Going up against the league’s worst team, the 20-win San Jose Sharks, the Wild were hunting two points in the standings. They got them, but it took an offensive outburst and overcoming defense lapses to get there with an eventual 8-7 overtime win that also included a combined six goals from two returning starts.

Here are five rules from the Wild’s second overtime victory this week:

1. Kirill Kaprizov returned to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 26 after a lower-body injury, and he scored a power-play goal.

At the first stoppage of play, Kirill Kaprizov stepped onto the ice for the ensuing faceoff. Downtime in the game, but the Minnesota fans offered loud cheers for the winger playing in just his fourth game since Christmas.

Kaprizov scored a power-play goal late in the second period to tie the game 4-4. It was a snipe from down low after he tried earlier on the man advantage to fire the puck toward the net and perhaps get a tip from a teammate.

After the game got to overtime, Kaprizov got a feed from Mats Zuccarello and finished the crazy game with a blast from a similar spot on the ice for his 10th overtime winner. Game over.

“It was not our best defense game,” Kaprizov said. “But it’s nice win. We take these two points.”

2. Joel Eriksson Ek also returned to the lineup after being out injured since the 4 Nations Face-Off. He scored a career-high four goals.

Joel Eriksson Ek stole the show with a career-high four goals. His first goal was part of a chaotic couple of minutes in the six-goal second period. Then he scored three consecutive tallies with 11.9 left in the second period and 1 minute, 2 seconds into the third period – both on the power play – to complete his first hat trick since Feb. 19, 2024 against Vancouver.

He added goal No. 4 only 1 minute, 4 seconds later. The first three goals were all classic Eriksson Ek – rebounds and crashing the net, scoring from around the blue paint. The last one was a feed from Matt Boldy, who assisted on three of Eriksson Ek’s goals, that found him in the slot.

“Good bounces,” Eriksson Ek said. “They chirped me, or Hartzy (Ryan Hartman) did, that they were all in the crease, so the fourth one was a little bit better.”

Eriksson Ek’s season goal total went from nine to 13 for the season in 43 games played. He joined Marian Gaborik as the only two players in franchise history to score four-plus goals in a single game.

3. Matt Boldy had a four-assist game.

Four assists pushed Boldy’s season total to 30 and 71 points. Four helpers in a game also marks a career-high for the winger, tied for the second-highest single-game total in Wild franchise history. Kevin Fiala has five assists on April 22, 2022 vs. Seattle.

Boldy played on the top line opposite Marcus Foligno and Eriksson Ek at center. Boldy praised Foligno’s play in the last few games they’ve been on a line together.

“And then you got Ekky,” Boldy said. “I don’t think anyone can take the puck from him. He’s a beast.”

4. It was Marc-Andre Fleury’s night… until it wasn’t.

This was supposed to be a celebratory night in a very sentimental way for goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and the Wild. He made likely his final start at home in the regular season Wednesday. It could have been another wonderful moment during his farewell tour. But not all these moments can have a fairytale ending.

The Wild had a 7-4 lead in the third period before three straight Sharks goals, including one of the final minute to tie the game and force overtime.

“As a goalie, those aren’t the most fun games to play,” Fleury said. “You know, too many goals going in.

“I think I’ll remember the national anthem and having two points.”

The best moment of the night for Fleury was taking his spot in between the pipes prior to the game. His three children joined him in the crease during the national anthem.

“I think it’ll be good memories for me, for them, right?” Fleury said. “Just to be on the ice and see what it feels like to be there and having all the people around.

“That was pretty cool.”

Fleury made 24 saves in the game, including a vintage windmill save in the second period, which generated a few “Fleury! Fleury! Fleury!” chants from the crowd.

After Kaprizov ended the game in overtime, a few Wild players mobbed Fleury near center ice. It was also the 70th overtime win for Fleury, which passed Martin Brodeur (69) for most in NHL history. Fleury is 13-9-1 this season, marking his 19th winning season of his career; only Brodeur has more with 20, according to NHL Stats.

