jose and was just the third win for the Wild in their past 17 games here.

The Sharks juggled their lines looking for a spark after their recent slump, splitting up Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton for the first time this season. Outside of a few strong shifts early, the changes did not pay immediate dividends.

San Jose got just six shots on goal in a scoreless first period. The best chance in the opening 20 minutes was for the Wild when Thomas Vanek was stopped on a breakaway by Jones.

There weren't many more chances in a scoreless second with the best coming when a backchecking Koivu broke up a pass from Chris Tierney to Melker Karlsson that looked like it would be a tap-in goal for San Jose.

Things are so out of whack that even the traditional shark head that players skate through to come on the ice before the game wasn't working. The team said that it was not lowered because of technical difficulties.

NOTES: Minnesota improved to 1-1-3 in the back end of back-to-backs this season. ... Sharks D Marc-Edourd Vlasic returned after missing three games with a lower-body injury. ... San Jose F Ryan Carpenter was called up from the minors and made his NHL debut with Logan Couture and Matt Nieto sidelined with injuries.