Talbot gets second shutout of series to force Game 7

In St Paul, Cam Talbot made 23 saves and the Minnesota Wild took Game 6, on Wednesday night, 3-0, to force a seventh game in Las Vegas on Friday.

“I’m just one piece here, and tonight there is 20 pieces out there that did their job, and it was just unbelievable to see and fun to play behind,” Talbot said.

The teams were scoreless through two periods with not much more than a shaky offense for both.

“You’re not going to play for 60 minutes without giving up something. … That’s just the way it goes,” Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’re pushing to win that game, not to not get scored on. That’s our mindset and I think it’s worked well for us when you look at our record this year.”

The Wild broke the game open in the third period when Ryan Hartman scored at 4:21 for a 1-0 lead.

“It’s an elimination game, and those type of games are just a game of mistakes,” Hartman said. “It’s who’s going to budge first. You’ve got two teams, one fighting for their lives more than the other, but they’re playing just as hard. They don’t want to have to play another game and we’re fighting for our lives. Like I said, a game of mistakes, and when you get your opportunities, you have to put it in the net.”

Kevin Fiala pushed the lead to 2-0 midway through the period with the only power play goal of the game..

“We stuck together the whole year,” Fiala said. “Doesn’t really matter. Even now, down 3-1 in a series against them, it’s not easy to come back. I have a lot of confidence in my group and guys now just let’s do it.”

At 15:17 of the frame, Nick Bjugstad made the final score. 3-0.

“I think the players deserve a lot of credit for just believing, and believing in each other, and I think that’s been the key not just in the playoffs, it’s been the key from Day One with this group,” Wild head coach Dean Evason said. “They’ve played hard for each other, they’ve stuck together, and tonight was no different.”

Marc-Andre Fleury made 21 saves in the loss.