MINNEAPOLIS — Icicles hung from facial hair, puffs of breath swirled over the action and there was even a pep talk Herb Brooks style during a break in the action.
The Winter Classic became a postcard for Minnesota on Saturday night, a snow-drenched Target Field with ice fishing in a woodsy outfield an idyllic tribute to the State of Hockey.
And based on recent tradition, the result on the ice was also quintessential Wild.
Despite home-field advantage and a mostly loyal sell-out crowd of 38,619, the team's pre-New Year's Day slump continued in a 6-4 dusting by the rival Blues for the Wild's season-high fifth straight loss.
This dropped the Wild to 1-1 in outdoor games and lifted St. Louis to the top of the Central Division, three points ahead of the Wild.
The Blues' Jordan Kyrou dominated, scoring twice and setting up two others, his four points the most by a player in an NHL outdoor game. Kirill Kaprizov wasn't too far behind with three, including a goal.
Overall, a five-goal second period by St. Louis was the difference, but the seeds of this setback were sowed in a lackluster first period by the Wild.
Due to COVID-19 postponements, the Wild was coming off an 11-day break and the team looked the part.
After a minus-6-degree puck drop made this the coldest outdoor game in NHL history, the Blues controlled possession early and the pressure eventually culminated in a David Perron goal at 14 minutes, 29 seconds.
Just 25 seconds later, the Wild retaliated when Kaprizov's throw to the middle caromed in off St. Louis' Niko Mikkola to tee off an exuberant celebration among the Wild.
Kaprizov's 13th extended his goal streak to a season-high three games, and he became the fastest in Wild history to record 40 career goals after reaching the plateau in just 86 games (four less than Brian Rolston).
But that was the most excited the Wild would get, as the tie was quickly extinguished in the second when the Blues put on an offensive clinic.
Only 27 seconds into the period, Kyrou's centering feed was deflected in by Ryan Hartman for the second own goal of the game.
By 8:55, St. Louis widened its lead on a one-timer off the rush by Vladimir Tarasenko orchestrated by Kyrou, who went on to find Ivan Barbashev on the power play at 14:46. The Blues finished 1 for 3, while the Wild blanked on four tries.
Then, with 2:02 left in the second, Kyrou went back to being the goal scorer when he polished off a give-and-go by wiring the puck top-shelf by Wild goalie Cam Talbot.
At 18:38, Rem Pitlick's dish to the front of the net hit goaltender Jordan Binnington and tumbled into the net but the rout soon resumed, with Torey Krug shoveling in a sixth goal with 41 seconds left in the second.
Talbot finished with 22 saves and was replaced for the third period by Kaapo Kahkonen, who made four stops in relief. This was the second straight game Talbot was tagged for six goals. At the other end, Binnington had 29 saves.
In the third, Hartman pounced on a Mats Zuccarello pass at 8:40 for Hartman's second point of the game on his team-leading 15th goal.
The Wild would score again, at 14:22 with Kahkonen on the bench for an extra attacker, when Kaprizov handed off to Kevin Fiala for his third goal in the past two games. Kaprizov now has seven points over the last three games.
That prompted St. Louis to call a timeout, but it was the clocks in the outfield that stymied the Wild the rest of the way with time running out before the team could get any closer.
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