A return to the road didn't interrupt the Wild's rhythm.
They nabbed their fourth straight victory on Thursday, blanking the Blue Jackets, 2-0, at Nationwide Arena to snap a five-game rut as the visitor.
This is the Wild's longest win streak since they went on a 6-0 run Dec. 10-21.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury racked up 30 saves for his second shutout of the season and 73rd in his NHL career.
Brandon Duhaime and Kirill Kaprizov supplied the goals, both at 5-on-5, and the penalty kill improved to 22 for 22 over the last nine games after snuffing out the Blue Jackets' only power-play look; the Wild's power play also went 0 for 1.
Just 3 minutes, 1 second into the first period, Duhaime pounced on a loose puck in the crease for his second goal in the past three games.
Then at 8:48, Kaprizov capitalized after he was denied by Columbus goaltender Joonas Korpisalo on two previous tries. Kaprizov finished off a 2-on-1 rush with Mats Zuccarello, flinging the puck under Korpisalo's left pad for his team-leading 34th goal and fifth tally in his last six appearances. Korpisalo totaled 23 saves.
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The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.
