Wild's top line combine for ten points in 7-4 win over Oilers

ST. PAUL - Coming into the game both Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello were above a point per game but Ryan Hartman, who centers the Wild’s top line, had only one goal and one assist.

There wasn’t a real conversation about splitting up the top line but there was a thought. Tonight the trio notched four goals and 10 points which helped propel the Wild to an impressive 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

"Felt good. We were able to find each other," Hartman said on the way his line played. "We talked about it as a line, we've been watching some shifts, and too many times we were trying to get inside or forcing a little bit. We were keeping it and waiting for our moment to strike."

That moment came tonight on Hartman's five-point night, Kaprizov's three-point effort, and Zuccarello's two-point night. 

Before the game Wild head coach Dean Evason expressed how important it will be for the Wild to get off to a good start to have success. The first five minutes of the period were anything but good.

Evan Bouchard scored just 54 seconds into the game on a slapper from the point. Evander Kane and Leon Draisaitl picked up the assists on the play. Under a minute later Jon Merrill went to the box for tripping and Jonas Brodin followed that up with a tripping penalty, putting the Oilers on a 5-on-3 power play.

Minnesota did kill both the penalties off and forced a two-many-men penalty on the Oilers. Eventually, the Wild scored after an unreal pass from Hartman to Marco Rossi in the slot. It was Rossi’s second of the season.

But the Oilers regained the lead again after Warren Foegele scored his first of two goals on the night with under three minutes left in the first period. Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm picked up the assists on the play.

It only took Hartman 34 seconds after Foegelle scored to tie the game again. Calen Addison slid the puck over to Jake Middleton, who elected to show off his shot that currently ranks first on the team in MPH, fired one on the net that Hartman eventually knocked in to tie the game at 2-2 with 59 seconds left in the first period.

The Wild walked out of the first period in a 2-2 game even though it could’ve been about 4-2 Oilers with the four power plays the Wild gave Edmonton along with more failed zone exits.

It didn’t take the Oilers long to get on the board in the second period though as Foegele walked over the line and fired a shot passed Filip Gustavsson on his glove side after using Middleton as a screen.

The Wild had their chances though, plenty in fact. Jack Campbell just stood on his head and stopped every chance the Wild recorded in the second period. 

Connor Dewar had an unreal chance in front of the net in the second after a great pass by Brandon Duhaime but Campbell denied the first and eventually stopped the second chance by Dewar keeping the game at 3-2. 

Later in the period, Campbell denied Pat Maroon on what could be the save of the year after Kaprizov faked a shot in the offensive zone before passing the puck past Darnell Nurse to Maroon. 

Minnesota kept firing pucks at Campbell but walked out of the period still down a goal. Which was extremely frustrating for the Wild even though the message was to relax and realize they are still getting the chances. 

"We talked about that in the room," Evason said. "How do we talk to them about not being frustrated? Kinger (Jason King) went in and we tried to do exactly that. Say guys look at the chances we are getting."

The players were still a little frustrated in the locker room down a goal after having one of the best periods all season. But the frustration didn't show when Hartman connected early in the third. 

It only took the Wild 38 seconds to score in the third period after Kaprizov slid one across the ice to Zuccarello who redirected the pass with his skate to Hartman in the slot who made it 3-3. 

Six minutes later the Wild's top line connected again with an even better goal. Hartman picked up the puck behind the net and connected with Kaprizov in the slot who passed one over to Zuccarello who notched his second goal of the year. 

About four minutes later Maroon made a pass to Joel Eriksson Ek on the goal line who spun around in front of Campbell before lifting the puck over the shoulder of the Oilers goaltender, making it 5-3. 

After all the power-play chances for Edmonton, Evander Kane finally connected for a power-play goal after Bouchard ripped a shot from the point. 

The Wild immediately answered with another goal from Hartman, capping off the three-goal game. This came after Kaprizov poked a puck up the boards to Middleton who flew into the offensive zone and found Hartman streaking in. 

Marcus Foligno later got his first of the year after a really strong shift but Eriksson Ek and Foligno with the empty net. Foligno's empty-net goal eventually ended the game earning the Wild a much-needed win on the final game of the homestand. 

Not only was the Wild's top line on fire but the entire lineup contributed which is exactly what you want to see early in the season. Although some players weren't rewarded with points, they got chances and good ones and that's what matters. 

"It's nice to see everybody get looks like that," Evason said. "That tells us that we are doing the right things to score goals and scoring goals the right way or chances the right way. Every line had opportunities."

Hartman led the team with 1.46 expected goals.

Kaprizov led the Wild in shot assists with five. His five shot assists added up to 2.02 expected goals. 

Kaprizov had six successful zone entries which led the Wild.

Zuccarello led the team in successful zone exits with six. 

All data was tracked by Dylan Loucks. Data is 5v5 only.