5. San Jose is the worst team in the league, but the Wild engaged in a back-and-forth battle with the Sharks.

The Wild, which has struggled in recent weeks to put the puck in the net in the opening period, found itself down 1-0 about 12 minutes into the game. Then the Wild led 2-1, 3-2 and 5-4, taking one-goal leads into both intermissions. In between, the Wild also trailed 4-3 in the third period before those two power-play goals from Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek late in the second period.

In the third, the Wild were up 7-4 a couple of minutes into the period on Eriksson Ek’s fourth goal of the night. But the Wild had defensive lapses throughout the game, and the Sharks celebrated a Macklin Celebrini hat trick and eventually tied the game.

The Wild scored a season-high eight goals, needed every one to get two points.

“I would say from a defensive standpoint, it was uncharacteristic of us tonight in certain areas,” said Wild coach John Hynes. “Some of the things, we’ll address them and tighten up.”

The post Rink Rule: Sharks vs. Wild appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Two players also made debuts with the Wild this season. Here are five rules from the one-goal loss to Vegas:

1. Kirill Kaprizov is thrilling – as always – and is tied for the NHL lead with 22 goals.

Kaprizov is just putting on a show.

He scored both Wild goals Sunday night, his first giving the Wild a 1-0 lead only 1 minute, 30 seconds into the game. His season goal total is now at 22 tallies, tied for the NHL lead with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl. Kaprizov also leads the league with six multi-goal games, although he’s still looking for his first hat trick this season.

The Wild celebrate one of Kirill Kaprizov’s goals against Vegas on Dec. 15 at Xcel Energy Center. Mats Zuccarello (right) assisted on each goal. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Kaprizov has four goals over his last two games and his 22 goals in 30 games means he has the most goals by a Wild player through 30 games played in a season. That’s a better mark than previous Wild stud Marian Gaborik, who scored 20 goals in 33 games during the 2006-07 season.

On his second goal against Ilya Samsonov, a friend of Kaprizov’s, the Wild winger pointed to the puck in the net after Samsonov appeared to freeze in the crease with his glove arm elevated. On the play, Kaprizov grabbed the puck out of the air, placed it on the ice in the circle and fired it top-shelf, over Samsonzov’s shoulder.

“I just saw it was in,” Kaprizov said, even though he didn’t see any fans immediately jumping for joy. It was just a delayed reaction.

2. Peanut butter and jelly combine for a pair of goals.

With Mats Zuccarello back from injury this weekend, he’s reunited on the right wing with his buddy Kaprizov on the opposite wing. Zuccarello assisted on both of Kaprizov’s goals against Vegas. The first one took some work as Zuccarello wrestled the puck below the goal line and fed it to Kaprizov who was all alone in front of the net.

“It’s nice for Zuccy,” said Kaprizov, who added that Zuccarello didn’t play for a month but played well right away upon his return. “He did a great job. I’m happy for him.”

It’s fun seeing these two play together, said winger Marcus Foligno.

“It’s good for our team,” Foligno said. “It’s the way they play. They think so much alike. And it’s a special duo for sure.”

Zuccarello, who missed 13 games due to injury, notched his 37th multi-assist game wearing a Wild sweater. That passed Pierre-Marc Bouchard’s 36 multi-goal games for fifth in franchise history.

3. Jesper Wallstadt made 24 saves in his season debut with the Wild.

Jesper Wallstadt had a quick turnaround getting to St. Paul to make his season debut with the Wild. It’s the fourth regular-season start for him with Minnesota. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Goaltender Jesper Wallstadt got the nod in net after he was called up Saturday under emergency conditions. Marc-Andre Fleury started against Philadelphia that afternoon, and Filip Gustavsson is dealing with an injury that Wild coach John Hynes said isn’t anything major.

Wallstadt allowed three goals on 27 shots against Vegas, taking the one-goal loss. Hynes said Wallstadt, who’s had a rough season with the Iowa Wild, “looked comfortable in net.”

“I think both teams battled,” Hynes said. “They (Vegas) were fortunate to get one more than we got.”

