Niklas Backstrom made 37 saves for his third shutout of the season and 25th of his career as the Minnesota Wild outlasted the home Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Thursday.

Backstrom improved to 20-5-2 lifetime against the Avalanche in handing them their fourth straight loss.

Greg Zanon scored the lone goal – his second of the season – at 6:04 of the first period. After Kyle Brodziak won the faceoff, Dany Heatley tipped the puck back to Zanon, who fluttered a shot from the point passed a screened Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Heatley, with an assist, picked up his eighth point in his last four games.

The Wild almost had a two-goal lead as time expired in the second period only to have Giguere make a highlight-reel save.

After literally being swept into the net by a rushing Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck snapped a shot headed for the top of the net that Giguere – half down and half in the net – somehow blocked with his left arm.