Kirill Kaprizov extended his point streak to 11 games with the tying goal late in the third period, and scored one of the Minnesota Wild’s two shootout tallies, as they continued their dominance of the visiting Anaheim Ducks to post a season-high third straight win, 5-4 on Saturday in Saint Paul, Minn.
With Minnesota trailing 4-3 and that streak on the line, Kaprizov drove the puck past Anaheim goalie John Gibson, who made 44 saves, but couldn’t stop this tying tally with 2:35 left in regulation.
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Kaprizov has seven goals and 18 points in the last 11 games for the Wild, who have won five of the last six overall, and 12 in a row versus Anaheim.
Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras each had a goal with an assist for the Ducks, who earned their league-low 15th point, but are mired in an 0-4-1 slide. Anaheim is also amid an 0-5-1 road rut.
After the Wild blew a second-period lead, and were down 3-2 after two, Joel Eriksson Ek put home a rebound at 5:26 into the third to tie it via their seventh power-play goal in five games. Terry gave
Anaheim its lead back with 9:24 remaining in regulation, when he worked the puck by Wild netminder Filip Gustavsson (29 saves) for its second power-play goal of the day.
Anaheim trailed 2-1 after one, but leveled things with 9:17 remaining in the second, when Cam Fowler wristed home the puck. Then with one minute to go before the second intermission, Zegras successfully pounced on a loose rebound.
Minnesota wasted little time opening the scoring just 4:37 into the contest. Calen Addison’s drive near the point deflected off an Anaheim player, then in through some net-front traffic.
The Ducks answered 8:13 into the first when Ryan Strome positioned himself perfectly in front of the net to redirect Frank Vatrano’s shot. However, Minnesota answered when it appeared Gibson stopped Ryan Reaves’ shot, but the puck laid under his leg, which allowed teammate Connor Dewar to push it over the line with 4:56 to play in the first.
–Field Level Media
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