Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek each recorded three goals and three assists to lead a record-setting day for the Minnesota Wild, who set a franchise single-game high for goals in Monday's frantic 10-7 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello delivered a goal and three assists each for Minnesota, which overcame a three-goal second-period deficit by lighting the lamp seven times during the third to set a team record for goals in a period as well.

The Wild's offensive outburst also overshadowed a three-goal, one-assist performance from Vancouver's J.T. Miller. The game was the first to have three players record hat tricks since the Los Angeles Kings accomplished the feat in an 11-4 win over the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 8, 1992.

After Zuccarello's power-play goal with 33 seconds left in the second period cut the Canucks' lead to 5-3, the Wild scored five straight times in the first 5:12 of the third. Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov each struck twice during the flurry, which also included a goal from Marco Rossi.

The six goals in a span of 5:45 made the Wild the first team to score six times in that short a time frame since the Washington Capitals did so in a 4:47 stretch in a 10-1 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 3, 1999.

The Pacific Division-leading Canucks fought back, though, as goals from Nikita Zadorov and Brock Boeser got them within 8-7 with 2:08 left to play. Minnesota's Jonas Brodin scored into an empty net 61 seconds later, however, before Kaprizov completed his fourth career hat trick and second this season with an empty-netter in the final stages.

Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek matched the @mnwild record for points in a game while combining for a feat not witnessed in more than three decades.#NHLStats: https://t.co/wuATxuTB8f pic.twitter.com/Ga6OXyAPpY

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 19, 2024

Marc-Andre Fleury was credited with the victory after the Wild veteran stopped six of eight shots after replacing starter Filip Gustavsson to begin the third period. Minnesota extended its point streak to six games (5-0-1) despite Gustavsson yielding five goals on 16 shots.

The Canucks, meanwhile, have dropped two straight following a forgettable afternoon for netminder Casey DeSmith, who let in eight goals on just 25 shots.

Matthews' 49th goal helps Maple Leafs top Blues

Auston Matthews continued his recent goal-scoring tear by recording his league-leading 49th of the season, which helped the Toronto Maple Leafs stay hot as well with a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

Matthews' seventh goal in three games snapped a 1–1 tie 45 seconds into the third period, and the 2021-22 Hart Trophy recipient had an assist earlier to spark Toronto to a fourth consecutive win.

Mitchell Marner had three assists for Toronto, which also got a key short-handed goal from William Nylander that extended the Leafs' lead to 3-1 with 12:31 left to play.

After a scoreless first period, the Maple Leafs struck quickly in the second as Matthews set up Matthew Knies for a close-range shot that the rookie rocketed past St. Louis goaltender Joel Hofer just 22 seconds into the period.

Brandon Saad's power-play goal late in the second drew the Blues even, though the tie was short-lived as Matthews deposited a feed from Marner into the Blues' net in the opening minute of the third.

The Blues cut the deficit to 3-2 on Pavel Buchnevich's goal with 1:08 to play, but Bobby McMann sealed the win for Toronto with an empty-net score with 38 seconds left.

Hofer stopped 25 of 28 shots for St. Louis, which has lost two straight following an 8-2-0 stretch from Jan. 20-Feb. 15. Ilya Samsonov finished with 19 saves for Toronto.

Bruins stop four-game slide with shootout win over Stars

Charlie McAvoy scored in the ninth round of the shootout as the Boston Bruins rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars to halt their four-game losing streak.

McAvoy added two assists in regulation for Boston, which forced overtime on David Pastrnak's goal with 1:45 left in the third period. 

The Bruins later extended the game further when Brad Marchand beat Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger in the third round of the shootout to tie the deciding phase at 1-1.

Both Oettinger and Boston's Jeremy Swayman turned aside the next five skaters each faced before McAvoy converted his chance. Swayman then denied Craig Smith to end the game and hand Dallas a second straight defeat, though the Western Conference contenders did extend their point streak to five games (3-0-2).

Swayman finished with a career-high 43 saves before stopping eight of nine opponents in the shootout.

Goals from Boston's Jesper Boqvist and Dallas' Wyatt Johnston sent the teams into the first intermission tied at 1-1, and the Stars' Ryan Suter and the Bruins' Justin Brazeau scored 28 seconds apart less than two minutes into the second period.

Dallas went back ahead when Esa Lindell scored on a 2-on-1 rush with 9:16 left in the third, but Pastrnak later one-timed a feed from McAvoy past Oettinger with Swayman pulled for an extra attacker to tie the game at 3-3.

Oettinger finished with 27 saves.

 

 

Anton Lundell scored twice and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Florida Panthers extended their franchise-record road winning streak to nine with a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

Aaron Ekblad and Johan Gadjovich also had goals for the Panthers, who improved to 16-3-2 since Dec. 23 to pull within two points of Eastern Conference-leading Boston.

Tkachuk has been a key catalyst with 13 goals and 19 assists in Florida’s last 17 games.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves to win his fifth consecutive start with a 1.58 goals-against average during that span.

Bryan Rust and John Ludvig scored for the Penguins, who lost their third straight to remain seven points behind the final playoff spot in the East.

Hellebuyck shuts out Sharks

Connor Hellebuyck needed to make just 17 saves for his third shutout of the season and Morgan Barron scored in the Winnipeg Jets’ 1-0 win over the San Jose Sharks.

Hellebuyck stopped four shots in the first period, eight in the second and five in the third for his 35th career shutout.

He became the 10th goaltender in NHL history to allow three goals or fewer in 30 consecutive games in the regular season.

Barron scored with 2:13 left in the opening period and Hellebuyck made it stand up as the Jets won their second straight following a five-game skid.

Wild defeat reeling Coyotes for 4th straight win

Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist and Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 25 shots as the Minnesota Wild won their fourth consecutive game, 3-1 over the Arizona Coyotes.

Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek had the other goals for the Wild, who have won seven of their last nine games.

Logan Cooley scored the lone goal as Arizona lost its seventh game in a row.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves after he was honoured for a milestone victory and Kirill Kaprizov scored the tiebreaking goal to lift the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.

Fleury, who earned his 553rd career win, was honoured in a pregame ceremony nearly a month after passing Patrick Roy (551) for second place in NHL history.

Fleury beat his former team in his return after missing five games due to an upper-body injury.

Matt Boldy and Jonas Brodin scored for Minnesota before Kaprizov banged home a rebound at 9:34 of the third period to put the Wild ahead 3-2.

Reilly Smith and Sidney Crosby scored for the Penguins, who dropped to 0-3-1 in their last four road games.

Oilers rally for 17th win in 18 games

Evander Kane had a hat trick and Connor McDavid set up three third-period goals as the Edmonton Oilers rallied for their 17th win in 18 games, 5-3 over the Anaheim Ducks.

Leon Draisaitl added a goal and an assist and Zach Hyman also scored as the Oilers rebounded after their 16-game winning streak – tied for the second-longest in NHL history – was snapped Tuesday at Vegas.

The Ducks had a four-game point streak halted despite getting two goals from Ryan Strome.

Rangers win in overtime after blowing lead

Mika Zibanejad scored at 2:36 of overtime and the New York Rangers topped the league-worst Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 after squandering a two-goal lead.

Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Jonny Brodzinski had the other goals for the Rangers, who have won four straight.

Zibanejad’s goal was his franchise-record eighth in OT, breaking a tie with Brian Leetch, Cecil Dillon and Butch Keeling.

Alex Vlasic scored in the first period and Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson had third-period goals as Chicago’s winless streak reached six games (0-5-1).

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