VANCOUVER - The Minnesota Wild's five-game winning streak under new coach John Hynes came to an end on Thursday night when they fell to the Vancouver Canucks, 2-0, at Rogers Arena. This loss marked the first time the Wild were shut out this season.

The Canucks, who have been inconsistent with alternating wins and losses over their past nine games, finally managed to defeat the Wild after failing to do so in their previous eight encounters. It was a much-needed victory for Vancouver, while Minnesota suffered their fourth loss in their last 15 visits to Vancouver.

One notable streak that continued in the game was Marcus Johansson's goal drought. The forward has now gone 19 consecutive games without scoring a goal, dating back to October 21st. This comes close to matching his longest goal drought of 20 games, which he experienced during the 2011-12 season with the Washington Capitals, according to NHL Stats.

The Wild will have little time to dwell on their defeat as they head to Edmonton for a back-to-back game on Friday night. Veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is set to start and will reach a significant milestone by playing in his 996th career game. The Oilers, who have won their last five games, pose a formidable challenge for the Wild. In their recent winning streak, the Oilers have been dominant, averaging 5.2 goals per game, allowing just 1.6 goals against, and boasting an impressive plus-18 goal differential. Additionally, they have a 43.8 percent power-play success rate and a 94.4 percent penalty kill efficiency. However, the Wild have had success in the capital city of Alberta, winning 17 of their last 21 games there.

In the game against the Canucks, the Wild struggled to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, particularly in the first period. Despite controlling the play early on, they were unable to beat goaltender Casey DeSmith, who had a strong performance. In fact, it took until over halfway through the period before the Wild even allowed a shot attempt, and an actual shot on goal didn't come until 6:42 left in the period. Unfortunately, one misjudgment by the top line allowed Nils Hoglander to score the opening goal for the Canucks. Hoglander made great use of defenseman Brock Faber as a screen, firing a shot that eluded goaltender Filip Gustavsson due to a secondary screen created by Jonas Brodin.

While the Wild excelled in the first period, they struggled in the second, spending most of the period defending their zone as the Canucks outshot them 10-4. It was a difficult task for Gustavsson, who made several remarkable saves to keep his team in the game. He denied scoring chances from J.T. Miller, Conor Garland, and Elias Pettersson, and also made impressive saves on Vancouver's power plays. Under Hynes' coaching, the Wild penalty kill has been highly effective, allowing only one goal in 16 opportunities.

On a less positive note, the Wild's third defensive pair of Jon Merrill and Alex Goligoski had a particularly challenging night. They made crucial mistakes that had costly consequences, including Merrill's icing of the puck and subsequent inability to clear it, which allowed Teddy Blueger to score and secure a 2-0 lead for the Canucks in the third period. Merrill was on the ice for a large number of shot attempts against and struggled to make an impact in the game.

Casey DeSmith of the Canucks was recognized as the game's first star for his impressive performance in net, saving all 26 shots he faced, including 11 in the first period. Gustavsson was named the second star, as he made 15 saves and kept the Wild in the game despite the loss. Nils Hoglander, with his crucial goal, earned the third star of the game, halting the Wild's momentum in a period where they had been outplaying the Canucks.

As the Wild head into their game against the Oilers, Gustavsson reflected on the lack of action he faced in the first period but also acknowledged the collective effort of the team to limit the league's highest-scoring team. The goaltender commented, "I was just freezing my toes off" and added, "It felt like we had full control in the first period, and they just made a great screen. We just couldn't break through."

Meanwhile, Merrill regretted the mistake he made that led to the Canucks' second goal, acknowledging its cost to the team. "It was a costly goal," he admitted.

The defeat against the Canucks highlights areas for the Wild to improve upon as they face the Oilers. With Fleury set to reach a career milestone and the Wild's strong record in Edmonton, the team will be aiming to bounce back and continue their successful season.

This article was written by Michael Russo, a senior writer covering the Minnesota Wild and the National Hockey League for The Athletic. Russo has been reporting on the NHL since 1995 and has been covering the Wild since 2005. He is a four-time Minnesota Sportswriter of the Year and was awarded the inaugural Red Fisher Award for the best beat writer in the NHL in 2017. Russo contributes to various media outlets, including Bally Sports North and the NHL Network, and can be heard on KFAN (100.3 FM) as well as numerous podcasts.