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ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild overcame another top team despite losing a second player to a scary-looking injury.
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They defeated the reigning Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Monday at Grand Casino Arena and improved to 4-1-1 after Nico Sturm took a puck to the head and left early.
Sturm was hurt late in the first period and did not return after getting hit in the head with a shot by captain Jared Spurgeon, a sequence that was reminiscent of Brock Faber taking a puck to the ear in the preseason and suffering a skull fracture.
Aside from Faber, the Wild are also missing brothers Marcus and Nick Foligno, who are on injured reserve.
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But the Wild are used to persevering, including in-game.
After Vegas had the upper hand to start, the Wild seized control on three goals in 5:07 during the first period: Matt Boldy scored for the second time in as many games, Max Shabanov buried his second goal of the season on the power play, and Danila Yurov one-timed in an impressive tape-to-tape pass from Bobby Brink.
The Golden Knights got goals back in the second (Rasmus Andersson) and third (William Karlsson), but the Wild penalty kill went 5 for 5 and goalie Jesper Wallstedt nixed Vegas’ rally with his 21-save effort in his sixth straight start – including a clutch stop late against Karlsson before Joel Eriksson Ek drained an empty-netter for his first goal of the season.
Backup Calvin Pickard will face the Jets in Winnipeg on Tuesday when the Wild are back in action.
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This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 8:18 PM.