Kirill Kaprizov tallied two goals and an assist as the Minnesota Wild capitalized on multiple Vegas turnovers to beat the Golden Knights 5-2 on Tuesday night, tying their first-round series at 1-1.
Kaprizov followed a two-assist performance in Game 1 with another standout effort, pushing his series total to five points. Matt Boldy continued his hot streak with his third goal in two games, while Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello also scored for Minnesota. Filip Gustavsson turned aside 29 shots.
The Wild jumped ahead with a three-goal first period, two coming directly off Vegas giveaways. Kaprizov extended the lead to 4-0 early in the second, taking advantage of another miscue by defenseman Shea Theodore.
“We didn’t take care of the puck,” said Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “When you hand easy offense to elite players, it’s a bad formula.”
Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl found the net for Vegas, which could not overcome its sloppy start despite outshooting Minnesota 22-5 in the final two periods. Adin Hill made 12 saves before giving way to Akira Schmid in the third.
Kaprizov closed the scoring with an empty-net goal from nearly 200 feet with 2:26 left.
Game 3 is Thursday in St. Paul, where the Wild will look to take the series lead.
Key Stats
- Kaprizov leads the series with five points (3 goals, 2 assists).
- Boldy has three goals through two games.
- Vegas has committed five turnovers, which has led to the series’s goals.
Looking Ahead
Game 3: Thursday night in St. Paul with the series tied 1-1.
