Kirill Kaprizov Scores NHL-Leading 14th as Wild Win

Kirill Kaprizov ripped a power-play goal just 48 seconds into the second period Tuesday, and that was his NHL-leading 14th of the season as the Minnesota Wild beat the Utah Mammoth 3-1 in Salt Lake City. He added an assist, and if you have watched the Wild this month, none of this is a surprise anymore.

The win was Minnesota's third straight and wrapped a five-game road trip at 3-1-1. Kaprizov now has a goal in eight of his last nine games and multiple points in three straight. He is also tied with Alexander Ovechkin for the fifth-most goals scored in October in NHL history.

The Power Play Did the Damage

Minnesota went 2 for 7 with the man advantage, and both of those goals mattered. Joel Eriksson Ek scored on the power play with less than five minutes left in the first period, and Kaprizov doubled the lead right out of the intermission. Maxim Shabanov added the third goal, and Quinn Hughes set up two of them.

Eriksson Ek is quietly rolling too, with eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last seven games.

A Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek and Hughes power play is the scariest unit in the West right now, and Utah found that out the hard way.

Wallstedt Nearly Stole a Shutout

Jesper Wallstedt stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced and was 81 seconds from a shutout before Logan Cooley finally beat him with 1:21 to play. Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves at the other end for the Mammoth, who have now lost three of their last five.

Wallstedt losing the shutout late stings, but a 26-save road night is exactly what this team needs from him while the offense is humming.

Kaprizov's Chase

Fourteen goals before November is a pace that gets people talking about the Rocket Richard Trophy early. The bigger thing for Wild fans is the consistency. Eight goals in nine games is not a hot streak built on one hat trick, it is a guy scoring almost every night.

If Kaprizov keeps getting this many power-play looks, the October record book is not the last one he will be chasing this season.

Smacktok Pick Lean

The Wild return home Thursday to host the New York Islanders. Lean higher on Kaprizov's points. He has multiple points in three straight, has scored in eight of nine, and Minnesota's power play just went 2 for 7 on the road. Back home at Xcel Energy Center, there is no reason to fade the hottest scorer in the league.