SAN JOSE, Calif. — One streak ended, but it wasn't the one that belonged to the Wild.
That tear continued, with the team pocketing an eighth straight victory on Thursday after stymieing the Sharks 5-2 at SAP Center to extend the best active run in the NHL and mark just the third time in team history the Wild has won eight in a row.
Only twice has the team remained undefeated longer: 2016-17 (12) and 2006-07 (9).
The streak that did come to a halt was Kevin Fiala's goalless skid.
The winger snapped out of a seven-game rut, opening the scoring and later picking up an assist for his fifth multi-point showing of the season.
Goalie Cam Talbot had 33 saves and improved to 6-0 since Nov. 24. His 15 wins are tops in the NHL.
Talbot received an early lead to work with, as Fiala jumped on a rebound 6 minutes, 22 seconds into the first period to score his fourth goal of the season and 95th of his career.
In between his previous goal on Nov. 21 at Tampa Bay and this one against San Jose, Fiala had an eye-popping 30 shots stopped out of 46 total shot attempts.
Although the Sharks upped the pressure after falling behind, the Wild withstood the push the rest of the period and through the second.
That period has given the Wild trouble of late, but the team flipped the script by adding to its advantage.
Mats Zuccarello found Joel Eriksson Ek in the slot for a redirection on the power play at 7:04.
This was the first time in Eriksson Ek's career he's capitalized on the power play in back-to-back games. His six power-play goals overall are tied for third in the NHL, and Eriksson Ek also has five points during a three-game point streak.
With assists on the play, Zuccarello (four) and Kirill Kaprizov (seven) also extended their respective point streaks. Kaprizov's run is the longest of his NHL career.
Then, with 4:40 left in the second, the Wild tacked on another goal, this one a shot off the rush by Jordan Greenway, the first time in his career he's scored on the power play. All three of his goals this season have come in the past five games, with the winger tallying five points in that span.
Fiala and Alex Goligoski had the helpers on the goal, with Goligoski chipping in after he took a Brent Burns shot to the face and left the game briefly.
The Wild has recorded a power-play goal in a season-best three straight games.
Just 3:29 into the third period, the Sharks spoiled Talbot's shutout bid when Jonathan Dahlen tipped in a shot from Erik Karlsson.
That finish only seemed to ignite San Jose even more, and the Wild had to be attentive. After all, the Sharks were one of only two teams to hand the Wild a regulation loss over its last 13 games.
San Jose had a power play near the midway point of the third, but the Wild survived the look to go 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
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