NHL: Minnesota 4, St. Louis 0

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Niklas Backstrom bounced back from the worst performance of his career by making 22 saves Wednesday in Minnesota's 4-0 blanking of St. Louis.

The Wild won their fourth straight, getting a goal and an assist from both Eric Belanger and Marek Zidlicky.

On Monday against Colorado, Backstrom gave up a career-high six goals on 26 shots and was removed from the game after the second period. He came back against the Blues to record his 12th career shutout.

Chris Mason allowed three goals on 37 shots for St. Louis, which has dropped three out of four.

Minnesota scored three times in the third period, two of the goals coming on the power play. That ran Minnesota's power-play goal total to 10 in 20 chances over the last three games.

Andrew Brunette scored his 200th career goal, which made it 2-0 early in the third period.