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Wild blank NHL-leading Canucks

Jan 17, 2011 - 1:59 AM St. Paul, MN (Sports Network) - Anton Khudobin made 32 saves for his first career shutout, and the Minnesota Wild rolled to a 4-0 win over Vancouver to hand the NHL-leading Canucks only their second regulation loss in 20 games.

Khudobin, 24, was recalled from Minnesota's AHL club in Houston on January 8 and earned the shutout in just his third NHL start.

Andrew Brunette, Martin Havlat, Matt Cullen and John Madden scored for the Wild, who snapped a three-game losing streak in front of a sold-out home crowd at Xcel Energy Center.

Vancouver fell to 15-2-3 since December 8. Its only other regulation loss during that span came Thursday in New York against the Rangers.

Cory Schneider, after stopping all 11 Minnesota shots he faced in the first period, allowed four goals on 14 shots the rest of the way to take the loss.

Khudobin needed to make only seven saves in the first period before stopping 10 in the second and 15 in the third as the Vancouver attack picked up its pace.

"They play 60 minutes. It doesn't matter what the score is," said Khudobin. "They just play as hard as they can. I was ready for that."

After the scoreless first period, Brunette got Minnesota on the board with a power-play goal 3:31 into the second.

Schneider looked to be on top of the puck as it fluttered around in the crease, but the referee could see it was loose and Brunette was able to poke it through for his 11th goal of the season.

As it turned out, that was all the offense Minnesota would need.

"We didn't help ourselves at all. That's kind of what it came to," said Vancouver defenseman Keith Ballard. "There were a few scrambles in front of their net that probably could have went either way and they went their way tonight."

Havlat also netted his 11th goal, gaining the puck on a turnover and skating in behind the defense to beat Schneider through the legs with 8:51 left in the second period.

Cullen scored his third shorthanded goal of the season when he beat Schneider stick-side on a breakaway 3:37 into the final period to make it 3-0.

Chuck Kobasew set up Madden's goal midway through the period, centering a nice pass from the red line to Schneider's left. Madden was on the door step for an easy one-timer, his sixth goal of the season.

Game Notes

Cullen's three shorthanded goals match a career-high...Vancouver was 0- for-4 on the power play, while Minnesota went 1-for-3...The Northwest Division rivals will next meet on February 15, also in St. Paul...Vancouver has lost four straight at Minnesota.