SAN JOSE, Calif. — In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, Matt Boldy netted a pair of goals, and Kirill Kaprizov contributed three assists as the Minnesota Wild secured a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

The Wild took control of the game when Mats Zuccarello scored, giving them a 2-1 lead in the second period. This goal came from a stunning no-look pass by Kaprizov that maneuvered through several defenders. Kaprizov entered the game ranked sixth in the NHL with 17 assists.

Boldy extended Minnesota’s advantage with a power-play goal in the second period, and in the third, Jonas Brodin fired a slap shot from the blue line to make it 4-1. Boldy capped off the game with an empty-netter with just 1:35 left on the clock.

The Wild got off to a solid start with Zach Bogosian scoring the first goal of the night, putting them ahead 1-0 early.

For the Sharks, Macklin Celebrini, the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft, scored both of his team’s goals. He tied the game early in the second and then found the net again in the third period. Remarkably, his goals were noted for their contrasting significance, as he scored on Marc-Andre Fleury, the oldest player in the NHL, whilst being the youngest player himself.

Fleury, now in his 1,029th game, recorded 24 saves and tied with Patrick Roy for the third-most games played by a goaltender in NHL history.

Key takeaways from the game include Boldy’s power-play goal, which ended Minnesota’s 0-for-17 stretch on power plays, marking a bounce-back performance after their recent 5-1 loss to the Kings. For the Sharks, Celebrini’s impressive start continued, with three goals in his first three NHL games. In only his second outing post-injury, he led his team with seven shots, also achieving the second multi-point game of his budding career.

A pivotal moment in the game came when Celebrini equalized early in the second, igniting a spark for the Sharks. However, the Wild quickly regained momentum shortly thereafter when Kaprizov assisted on Zuccarello’s goal.

Looking ahead, the Wild will hit the road to face the Ducks on Friday, while the Sharks are set to embark on a four-game road trip, beginning with a matchup against the Devils on Sunday.