Kaprizov has NHL-leading 16th goal, adds 3 assists to lead Wild past Sharks, 4-1
The Minnesota Wild defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1 as Kirill Kaprizov, who led the NHL with 16 goals, tallied a goal and three assists to fuel the win. Shabanov, Hughes, and Bogosian also scored, extending Minnesota’s strong stretch to 6-0-1 in their last seven and placing them atop the Western Conference with 27 points. Wallstedt stopped 23 shots for his 11th win in 16 starts. San Jose, led by Celebrini’s goal and Askarov’s 25 saves, slipped to 1-6-0 in their last seven, with next up against Dallas as Minnesota hosts Tampa Bay. Momentum persists for Minnesota, while the Sharks face continued challenges as the schedule tightens.
Dive Deeper:
Kaprizov extended his goal total to an NHL-leading 16 by scoring on a right faceoff-circle sequence during a 5-on-3 power play at 7:56 of the first period, setting the tone for the game.
He added three assists, including delivering a cross-ice pass that Shabanov redirected for a power-play goal at 5:45 of the second, giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
Quinn Hughes contributed with a goal and two assists, including a third-period wrist shot that beat the Sharks' goalie at 6:55 to extend the lead to 3-1.
Maxim Shabanov, who scored the go-ahead goal, and Zach Bogosian, who added his first of the season, helped seal the win for Minnesota with the 4-1 final.
Jesper Wallstedt stopped 23 shots for the win, securing his 11th victory in 16 starts, leading NHL goalies by wins in that span.
Macklin Celebrini scored for the Sharks, while Yaroslav Askarov made 25 saves in net for San Jose, as the Sharks continued a rough stretch at 1-6-0 in their last seven games.
Minnesota is 8-0-3 in its last 11 matchups against the Sharks, and the Wild will host Tampa Bay next after facing the Sharks on the road.