Jesper Wallstedt turned away 27 shots as the Minnesota Wild held off the Montreal Canadiens for a gritty 2-1 victory Tuesday night at the Bell Centre. Bobby Brink and Kirill Kaprizov supplied the offense for Minnesota, each scoring to secure a tight road win. Montreal goaltender Jacob Fowler turned in a stout performance with 22 saves, but the Canadiens fell just short on an emotional evening.

The decisive moment

Minnesota broke through in a tightly contested defensive struggle, capitalizing on key scoring opportunities from Kirill Kaprizov and Bobby Brink. Both skaters found ways past Jacob Fowler to build a one-goal cushion that the Wild tenaciously protected throughout the third period.

Wallstedt took over from there, denying 27 of 28 Montreal attempts across 60 minutes of action. His steady presence in the crease stifled Montreal's late push and secured the 2-1 victory for the visitors on Tuesday night.

By the numbers

  • 27: Saves made by Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt on 28 shots faced to claim the road win.
  • 22: Saves recorded by Montreal netminder Jacob Fowler on 24 shots in a hard-fought showing.
  • 1: Goal apiece scored by Minnesota forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Bobby Brink to fuel the Wild attack.
  • 1: Goal conceded by Wallstedt across 60 minutes of disciplined defensive hockey.

The low-scoring clash highlighted stellar goaltending at both ends of the ice, with Wallstedt outdueling Fowler in an affair decided by the slimmest of margins.

What it means

For Minnesota, securing two points away from home provides a major lift during the 2026-27 NHL Regular Season schedule. The Wild demonstrated remarkable resilience while navigating significant roster absences, with Filip Gustavsson on injured reserve due to a hip issue and Brock Faber sidelined with a skull injury.

The Canadiens were unable to cap off a special night with a victory after honoring franchise icon Carey Price following his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Even with the loss, Fowler's steady 22-save showing offers Montreal an encouraging foundation in the net going forward.

What to watch next

Minnesota will look to maintain its defensive structure in its upcoming matchup, leaning on Wallstedt's calm goaltending while Gustavsson remains on injured reserve. Montreal will focus on sharpening its offensive execution, aiming to convert scoring opportunities after generating 28 shots on goal Tuesday night.