In a week that has seen him named as AHL Player of the Week, notching two shut-outs, the Minnesota Wild then put the icing on the cake for young Kaapo Kahkonen.
With Devan Dubnyk missing their game with the Winnipeg Jets through illness, the Wild could just have easily given the start to Alex Stalock and had an experienced NHL goaltender in Andrew Hammond back him up.
Instead, they opted to give Stalock the start and allow their young upstart the chance to earn a day of NHL pay and the best seat in the house for watching an intense game.