Boldy and Kaprizov Reach 40 Goals; Hughes Shines Against Canucks
The Minnesota Wild beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 Thursday in St. Paul. The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Wild. It marked the franchise’s 12th berth since 2013, the most in the NHL in that span.
Bold scoring nights and milestones
Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov each hit the 40-goal mark this season. In a headline moment, Boldy and Kaprizov Reach 40 Goals; Hughes Shines Against Canucks proved apt for the night.
Boldy scored two goals and added an assist. He took six shots and ended an eight-game goal drought.
Kaprizov scored the eventual game-winner on a give-and-go with Mats Zuccarello. It was his fourth 40-goal season, tying Nikita Kucherov among active players born outside North America.
Other offensive contributions
Ryan Hartman scored twice, including a redirection and an empty-netter. He also won 11 faceoffs in a strong night.
Zuccarello assisted on key plays. The balanced attack helped Minnesota regain momentum after a pause.
Defense, goaltending and records
Quinn Hughes had a plus-4 rating and set a Wild record for assists by a defenseman. His 46th assist moved him past the previous mark.
Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 shots and recorded his 100th win with Minnesota. The goaltender celebrated the milestone after a steady performance.
Hughes’ first game against Vancouver
This was Hughes’ first matchup with Vancouver after being traded in mid-December. The 2024 Norris Trophy winner has been a key addition for Minnesota.
He is averaging a career-high 27 minutes and 47 seconds per game. Hughes logged 30 or more minutes in eight of his 42 games with the Wild.
Returning faces and emotional moments
Former Wild prospects Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and Liam Öhgren returned to St. Paul. The Wild honored them with a tribute video before the game.
The trio described the return as strange but appreciated the reception. Rossi and Öhgren are now top-six forwards in Vancouver’s rebuild.
Lineup moves and rest plans
Coach John Hynes shuffled pairs and rotated forwards. Jared Spurgeon returned from a cut and rejoined Jonas Brodin on defense.
Quinn Hughes moved back alongside Brock Faber. Nick Foligno sat out and Danila Yurov returned to the lineup.
The staff discussed resting players after clinching a playoff spot. Names mentioned as possible scratches include Daemon Hunt and Jeff Petry.
Looking ahead
The Wild travel to Ottawa Friday for a back-to-back set. They then play Detroit in the next game on the road.
Coach Hynes said the team will balance rest with keeping a playoff-style lineup. The focus remains on building momentum for the postseason.
Report by Filmogaz.com.
