Wild blanks Sharks.

When Devan Dubnyk went down with a groin injury, Darcy Kuemper played well for the Wild, but couldn't get a win.

Zach Parise took care of it for his back up goaltender, and scored the game winning goal, early in the third period in San Jose last night.

Kuemper recorded the first shutout in San Jose by a Minnesota goaltender since Manny Fernandez in 2001.

Praise was glad that he could help his team and his goaltender.

"It's nice to see for him mentally to get the win, get the shutout and get rewarded for how well he has been playing."

Darcy Kuemper wanted the shutout really bad and made 25 saves to blank the Sharks.

"When we got the one I was like now I need to get the shutout for my own sanity," he said." It looked like another tight game but that's just how we've been playing on the road here, tight defensively."

Mikko Koivu added an empty net goal to seal the game.

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