Dark days in Minnesota
Generally speaking, Kaprizov has been hampered by injuries in recent months. He had an exceptional 2021-22 season, scoring 108 points (47 goals, 61 assists) and establishing himself as one of the league’s top stars.
But the following year, Kirill missed 15 matches, his statistics fell to 75 points (40+35). And this season he has already missed two weeks when, during a duel near the boards with Winnipeg defenseman Brenden Dillon, he received two stick blows to the lower back and once again went on sick leave.
All this affected the team – Minnesota is in its twilight this season, and we haven’t seen such “savages” for a long time. They are currently fourth and last in the West. Below are just Anaheim, Chicago and San Jose, which are undergoing severe restructuring. But the Wild already seem to have a young core and should step up. Now it’s no longer hockey, but a disaster. The coaching change didn’t help either – at the end of November, Dean Evason was fired and John Hines replaced him.
This hat-trick from Kaprizov is therefore very important. Especially on the road, in a tough game against Carolina. It gives hope that there is still good to be found this season for Minnesota.
Kaprizov: What difference does it make who scores goals?
At the end of the first period, Kaprizov equalized the score by correcting a long shot from Alex Goligoski. At the same time, Carolina outscored Minnesota in the first half with a score of 18-3.
— It was a very precious puck. She moved us forward and gave us faith. It was very important that we were tied 1-1 in the second period,” Minnesota forward Marcus Foligno said. “He’s playing very well and we need to start thinking about taking care of our defense rather than just hoping Kirill gets chances.
In the second period, Kaprizov made an irresistible turnaround: “I was just trying to shoot from advantageous situations. Sometimes we have chances, but we don’t shoot on goal. But “Carolina”, in my opinion, always plays very tight and does not allow many shots to be taken. »
In the third period, Kaprizov scored the already empty Carolina goal. It even looked like the forward had a bit of luck there: he threw the puck which slowly crept into the net. But her rivals were no longer able to catch up. As a result, Kirill was recognized as the first star of the game, and then the first star of the game day.
In the last two matches, Kaprizov has scored five goals. This is his third hat-trick in the NHL.
“Of course, when you score a lot of goals, it’s easy to win,” Kirill said after the match. – It doesn’t matter who scores goals – me or other guys. It’s easy for us to play like that when we are good in attack.
– It wasn’t ideal. And in general, there is no ideal in this world,” says Coach Hines. “But I think the last two games have a lot of elements that we want to see and give us a chance to win every night.”
“We achieved what we needed to at this time of year,” Foligno added. “All of our star players went down and grabbed the puck when the Carolina players hit the hardest shots. It is very important. This excites everyone. It’s just winning the hockey that we need.
Yes, Minnesota had 22 blocks in this game. Can the Wild make the playoffs? In principle, there are few things impossible in the NHL. We remember how Saint-Louis came last in the league in January 2019 and ended up winning the Stanley Cup. Currently, Minnesota is only six points behind the playoff zone…
Goalkeeper Gustafsson: Kirill does my job for me
But for that, Minnesota needs the hot Kaprizov. And now we see that in the last four matches he has scored 8 points (5+3), looking like his old self once again.
It is curious that after the match Kirill was asked what he was most proud of: his hat-trick or the most important blocked shot, which happened at the key moment of the match.
“I think it was probably a blocked throw,” Kaprizov said with a smile. “Because the bench was so happy when I made that block.”
Goalkeeper Filip Gustafsson agreed: “How good Kaprizov is! He does my job for me!
In general, Wild’s partners call Kaprizov “the engine of the team.”
“His dedication rubs off on all the guys. It is clear that Kirill is returning to a larger orbit,” notes Hines. “It’s nice to see him recognized as the first star of the game.” We all want this guy to score more and more. Just what you need from such a player. He can prove himself in a big match, taking over the game.
Remember, Minnesota’s Kaprizov was selected to the NHL All-Star Game. Even when he is injured, fans actively vote for him. And the league itself does not see an alternative to Kirill in the Wild. There, he’s the main star.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