It marked Wallstedt’s fourth career start with the Wild but first at Xcel Energy Center during the regular season. He has a 3.05 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in four starts with the Wild.

“I was in the rink for a game less than 24 hours after I knew I was getting called up,” Wallstedt said. “So, it was quick, but fun being back and playing. But obviously I would have wanted the win.”

4. Travis Dermott registers 2 shots, 1 takeaway in his Wild debut.

The dawn of a new day lately seems to bring a new Wild player dealing with an injury. After defenseman Jake Middleton left Thursday’s game against Edmonton only 37 seconds into the contest with an upper-body injury, the Wild picked up Travis Dermott off waivers on Friday.

Dermott, who was with Edmonton, didn’t get left behind last week and instead dealt with a frantic travel schedule to reach Minnesota – again – and suit up for his new team. He said after Sunday’s game against Vegas that the quick turnaround was better for him, so he didn’t “overthink anything.”

He dressed with the Wild as the seventh defenseman as part of the Wild’s 11 forwards, seven defensemen lineup. He played 10 shifts in 7 minutes, 47 seconds of ice time against Vegas, his first game since Nov. 19 after a bunch of healthy scratches.

“The first (period) felt like I was gripping my stick a little tight, but as the game went along, you kind of sink into your natural activities,” Dermott said. “I’ve been playing hockey my whole life, so I think it comes back to you quick and it helps even more that these guys are so accommodating.”

Dermott put up two shots and a takeaway on the stats sheet against Vegas.

5. Hockey Hall of Famers say “Let’s Play Hockey!”

Wrapping up the end of the Wild’s recognition of Girls’ Hockey Weekend, the organization brought in Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl to lead fans in the “Let’s Play Hockey!” call at the start of Sunday’s game.

Darwitz and Wendell-Pohl, longtime friends and former hockey teammates at various levels, were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto together last month.

The Wild also hosted girls’ hockey clinics on the Xcel Energy Center ice following the Wild vs. Flyers game on Saturday afternoon.

The post Rink Rule: Golden Knights vs. Wild appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Some form of that question was likely uttered by anyone who witnessed one of the craziest, most improbable games – and third periods – in Minnesota Wild history.

In a final score that looked more like a baseball or football game result, the Wild pulled off a 10-7 victory Monday afternoon over one of the NHL’s best squads this season, the Vancouver Canucks. The final score seemed improbable for many reasons, at many points during the game.

But that was before a pair of hat tricks from Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov, plus a seven-goal third period for the home team on the way to its fifth victory in the past six games. Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov each scored three goals and three assists. They join Marian Gaborik as the only players in franchise history to record six-point games, according to Minnesota Wild PR.

Ten goals in a game. Had Wild players been part of such an offensive outburst before?

“When I was maybe 5 years old,” Kaprizov said, with a laugh.

Seventeen combined goals in the game were a new franchise high for the Wild (actually, it was a franchise high at 14 goals), and the Wild also set a new franchise record for goals scored when it reached nine goals. The Wild scored their 10 goals on just 27 shots for a 37.0 shooting percentage, which marked the best single-game shooting percentage by a team with 25-plus shots on goal since the start of the 2000-01 NHL season (also the Wild’s first season), according to Minnesota Wild PR.

The Wild trailed 2-0 in the first period on Vancouver’s first two shots on goal. In hindsight, this was a sign of the save-percentage woes and shooting-percentage wins that would follow throughout the game for both teams. Although, the Wild also missed lots of opportunities – and nets – in the first period, too.

But then Eriksson Ek tied his career-high in goals for a season (26) to make it a 2-1 game at the first intermission. Halfway through the game, the Wild trailed 4-1 on the way to J.T. Miller’s hat trick. Yes, the 17 combined goals included a trio of hat tricks.

Cashing in with the two-man advantage
The Canucks kept their foot on the gas, which resulted in both goals and many trips to the penalty box. Throughout the game, the Wild had four lengthy 5-on-3 power-play advantages. Minnesota cashed in with four consecutive power-play goals, starting with Mats Zuccarello scoring with 32.1 seconds left in the second period for a 5-3 game.

