There are a few sure things Minnesota Wild fans can count on. Two of them are pretty assists by Quinn Hughes, and home wins over the Montreal Canadiens.
They got to see both on Monday.
Hughes set up three goals, tying a franchise record in the process, and the Wild rallied, beating Montreal 4-3 in overtime for their 12th straight home win versus the Habs.
Trailing 3-2 with 13 minutes left in regulation, Minnesota got an equalizing goal from Brock Faber and the overtime clincher from Kirill Kaprizov to win their only February home game.
“Finding ways to win. That’s what you’ve got to do,” said Faber.
Kaprizov was hooked on an overtime rush to the net, giving the Wild a 4-on-3 power play in the extra session, and setting up the dramatic overtime winner. Hughes assisted on the goal, giving him three assists in the game.
The team record for a defenseman having three assists in a game was five, held by Ryan Suter. It took Suter nine seasons in a Wild uniform to hit that mark. On Monday, Hughes tied Suter’s record, and has done it in 25 games.
In the post-game locker room, Kaprizov joked that he has to repeat himself when asked about Hughes following win after win after win.
“I tell you already so many times, after every game,” Kaprizov said, with an exasperated smile. “He’s absolutely a special player and he’s fun to play with. So fun.”
Filip Gustavsson had 17 saves for Minnesota, which next plays at home on March 1, after the NHL’s extended break for the Winter Olympics.
Fans were still buzzing from a pre-game introduction of the Wild’s many Olympians when Joel Eriksson Ek ripped a rising shot just inside the far post to give Minnesota the lead just 38 seconds into the game.
Hughes set up Kaprizov’s team-leading 31st goal of the season to double the Wild’s lead later in the first. It was the ninth consecutive game with an assist for Hughes, tying Kaprizov’s franchise record. But Montreal responded before the period was over, scoring in the final minute to cut Minnesota’s lead to 2-1 after one.
Both teams had chances in the middle frame. But it was Montreal connecting in the final minute of the period, again, tying the game with 17 seconds left in the second on a pretty cross-ice passing play. The visitors needed just a dozen seconds in the third period to take their first lead, when Kirby Dach tipped a blind pass between Gustavsson’s blocker and the post.
But Faber scored on a rush to the net for his career-best 13th of the season to tie the game again.
“I liked the response. We just got right back to the game that we thought would give us the best chance to win,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “We stayed with it and obviously Fabes got the nice goal for us. So it was good to see the response after some adversity where we had a couple letdowns.”
The Wild’s defensive corps got a little healthier before the game, when veteran Zach Bogosian returned to the lineup after missing 12 games over the previous month with a lower body injury. But the good health on the blue line was short-lived, as Daemon Hunt left the game before the first period was half done, after taking a Canadiens shot to the neck. He did not return.
“I think Hunter should be fine. Should be good. I talked to him,” Hynes said, noting that Hunt was held out of the game as a precaution. “I don’t anticipate him missing time. Just let things settle down and make sure…I’m anticipating him being good to go.”
Jakub Dobes had 20 saves for the Canadiens, who beat the Wild on a last-minute goal last month in Montreal.
The Wild close the pre-Olympic portion of their schedule on Wednesday night with their first trip to Nashville in 2025-26.
Briefly
A bug making its way through the Wild locker room caused further lineup juggling on Monday. Nico Sturm, who missed the Saturday game in Edmonton, returned to the lineup, but the Wild were without forward Marcus Foligno and goalie Jesper Wallstedt, both of whom were scratched due to illness. Minnesota recalled goalie Cal Petersen from Iowa under emergency conditions to back up Gustavsson, and Tyler Pitlick skated on the fourth line in place of Foligno.
Hynes said they would wait until Tuesday to determine whether Foligno or Wallstedt would travel to Nashville.
Related Articles
Olympics loom, but Wild are focused on NHL schedule
‘Hughes Effect’ boosts Brock Faber and Wild defense
Wild hit a goal gusher to sweep season series with Edmonton
Mizutani: Quinn Hughes is everything the Wild have been missing
Inside the viral play that led the Wild past the Flames
Leave a Reply