Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – Kirill Kaprizov’s NHL-leading 10th goal broke a 1-1 tie and carried the Wild past the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 Sunday night at Grand Casino Arena.
No player in Wild history has reached 10 goals faster, and he’s only the sixth active NHL player to get there in nine games or fewer. The others on that list are Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, David Pastrnak, Nikita Kucherov and Sidney Crosby.
Kaprizov’s game-winner came on the power play early in the second period, a shot from the bottom of the left faceoff circle over the shoulder of Columbus goalie Cam Talbot. Talbot is a former Wild goaltender. The goal came after Kaprizov sat out Saturday’s practice with an illness.
He has now scored in three straight games and stretched his point streak to six games, with seven goals and five assists in that span.
Danila Yurov scored his fourth goal of the season for Minnesota. Adam Fantilli had the lone goal for Columbus.
The Wild defense made life easy in net. Minnesota held the Blue Jackets to just 14 shots on goal, tied for the second-fewest the franchise has ever allowed in a game. Jesper Wallstedt stopped 13 of them, while Talbot made 32 saves at the other end. Columbus was also playing for the second night in a row.
The win gives Minnesota back-to-back victories and 13 points on the season. The Wild are unbeaten in four home games and have won four of their last five.
At 6-2-1, the Wild now head out on a five-game road trip that opens Tuesday in Edmonton against the Oilers.
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