Then, buckle up for the start of the third period (which also included a Wild goaltender change, bringing in Marc-Andre Fleury after Filip Gustavsson gave up five goals on 16 shots), which started with another 48 seconds of potential 5-on-3 power play time for the Wild. Only 29 seconds in, Eriksson Ek set his new career-high in goals. Then after Miller threw the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty, the two-man advantage for the Wild started up again.

At 1:23 of the third, Kaprizov tied the game 5-5. Twenty-one seconds later, Eriksson Ek completed his hat trick as he gave the Wild the lead it wouldn’t give up. So, Zuccarello in the final minute of the second period, Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov and then Eriksson Ek again for the four power-play goals and a Wild lead.

“It was important for us to be able to capitalize on the power plays, cut the lead and then get to the game that, the attack game that we talked about,” said Wild coach John Hynes.

That’s a lot of goals. And boy, this game wasn’t done delivering them.

Marco Rossi scored. Kaprizov scored his second of the game. The Wild had an 8-5 lead.

Then later the Canucks pulled their goaltender with 2:20 left in regulation and an offensive-zone faceoff. It only took 12 seconds for them to make it a one-goal game again. But Jonas Brodin fired a puck into the empty net from the other end of the ice, and Kaprizov wrapped up his hat trick just barely, with an empty-net goal when only 1.9 seconds remained in the game.

“Yeah, it’s nuts,” said Matt Boldy, who scored a goal and three assists. “It’s weird. I don’t think I’ve ever been part of something like that where they just kept going, one after another, I guess.”

Add it all up, it’s a 10-7 Wild victory as the Presidents Day, matinee crowd roared at Xcel Energy Center.

Seriously though, what the Ek just happened?

By the numbers
This game was filled with notable stats, keeping the Wild’s PR social media account busy during and after the game. Here are some of the notable items:

Eriksson Ek: Six-point game (3-3—6), career-long four-game goal streak, 13 multi-point games this season (ranks second on the team), second career hat trick (Oct. 19, 2021 vs. Winnipeg).

Boldy: 20 goals in consecutive seasons, tied his career high with a four-point game (1-3—4).

Zuccarello: Four-point game (1-3—4), tying his career high.

Kaprizov: First career six-point game (3-3—6), fourth career regular-season hat trick.

Jacob Lucchini: First NHL assist on Marco Rossi’s goal to make it a 7-5 Wild lead.

Wild: A new franchise record for the fastest four goals scored, in a span of two minutes, 17 seconds to erase the 5-2 deficit (previous record: 3:28 span on March 6, 2018); new franchise record for goals in a single game (previous record: 8 goals); seven goals in the third was a new franchise record for goals in a period

According to NHL Stats:

Fastest six goals by one team, NHL history:

4:24 – Montreal Canadiens (Dec. 6, 1982)

4:47 – Washington Capitals (Feb. 3, 1999)

5:02 – Pittsburgh Penguins (Nov. 22, 1972)

5:45 – Minnesota Wild (Feb. 19, 2024)

The post That Was Wild appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

After two decades, the Minnesota Wild finally have a player who can go toe-to-toe with the league’s best. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

The problem was that 11 seasons after he departed Minnesota, Gaborik remained the only Wild player who had the ability to bring fans out of their seats. Twenty years after its birth, the franchise was still looking for its first superstar. That search is finally over.

One season after winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, and 122 games into his time with the Wild, Kirill Kaprizov has established himself as a Top 10 player in the league and the best player in Wild history.

Gaborik was an exciting player but his game wasn’t as complete as the 24-year-old Kaprizov’s. How can that statement be made with such certainty? Name one thing Kaprizov doesn’t do well? One part of his game where you think it’s truly lacking? We’re not talking about the odd off night when Kaprizov doesn’t register a point, we’re talking about an area where he’s deficient.

You can’t.

