ST. PAUL, Minn. — Following a one-game stint as a backup, the Minnesota Wild reassigned goaltender Darcy Kuemper back to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.
Minnesota had called up Kuemper, 22, for one game in Dallas as the Wild chose not to have starting goaltender Niklas Backstrom travel to play the Stars. Backstrom, who had started 15 of the previous 16 games, stayed in Minnesota with the team only traveling for one day and then returning home for the second of back-to-back games Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.
Matt Hackett started Friday’s game and stopped 28 of the 33 shots he faced in a 5-3 loss. Hackett will remain Backstrom’s backup with Kuemper returning to Houston, where he is 13-7-0 with a 1.78 goals-against average and .937 save percentage this season.
Kuemper made his NHL debut earlier this season and went 1-2-0 with a 2.22 goals-against average and .924 save percentage with the Wild.
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