ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kirill Kaprizov, the talented forward for Minnesota, is known for his scoring prowess, and he demonstrated that once again during the Wild’s recent match against the Philadelphia Flyers. In a striking moment in the first period, Kaprizov found a way to direct the puck into the net, using the opposing goalie, Samuel Ersson, to his advantage. The Wild went on to clinch the game with a final score of 4-1.
With just over 15 minutes elapsed in a scoreless first period, Jon Merrill of the Wild took a shot that hit the end boards behind Ersson. The puck then bounced directly to Kaprizov, who positioned himself about a foot in front of the goal line and ten feet to the left. As Ersson shifted to cover the post, Kaprizov took a risky shot from a tight angle, which ended up hitting Ersson’s helmet and deflecting into the net.
Following the game, Ersson acknowledged Kaprizov’s ability, remarking, “He’s a skilled player. I don’t think it’s luck for him.” Wild’s head coach, John Hines, spoke about Kaprizov’s dedication to practice, noting that he often spends up to 30 minutes honing his angle shots during practices and pregame skate sessions. This preparation clearly paid off during the game.
Marc-Andre Fleury, the Wild’s goalie who battles against Kaprizov in practice, expressed that he wasn’t surprised by the goal. “It isn’t the first time he’s done it in a game either,” Fleury said. “So I’m not surprised. He’s fun to watch.” Kaprizov not only made his presence felt with his first goal but also added an empty-net goal with just 2:10 left in the game, marking his 20th goal of the season. This performance places him in second place in the NHL in goals scored, just one behind Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton.
