Kaprizov scores League-leading 10th as Minnesota Wild beat Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Kirill Kaprizov scored his League-leading 10th goal of the season as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at Grand Casino Arena on Sunday. Minnesota improved to 6-2-1, while the Blue Jackets fell to 3-4-0 in the game.

Kaprizov’s goal came at 3:06 of the second period on the power play, when he fired a sharp-angled shot from low in the left circle that went short side over Cam Talbot’s shoulder. With the tally, Kaprizov extended his point streak to six games, totaling 12 points on seven goals and five assists during that stretch.

Danila Yurov gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead at 18:12 of the first period. The play began after Yakov Trenin sent over a pass, and Yurov finished the odd-man rush with a wrist shot to make it 1-0 for the Wild.

Columbus tied the game 1-1 at 19:12 of the first period when Adam Fantilli scored. Fantilli’s shot from the top of the right circle came during a delayed Wild penalty, evening the score before the teams headed to the first intermission.

Jesper Wallstedt made 13 saves for Minnesota in the win, while Talbot recorded 32 saves for Columbus. The Wild won for the fourth time in five games and remained undefeated at home in four games.

In the wider season context provided with the game report, Kaprizov’s 10 goals in nine games or fewer places him among the fastest to reach double digits in a season, joining Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, David Pastrnak, Nikita Kucherov and Sidney Crosby in that nine-games-or-fewer achievement window.