Wild get three quick goals to start game, beat Kraken 4-0

ST. PAUL, MInn. (AP) — Ryan Hartman, Matt Boldy and Liam Ohgren scored 1 minute, 42 seconds apart early in the first period and the Minnesota Wild beat the Seattle Kraken 4-0 on Wednesday night.

Filip Gustavsson made 34 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Boldy added an empty-net goal, and Minnesota moved within two points of third-place Colorado in the Central Division.

Gustavsson is 4-1-1 in his last six home games with a 1.48 goals-against average, a .949 save percentage and two shutouts.

Philipp Grubauer stopped 24 shots for Seattle.

Hartman scored from the slot 2:47 into the game, Boldy scored from almost the same spot at 3:59 and Ohgren completed a 2-on-1 with Frederick Gaudreau 30 seconds later for a 3-0 lead. The three goals in the opening 4:29 is the fastest to start a game in the NHL this season.

Prior to the outburst, the Wild had not scored a first-period goal in seven games, since March 4 in Seattle.

Kraken: Playing its fourth game in six days, Seattle outshot Minnesota 34-28, but lost in regulation for just the second time in seven games.

Wild: Center Marco Rossi, third on the team with 21 goals, left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury after being hit by a Boldy shot. He’s one of three Wild players to have played every game this season.

Boldy’s goals were his first in 12 games. His 23 goals are tied with Kirill Kaprizov, who’s missed all but three games since Dec. 23, for the team lead.

Seattle is 0-11 in the second game of the back-to-back contests this season. The Kraken won 6-2 in Chicago on Tuesday.

Both teams play Saturday: the Kraken are in Edmonton and the Wild are home against Buffalo.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy, right, celebrates his goal with teammates as Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Seattle Kraken center John Hayden, front, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber compete for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, right, skates with the puck alongside Minnesota Wild center Vinnie Hinostroza during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) defends his net against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild left wing Liam Ohgren (28) celebrates his goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild right wing Justin Brazeau, center and Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson, right, compete for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) defends his net against the Seattle Kraken during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, center, defends his net against the Seattle Kraken during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) reacts to Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy's (12) goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman, right, celebrates his goal with center Vinnie Hinostroza during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Chelsea was back on the coaching carousel under its American ownership on Thursday after Enzo Maresca left his position as manager following a reported deterioration in his relationship with the Premier League club’s hierarchy.

There was no immediate announcement regarding the successor to Maresca. The BBC and The Athletic reported that Liam Rosenior, who coaches French team Strasbourg — a club in the same ownership group as Chelsea, is a leading contender.

Maresca was midway through his second year in charge, having won the Conference League and Club World Cup in his first season at Chelsea.

However, the team has endured a turbulent last few months — Chelsea has won just one of its last seven Premier League matches to drop to fifth place — while Maresca publicly expressed his unhappiness at a lack of support at the club in a post-match news conference on Dec. 13, when the Italian said he had just experienced his “worst” 48 hours at Chelsea.

“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football," Chelsea said in a statement, "Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.”

Chelsea has advanced to the English League Cup semifinals, where it will play Arsenal over two legs, and begins its FA Cup campaign away to second-tier Charlton on Jan. 10. In the Champions League, Chelsea is in 13th place in the 36-team league, two points off the eight automatic qualification spots with two rounds of matches left.

Chelsea is seeking a fifth full-time manager since the takeover of the club by American investors, fronted by Todd Boehly, in May 2022.

In the past 3 1/2 years, Chelsea has spent hundreds of million of pounds (dollars) in what looked from the outside a chaotic bid to sign players to refresh its squad. It now has one of the youngest and most talented squads in the Premier League, with star players including Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Estevao, but managers have struggled to get the players to gel as a team after so many changes.

Out of all the managers to have led Chelsea in that period — and they include Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, the current coaches of England and the United States, respectively — Maresca appeared to have handled the chaos the best.

Yet he reportedly didn’t feel appreciated given the tough working conditions and, according to the BBC, recently switched agents. A few weeks ago, media reports in England linked Maresca with a possible move to Manchester City — where he briefly worked under Pep Guardiola — should Guardiola eventually leave, though Maresca played the reports down.

Chelsea’s results have taken a downturn since a 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League in November.

The team’s only league win in the past month was over Everton, 2-0. There have been draws with Arsenal, Newcastle and Bournemouth (twice) and losses to Leeds and Aston Villa.

Its next game is at plays second-place Man City on Sunday.

Chelsea said its achievements under Maresca “will remain an important part of the club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the club.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Atalanta and Chelsea, in Bergamo, Italy, on Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)

FILE - Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca sits on a bench ahead of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Qarabag and Chelsea in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo, File)

Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca, left, gives instructions to Estevao during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)