Kaprizov didn’t register a point in the Wild’s 5-1 victory on Sunday in Washington, ending a franchise-tying six-game goal scoring streak. He had a goal and an assist a night earlier in a 3-1 victory at Carolina that put his season-point total at 85, breaking Gaborik’s single-season mark of 83 set in 2007-08. The Wild still have 14 games remaining and Kaprizov’s 39 goals trail Gaborik and Eric Staal’s single-season franchise record by three. He is sixth in the NHL in points and tied for seventh in goals.

Another night, another goal celebration for Kirill Kaprizov. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

If Kaprizov’s talents ended with his goal scoring that would be impressive enough, but he’s just as likely to make a spectacular pass, or leave opponents dizzy as he uses his speed to skate circles around the net. Kaprizov’s 46 assists put him only four shy of tying Pierre-Marc Bouchard’s team record of 46 set in 2007-08. So why not knock down the 5-10, 202-pound left winger before he can do all of this damage? If you are quick enough to catch him, the stronger-than-he-looks Kaprizov will be more than happy to level you first and will often do so with a reverse hit. Get in his face and he’ll get right back in yours.

Kaprizov isn’t going to be outworked, he isn’t going to be intimidated and he certainly isn’t going to lose many (if any) skill battles. The next step for the former KHL star, who was a fifth-round pick of the Wild in 2015 but didn’t sign until July 2020, will be carrying over his regular-season dominance to the playoffs.

After getting 27 goals and 51 points in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, Kaprizov had only two goals and an assist in the Wild’s seven-game loss to Vegas in the first round of the playoffs. The lack of postseason success did not overshadow a spectacular season in which he led NHL rookies in scoring, goals, power-play goals (eight) and shots on goal (157), but it did serve notice of exactly how much more focus is put on superstar players come springtime.

The Wild’s first-round opponent this season undoubtedly will have a plan to slow Kaprizov, along with linemates Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman, and it will be up to that line to overcome the obstacles. It helps that the Wild’s second line of Kevin Fiala, Frederick Gaudreau and Matthew Boldy (it’s Tyson Jost right now with Boldy injured) also has the ability to be an offensive threat.

But if Kaprizov is going to take the next step, he will thrive in the place the Wild so often have failed. Kaprizov has found himself under the microscope before and ended up thriving. He signed a five-year, $45 million contract with the Wild right before training camp and then did not score a goal in his first eight games.

He did have six assists but was a minus-3 and it was hard not to think about the potential impact the big contract was having on Kaprizov’s play. Only Kaprizov never seemed bothered by this and accumulated six goals and 16 points, with a plus-8, in the next 12 games. This is how you make the second-guessers disappear.

Scenes like this have featuring Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello (and a rotating cast of characters like Jared Spurgeon) have become commonplace at Xcel Energy Center. (mhm Photo / Rick Olson)

Like many great players, Kaprizov has a Robin to his Batman. Zuccarello, who is almost 10 years older than Kaprizov, seems to share a very similar hockey brain. Show up at Xcel Energy Center for the Wild’s pregame warmups, and you will see Kaprizov and Zuccarello put on a passing display that continues long after most of their teammates have returned to the locker room. The chemistry continues once the game begins.

Zuccarello’s 20 goals are his most since the 2015-16 season and his 49 assists (21 have come on Kaprizov’s goals) and 69 points are career highs. Zuccarello would be accused of being too pass happy on almost any other line, but not this one.

“We’re kind of the same person,” Zuccarello said after his goal off Kaprizov’s setup Saturday enabled the latter to break Gaborik’s points mark. “I’m a little bit older, but he keeps me young. He keeps me on the ice. He’s competitive. We both are. We like to be on each other, chirping each other a little bit. We have a good relationship. It’s not often you find someone you click with that well, on and off. It’s special for me.”

Zuccarello isn’t alone.

The Wild’s success this season isn’t a fluke and this team has the ability to make a playoff run. That success starts with the fact that 21 years into their existence the Wild finally has found its superstar.

The post SuperStarved No More appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.