With the Washington Capitals in town, fans who came to Grand Casino Arena hoping to see a Russian sniper illuminate the goal light absolutely got what they were expecting. Sort of.
Capitals legend Alexander Ovechkin was held scoreless, but Wild veteran Vladimir Tarasenko had a pair of goals, helping Minnesota to a 5-0 win on Tuesday.
It was a Russian-dominated night for the Wild, with Kirill Kaprizov and Danila Yurov — after a pretty assist by Tarasenko — also scoring. Matt Boldy added a late shorthanded goal.
The fifth victory in a row for the Wild came due in part to a 25-save shutout performance from goalie Filip Gustavsson, and avenged a lopsided loss to the Capitals earlier in the season.
Kaprizov scored in the second period and made franchise history in the process. His 70th career power play goal moved Kaprizov ahead of Zach Parise for the most man advantage goals in franchise history. It was also Kaprizov’s 206th career goal, which places him second on the Wild’s career list, one better than Mikko Koivu. The franchise record of 219 is held by Marian Gaborik.
Minnesota emerged from the first period with a lead after Tarasenko wired the team’s first shot on goal past the Caps’ goalie with a wrist shot from the high slot. It was Tarasenko’s fourth goal of the season and his first at home since Nov. 1.
After the Wild killed the game’s first power play, the lead nearly doubled, but Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren thwarted Marcus Foligno’s breakaway with a glove save. On the next shift, Gusvatsson did the same, making a left pad save on Connor McMichael’s breakaway attempt.
Already thin on the blue line, the Wild lost defenseman Daemon Hunt in the first after what appeared to be a knee-on-knee collision with Washington center Ethen Frank.
Minnesota finally created some breathing room on a second period power play, when a long-range shot by Quinn Hughes hit traffic in front, but Kaprizov backhanded the rebound past Lindgren for a 2-0 lead.
Matt Kiersted, playing his second game for the Wild, assisted on Boldy’s shorthanded goal. I t was Kiersted’s first point in the Minnesota uniform.
Lindgren, the former Lakeville North and St. Cloud State star, had 27 saves for Washington, which had beaten the Wild 5-1 in October at their home rink a few blocks from the White House.
The Wild have a brief break in their homestanding ways in December, paying their only visit of the season to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Columbus beat the Wild 7-4 in Minnesota’s home opener on Oct. 11.
Briefly
One of the bigger ovations of the night came during a first period media timeout when Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch was shown on the arena’s video screen. Finch, 56, who has led the Wolves to the Western Conference final the past two seasons, was taking in the game from a suite. Wolves power forward Julius Randle, attending the game with his family, posted a social media video welcoming Hughes to Minnesota.
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