Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen didn't make a save until 3 minutes, 13 seconds elapsed, a puck he smothered after it was backhanded his way by the Devils' Blake Coleman.
It was an important stop.
In his only other taste of NHL action, Kahkonen struggled — getting tagged for goals on the first two shots he faced in a preseason game in Winnipeg a few months ago.
But Tuesday at Prudential Center, Kahkonen was stout at the start and throughout the rest of his NHL debut to nab his first career win in a 3-2 victory over the Devils.
Kahkonen ended up recording 32 saves, becoming just the sixth Wild goalie to register a win in his NHL debut.
"That game in Winnipeg, that preseason game where he had the jitters those first few shots and then he settled down, I think that helped him an immense amount for tonight's game that he wasn't anywhere near as nervous," coach Bruce Boudreau said.
SARAH MCLELLAN
