Kaapo Kahkonen's flawless goaltending helps Wild end Vegas' six-game winning streak

The poise Kaapo Kahkonen has brought to the Wild's crease isn't an act.

That's who he is.

"Yeah, he's a pretty mellow guy," captain Jared Spurgeon said.

But Kahkonen's even disposition doesn't stop at his style.

His results have been just as steady.

Kahkonen blocked all 26 shots directed at him Monday, registering his first career shutout. He also ended the Golden Knights' six-game win streak while extending his own run to seven in a 2-0 win at Xcel Energy Center that kicked off a five-game Wild homestand.

"You want to look calm," Kahkonen said. "Then your teammates see you're doing your job, and they can focus on their job. I think that's what it's all about, and good to hear it looks like that. That's what I'm trying to do here."

During his streak Kahkonen has stopped 178 of 188 shots (.947 save percentage), with a 1.47 goals-against average. His winning streak is the longest by a Wild rookie goalie, and his 10 victories are already the third-most in a season for a Wild rookie.

He's two shy of Darcy Kuemper's 12 (2013-14) and one back of Josh Harding's 11 (2007-08).

Overall, at 10-4 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, Kahkonen ranks in the top 10 for all NHL goalies — not just rookies — who've had regular reps.

"I'm just happy with the way things are going right now," Kahkonen said.

BOXSCORE: Wild 2, Vegas 0

The netminder was supported by a Kevin Fiala goal, Fiala's eighth of the season which is tied with Joel Eriksson Ek for the most on the team, and a solid penalty kill that survived all three Vegas power plays. Jonas Brodin was slashed during an empty-net attempt with 6 seconds to go, an infraction that awarded the Wild a second goal.

Coach Dean Evason scrambled two lines before the game, moving Nick Bjugstad between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello and putting center Victor Rask with Fiala and Zach Parise, and the change worked.

Rask scooped up a Golden Knights turnover and fed Fiala for a 2-on-1 rush with Parise that saw Fiala cut to the middle and wrist the puck by goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's blocker 10 minutes, 51 seconds into the first.

"I tried to make a move to the inside to make sure I have more net," Fiala said. "It's nice that it went in."

What ensued after that was a grind of a game, with the Wild containing a Golden Knights lineup that was missing captain Mark Stone and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

The Wild's last-place power play (5-for-74), once again, didn't provide any help — going 0-for-2 and sinking deeper into a 0-for-19 funk.

But with Kahkonen locked in, extra offense wasn't necessary. At the other end of the rink, Fleury finished with 20 saves.

"There's no stress," Evason said of Kahkonen. "There's not any type of maintenance. He just goes about his business."

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Most of Kahkonen's success this season has come on the road, where he's 6-1 with a 1.73 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.

But the reigning American Hockey League's outstanding goaltender had no trouble bringing that mojo to St. Paul to continue a tremendous season — the 24-year-old's first full-time stint with the Wild.

And in making the transition to the NHL, Kahkonen has worked with goaltending coach Frederic Chabot on being patient between the pipes, which doesn't just cause him to come off quiet in his movements. It also alters the opposition's perception of him.

"You make yourself look bigger," Kahkonen said.

That certainly appeared to be a factor Monday, with every puck thrown at him hitting him, but the cool-as-a-cucumber vibe is becoming Kahkonen's calling card.

And the Wild is reaping the benefits of it.

"I think it's inside you," Evason said of Kahkonen's demeanor. "But I also think you can enhance the training of it, for sure, in today's game. My guess is he's been like that his entire life."