Wild 4 - 0 Predators
Final
  for this game

Wild top Preds behind Kuemper's 1st shutout

Jan 13, 2014 - 4:42 AM Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves for his first NHL shutout and the Minnesota Wild beat the Nashville Predators 4-0 on Sunday.

Dany Heatley, Jason Zucker, Matt Cooke and Marco Scandella scored for the Wild, who have won five of their last six.

Kuemper, 23, made five saves in the first period and nine each in the last two as Minnesota beat Nashville for the fourth time in the last five meetings.

Marek Mazanec gave up four goals on just 23 shots for the Predators, who have lost six of their last seven and 11 of their last 14.

"They came out with a lot of juice and got us on our heels in the first," said Nashville coach Barry Trotz.

The first two Wild goals followed Predators turnovers near center ice.

"We tried to stickhandle and makes plays through people, but sometimes you can't," said Trotz.

Heatley tipped the puck past Mazanec 12:03 into the first period to give the Wild the only goal they would need. Heatley's ninth of the season came from the low slot after Charlie Coyle threw a try on net from the high right side.

Zucker made it 2-0 just 2:12 later, scoring his third on a 2-on-1 with Heatley after Minnesota gained the puck again on a neutral-zone turnover.

Cooke scored his sixth of the season 74 seconds into the third period, flipping a shot past Mazanec from in front of the crease after the Predators goaltender had turned one aside.

Scandella capped the scoring with 9:44 left, getting his third of the season on a shot from the left boards after the Wild won a faceoff.

Game Notes

The Wild are home against Ottawa on Tuesday ... Nashville is 1-1-1 on a five- game homestand that ends Tuesday against Calgary.






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