Marc-Andre Fleury delivered an impressive performance with 36 saves as the Minnesota Wild secured a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.
Despite being without their top scorer Kirill Kaprizov and other significant players, the Wild clinched their fifth victory in their last six matches.

Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy each netted their 16th goals of the season during the second period, putting Minnesota ahead 2-0.
Mats Zuccarello played a crucial role by assisting on both goals and later scoring an empty-netter to seal the game.

Late in the second period, Sharks’ William Eklund narrowed the gap by scoring, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Yaroslav Askarov, the Sharks’ goaltender, made 18 crucial saves throughout the match.

The Wild bounced back strongly after a tough 6-1 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche just two days earlier.
Although Minnesota was outshot 37-21, Fleury, at 40 years old, was instrumental in their win, extending his streak to three consecutive victories.

The Sharks, on the other hand, experienced their third consecutive loss but generated more offensive opportunities compared to their previous 2-1 loss to Utah.
Askarov showcased his potential as a promising future goalie for the Sharks with several noteworthy saves, yet Will Smith, an emerging player, did not participate in the third period, remaining on the bench.

A pivotal moment occurred with just over a minute remaining in the game when Declan Chisholm intercepted Macklin Celebrini’s attempt to carry the puck into the Wild zone.
Zuccarello seized the opportunity to recover the puck and scored into an empty net after Askarov vacated his position.

In terms of significant numbers, Fleury, potentially playing his last game at SAP Center, improved his career record against San Jose to 20-5-4 and has posted an impressive .939 save percentage against them historically.

Looking ahead, the Wild will face Vegas on Sunday, while the Sharks are set to embark on a five-game road trip starting with Detroit on Tuesday.