Joel Eriksson Ek was all over the place in the Wild's win over the Winnipeg Jets.
ST. PAUL - The Wild have two wins in their first three preseason games of the year and both are against the Winnipeg Jets.
There were a lot of positives from Friday night's game. Marat Khusnutdinov picked up two points and scored a sweet shorthanded goal, and Liam Ohgren answered a tough first game with a goal in his second game.
Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello also rekindled their dynamic connection and Joel Eriksson Ek posted five points in the win.
Ben Jones also impressed again. He scored his second goal of the preseason in his third game.
But tonight it was Eriksson Ek.
Jones opened the scoring in the second period after a 1-1 first period. But Mason Appleton responded shortly after. The Wild then rattled off six straight goals before the second-period buzzer went off.
Eriksson Ek, 28, picked up a point on four of the six goals in the second period. First, it was Eriksson Ek and Yakov Trenin swatting away at a loose puck before the 6-foot-3 center picked up his first of the period.
Then it was Ohgren from Kyle Masters and Eriksson Ek. Ohgren had a rough first game and Wild head coach John Hynes indicated before the game that is why the young forward was in the lineup again.
Not long after Ohgren's goal, Jack Peart fired a point shot off the endboards behind Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The puck trickled to the crease where Eriksson Ek stood uncontested.
Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots on the 29 he faced. The Jets swapped goaltenders after the second period. Thomas Milic came in and stopped all five shots he faced.
Shortly after his goal Eriksson Ek picked up the primary assist on Kaprizov's second power-play goal of the night.
“Ekky looks great. Obviously, he’s such a highly-conditioned guy but his timing looks good. His details look good. He’s the consummate pro and that’s why he’s as good as he is," Wild head coach John Hybes said on Eriksson Ek. "When he comes into camp, he’s ready to go. He’s great in practice, drives play in practice, comes tonight and plays the same way. So, it’s good to see. That’s why he’s a leader, as well.”
The Wild eventually walked away with a 8-5 win over the Jets.
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