Wild's Shutdown Line Shines in 5-1 Victory over Capitals

WASHINGTON - Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Marcus Foligno often find themselves matched up against the opposing team's top offensive players as the Wild's shutdown line.

However, their offensive scoring skills may just earn them that same matchup from their opponents.

Just one night after Kirill Kaprizov and his linemates led the way and Kaprizov became the Wild's all-time leading scorer in a single season, Greenway, Eriksson Ek, and Foligno took over in a dominating 5-1 victory over the Capitals. The trio combined for eight points in front of a crowd of 18,573 at the Capital One Arena.

"We had great contributions from other guys last night, but for our line to step up tonight was huge," Foligno said. "That's what's great about our team - every line contributes to our victories, and it's been crucial for us."

This performance not only extended the Wild's point streak to 10 games, but it also increased their lead for second place in the Central Division to five points ahead of upcoming important matchups against Nashville (Tuesday) and St. Louis (Thursday).

Foligno scored a goal and had an assist, setting a new personal career high of 16 goals. Greenway and Eriksson Ek both contributed with three points each. Eriksson Ek's first goal was part of an early offensive barrage by the Wild. The team now boasts a 25-7-4 record when this line is on the ice.

"They can do it all," said goaltender Cam Talbot, who made 25 saves and improved to 9-0-1 in his last ten starts. "That's why they've been leading our team."

The line set the tone for the game, being the first to take the ice. They capitalized on their opportunity, scoring two goals within a span of 1 minute and 1 second.

Greenway tipped an outlet pass from Alex Goligoski for an Eriksson Ek breakaway goal, and shortly after, Tyson Jost scored his first goal with the Wild in a 2-on-1 rush. These goals were the second-fastest pair of goals from the start of a game (1:37) in Wild history, only behind Kyle Brodziak and Andrew Brunette's two goals in 1 minute back on February 3, 2011.

Jost's goal marked his second point in two consecutive games and also set a franchise record for the Wild, recording 79 first-period goals this season.

"We knew we wanted to come out strong, get the momentum early, and a goal like that was huge for us," Greenway said. He also achieved a career-high three assists in the game, matching his personal best of three points.

The Capitals mounted pressure as the game went on, but Talbot remained solid and didn't let any goals in.

In the second period, Washington only managed six shots on goal against Talbot.

"We managed to get pucks out of dangerous areas and neutralize their key players," said coach Dean Evason.

At 13:07 of the second period, Eriksson Ek redirected a rebound from Greenway to score his 21st goal of the season, surpassing his previous career high of 19 goals from last season. Overall, his three points matched his career high.

Just 30 seconds into the third period, Foligno received a pass from Greenway and snapped an 11-game goal drought.

BOXSCORE: Wild 5, Washington 1

Foligno became the Wild's sixth 20-goal scorer, breaking the franchise record of five set back in the 2006-2007 season. The Wild is now one of only three teams in the NHL with six or more players who have scored 20 or more goals.

"Having multiple 20-goal scorers makes our team harder to defend," Eriksson Ek acknowledged.

Talbot's shutout bid was spoiled with 9:32 remaining in the game when Garnet Hathaway tipped in an Alex Ovechkin shot during a delayed Wild penalty. Nic Deslauriers sealed the victory for the Wild with an empty-net goal at 17:15.

The Capitals went 0-for-1 on the power play, and the Wild went 0-for-3. Washington goalie Vitek Vanecek made 14 saves, but five goals on 19 total shots were a testament to the precision and efficiency of the Wild during this recent surge.

"Our smart puck management and decision-making have been crucial in these wins," Foligno added. "Every line has contributed, and that's been great for our team."