Kahkonen helps Wild defeat Ducks for first victory since return

ANAHEIM -- Kaapo Kahkonen made 16 saves for the Minnesota Wild in a 3-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Thursday.

Ryan Hartman, Kevin Fiala and Marcus Foligno scored for the Wild (7-6-0), who have split two games since returning from a two-week shutdown caused by NHL COVID-19 protocols.
Minnesota had six games postponed and as many as 13 players in the protocol.
"We've got to pick up some wins and climb the standings a little bit, so this one can jump-start us," Foligno said. "It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't our best, obviously, but we know we're going to get better and better."
Sam Steel scored, and John Gibson made 24 saves for the Ducks (6-8-3), who scored two goals or fewer for the 13th time.
"After a number of games where we really thought we were going in the right direction with creating chances, having lots of action, this was a big stop sign," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "It's certainly going to be a big reset for us."
Anaheim was active in the Minnesota zone during the first period, but its first 13 shots were either blocked or off target. It didn't have a shot on goal until 16:25 of the first period. By then, the Wild had a 2-0 lead on goals by Hartman and Fiala.
"We start that game, we've got great pressure," Eakins said. "We're just looking for some kind of reward there, and then when you don't get it, it's quite deflating."

Hartman stole the puck from Ducks defenseman Jacob Larsson along the wall in the Anaheim zone and scored on a wrist shot from the left circle for a 1-0 lead at 7:27.
Minnesota made it 2-0 at 8:05 after Gibson was slow to get back into position after making three straight saves and Fiala pushed the puck across the goal line on his second attempt as it fluttered in the crease.
"You see them score their first goal with all that effort we put in and nothing to show for it," Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "I think we just beat ourselves up a little too much and let it sink in and, obviously, let a second goal in right away, and that's something that we really have to just get over quickly."
The Ducks had a two-man advantage for 1:06 of the first period after Foligno's clearing attempt sailed over the glass at 14:42 but had one shot on goal.
"Too slow and no execution," Eakins said. "It's amazing. We spent the morning, and before the game, actually talking about 5-on-3, 4-on-3, and then when we went out there we froze."

Steel scored for the second straight game when he spun and shot a backhand from the slot to make it 2-1 at 12:00 of the second period. Foligno scored on a feed from Zach Parise just after a power play expired to extend the lead to 3-1 at 16:15.
"Zach kind of just made a great heads-up play," Foligno said. "I was all alone, so my eyes got really wide and was happy that one went in and didn't get blocked by Gibson's stick."
Wild coach Dean Evason said he hopes they can get back to playing more of their style and less of the Ducks' style when they play again Saturday.
"It was a grind," Evason said. "We have to do some things to make a game like that a little easier on us. We don't mind grinding it out and we don't mind doing those things to get a win, but we shouldn't have had to in tonight's hockey game."
NOTES: Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon returned after missing a 4-0 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday with an upper-body injury. He had four shots on goal in 22:21. ... Wild forward Mats Zuccarello had an assist on Fiala's goal for his first point of the season. Zuccarello missed the first 11 games after undergoing offseason arm surgery. Minnesota forwards Nick Bonino and Nico Sturm each played his first game since Feb. 2 after coming off the COVID-19 protocol list Sunday. ... Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm did not play in the third period because of a lower-body injury.