ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kirill Kaprizov showcased his talent by netting two goals and providing an assist, leading the Minnesota Wild to a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.
Filip Gustavsson contributed with 28 crucial saves, helping the Wild secure their sixth win in seven games. Alongside Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, and Brock Faber also found the back of the net for Minnesota.
On the other side, the Lightning, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end, had goals from Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, and Nick Paul. Victor Hedman stood out with two assists, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 17 saves in the contest.
With the score level at 2-2 in the final period, a point shot from Marco Rossi unexpectedly deflected off Kaprizov and into the net with just 5:23 on the clock.
Boldy then added to the Wild’s advantage with an empty-net goal just 2:20 later, but Paul quickly narrowed the gap for the Lightning again with a goal at the 2:26 mark. Kaprizov capped off the match with another empty-netter, securing his team-leading 21 points for the season with only 29 seconds remaining on the clock.
Takeaways from the game emphasized the strategy employed by Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who decided to remove Vasilevskiy with over three minutes left, allowing Boldy to score shortly after.
For the Wild, this game marked their first home appearance since October 12th. Following an impressive 5-1-1 record during a season-long seven-game road trip, Minnesota accomplished a second victory over the Lightning in just eight days.
A notable moment occurred in the second period with 12:48 left, when Rossi seemed to have scored what looked to be a 2-1 lead for the Wild. However, it was later discovered that he had inadvertently played the wrong puck, as another had rolled behind Tampa Bay’s net. After a quick review, the score remained tied.
Statistically, Tampa Bay outshot Minnesota 30-22, including an overpowering 15-6 in the first period. Nonetheless, the Wild managed to block 18 shots throughout the game.
Looking ahead, the Lightning will travel to Winnipeg on Sunday, while the Wild will face off against Toronto in their next game.