National Hockey League
Minnesota 4, Ottawa 2
When: 2:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2022
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Referees: Wes McCauley, Brandon Schrader
Linesmen: Ryan Gibbons, Jesse Marquis
Attendance: 18213

Kirill Kaprizov topped the 200 career-point mark and extended his home point streak to 12 games as the Minnesota Wild held on for their season-high fifth straight victory, 4-2 over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday in Saint Paul, Minn.

Kaprizov finished with a goal and two assists. Mats Zuccarello extended his overall point streak to 10 games with a goal and an assist and Sam Steel added two assists for the Wild, who have won nine of 11 overall and seven straight at home.

However, Minnesota nearly blew a 3-0 lead after Ottawa's Mark Kastelic bested Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson (26 saves) 4:58 into the third period, and Claude Giroux drove home a net-front puck, with Ottawa's goalie pulled, to make things more interesting with 1:40 remaining in regulation.

The Senators outshot Minnesota 16-3 in the third, but Frederick Gaudreau's empty-netter sealed the result and snapped the visitors' four-game winning streak. It was only the fourth loss in the last 12 games for Ottawa, which also saw its 5-0-1 road run come to an end.

Ottawa posted nine power-play goals during the previous four contests, but went 0-for-3 with the man-advantage on Sunday against a Minnesota defense that was stout for most of the game.

Minnesota opened the scoring 8:19 into the game when Kaprizov one-timed a circle-to-circle pass from Zuccarello to beat Ottawa netminder Anton Forsberg (19 saves). The Wild outshot the Senators 11-5 through the first 20 minutes.

Just 1:34 into the second period, Kaprizov returned the favor to Zuccarello while recording that milestone 200th point in just his 167th NHL contest. Streaking with the puck toward the net, Kaprizov sent a back-hander to a trailing Steel, who found Zuccarello for an up-close one-timer and a 2-0 Minnesota lead.

Kaprizov was at it again with 10:33 remaining in the second, when he set up Jared Spurgeon, who made a nifty move in front of Forsberg to score his third goal of the season.

The Wild have won 11 of 12 over Ottawa, including the last six home meetings between the two clubs.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Ottawa   Minnesota
Claude Giroux 1 Points Kirill Kaprizov 3
Claude Giroux 1 Goals Kirill Kaprizov 1
Drake Batherson 1 Assists Kirill Kaprizov 2
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Anton Forsberg .864 Save Percentage Filip Gustavsson .929
Anton Forsberg 19 Saves Filip Gustavsson 26
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Ottawa 28 2 0-3 3-3 6 26
Minnesota 23 4 0-3 3-3 6 25
Upcoming Games
  • Minnesota will play their next game on the road against Anaheim. The Wild have a W/L % of .611 after a win and .538 after a loss.
  • Ottawa will play their next game on the road against Winnipeg. The Senators have a W/L % of .533 after a win and .375 after a loss.