1. The #KirillForCalder train has officially left the station.
With all due respect to the great season Jason Robertson is having in Dallas, Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has been on a different planet from the very first game of the season.
Video: VGK@MIN: Kaprizov deflects in tying goal in front
On Wednesday, Kaprizov scored goals 2:10 apart in the third period, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead with under 10 minutes to play in regulation. The two goals were his 25th and 26th of the season, as he's now scored eight more goals than any other rookie in team history while skating in more than a dozen fewer games.
He's been ridiculous.
Video: VGK@MIN: Kaprizov nets go-ahead goal after faceoff
And as the games have gotten bigger at the end of the season, the Wild has gotten even more from its rookie star. Over his past 10 games, Kaprizov is averaging a goal per game and is tied for the NHL lead in goals during that span.
Vegas would tie the game late with a power-play goal and win the game in overtime on a goal by Alex Pietrangelo.
2. Scoreless, but not boring.
The Wild and Golden Knights were knotted at 0-0 after 20 minutes of play, but don't confuse the lack of offense for a boring game.
The Wild and Knights played a physical, intense opening period of hockey that set the tone for the night. The two clubs combined for 30 minutes in penalties as a result of several post-whistle scrums and one Marcus Foligno-Nicolas Hague bout.
3. One's in, one's out.
Wild coach Dean Evason hinted this morning that there might be a surprise or two regarding the team's lineup on Wednesday night ... and sure enough, there was.
As it turned out, Kevin Fiala was a game-time decision that ended up not playing, while forward Marcus Johansson, who had missed the past two games with an upper-body injury was back in the lineup.
Minnesota missed Fiala too, as the red hot forward had scored a goal in three consecutive games and was coming off a two-point third period in the Wild's 6-5 victory on Monday night. Fiala has 25 points over his past 19 games, and that kind of production was sorely missing, especially on the power play, where Minnesota had a handful of chances to dent the scoreboard, but didn't, in the first period.
Fiala missed the game with a lower-body injury and his status for this weekend's back-to-back against the Anaheim Ducks is unknown.
Article From & Read More ( Postgame Hat Trick: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 (OT) Minnesota rallies for point, but falls in - BlueJackets.com )https://ift.tt/3b6Fs4i
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