Kirill Kaprizov Nets Hat Trick in Minnesota Wild Win vs Hurricanes

The Minnesota Wild have won two-straight games and three of their last four, after beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Sunday evening, in a contest that was much closer on the ice than how it finished on paper. In fact, the Wild never should have won tonight.

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If it weren’t for Filip Gustavsson standing on his head in the first period, Minnesota may not have made it out of the opening 20 minutes alive. It was by far Gustavsson’s best performance since he lost his mojo about a month ago.

Kirill Kaprizov goes for hat trick in Minnesota Wild win

The best part of Sunday’s win, though, was Kirill Kaprizov, who’s been quietly heating up, even before tonight. He boiled over tonight, though, scoring an empty-net (and plenty of luck) assisted hat trick. It was a performance that, along with Gus Bus, his team needed.

No. 1:

A little 1,2 and we're even 👏#mnwild pic.twitter.com/6lWsTc0jtA

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 21, 2024

No. 2:

No. 97 cannot be stopped 😮‍💨#mnwild pic.twitter.com/ObLM0Jfewt

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 21, 2024

No. 3 (Empty-Net):

KIRILL KAPRIZOV HATTY 🎩🎩🎩#MNWILD | #NHL pic.twitter.com/6E7hiycazY

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) January 22, 2024

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After winning two in a row, the Minnesota Wild are just six points out of a playoff spot, even though they are sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. I can see Bill Guerin salivating as he thinks about what those standings might look like entering the All-Star break, if the Wild can just win a few more this week.