Kirill Kaprizov scores in OT for 2nd straight game as Wild beat Habs

Field Level Media|published: Thu 21st December, 23:23 2023

Dec 21, 2023; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) steals the puck behind the net from Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (35) in the first period at Xcel Energy Center. credits: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

Kirill Kaprizov scored the overtime winner and added two assists as the Minnesota Wild edged the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Thursday.

Kaprizov one-timed a Marcus Johansson feed past Sam Montembeault with 4.9 seconds remaining in the extra frame for his second overtime winner in two games.

Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi and Brock Faber had the other goals for the Wild, who have won five of their last six games. Four of the five wins have come in overtime or a shootout.

Kaprizov, who scored the overtime winner against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, has three goals and four assists in his last six games.

Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson made 22 saves for his first career win over the Canadiens in four games.

David Savard, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky each had a goal and an assist for Montreal, and Mike Matheson added two assists. Montembeault stopped 20 shots for the Canadiens, who have now lost 10 straight in Minnesota dating back to November 2013.

Montreal tied it 3-3 at 16:55 of the third to force overtime as Savard's point shot directed off Slafkovsky and Wild defenseman Jake Middleton before getting past Gustavsson.

The Wild took a 3-2 lead on a power play at 8:57 of the third when Faber's wrist shot beat a screened Montembeault for his second of the season.

Minnesota outshot Montreal 13-3 and scored twice in a 1:35 span to lead 2-0 after one period.

Boldy opened the scoring on a power play at 13:19 of the first, one-timing a Kaprizov feed past Montembeault for his ninth of the season.

Rossi gave the Wild a 2-0 lead, beating Montembeault under the glove for his 11th of the season at 14:54 of the opening frame.

Montreal cut the lead in half at 8:17 of the second period when Savard's wrist shot from the faceoff dot beat Gustavsson far-side for his second of the season.

Suzuki tied it 2-2 just over one minute into the third, taking a Slafkovsky feed and beating Gustavsson with the backhand shot. The Habs captain now has six points (one goal, five assists) in his last four games.

Canadiens left-winger Emil Heineman made his NHL debut on Thursday in Minnesota.

The Wild placed right-winger Mats Zuccarello (upper body) on injured reserve on Wednesday and recalled forward Jake Lucchini under emergency conditions from the AHL's Iowa Wild on Thursday.

—Field Level Media