ST. PAUL, Minn. — Karel Vejmelka achieved his first shutout of the season by making 26 saves, as Utah dominated the Minnesota Wild with a score of 4-0 on Thursday night, marking their third consecutive victory.

Barrett Hayton was a standout player, scoring two goals, while teammates Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse also added to the score. Defenseman Nick DiSimone played a crucial role, providing assists on both of Hayton’s goals.

Filip Gustavsson, in goal for Minnesota, managed 25 saves. Unfortunately for the Wild, this loss extends their struggles as they have now dropped five of their last seven games.

Hayton opened the scoring with his first goal during an early offensive burst from Utah, which saw them outshoot the Wild 16-5 and take a 2-0 lead in the first period.

He later scored again in the third period with a backhand shot off a rebound that Gustavsson was unable to stop, sealing the victory for Utah.

In terms of standings, Utah is now just two points shy of capturing the second wild-card spot in the competitive Western Conference playoff race.

For Minnesota, despite the return of star player Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon after injuries, the team struggled to find their rhythm early on. Although they showed improvement and a more cohesive attack in the last two periods, Vejmelka remained resolute, preventing the Wild from getting any points on the board.

A key moment in the game occurred just under two minutes into the match when DeSimone took a shot from the right circle, setting up Hayton perfectly for a deflection that zipped past Gustavsson, allowing Utah to forge ahead right from the start.

Notably, Hayton has been on a roll, racking up seven points across the last four games, including three goals and four assists.

Looking ahead, Utah will travel to Winnipeg for a match-up on Friday night, while Minnesota will be hosting Calgary on Saturday night.