Kirill Kaprizov recorded his first NHL hat trick and Cam Talbot made 25 saves as the Minnesota Wild shut out the Arizona Coyotes 4-0 on Friday in Saint Paul, Minn.
The Wild won their third consecutive game and are a perfect 6-0-0 in their last six home games.
Talbot recorded his first shutout since signing with Minnesota as a free agent in October. The veteran goalie was 0-2-1 with an .865 save percentage in his previous three outings, and has increasingly been losing playing time to Kaapo Kahkonen in the Wild's net.
Arizona goalie Adin Hill stopped 28 of 31 shots, battling Talbot in what was a goaltending duel until Kaprizov took control in the third period.
At the 5:47 mark of the final frame, Kaprizov's shot from the circle deflected off Arizona's Christian Dvorak and past Hill for the game's breakthrough goal.
Less than three minutes later, Kaprizov took the puck behind the Coyotes' net and circled back out front before converting a quick wrist shot.
Jonas Brodin scored an empty-net goal in the final minute, with Kaprizov adding a final marker just 10 seconds later.
It was Kaprizov's first multi-goal game in the NHL. The rookie leads all Minnesota skaters with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists).
Mats Zuccarello had three assists for Minnesota.
After recording only 14 shots in each of their last two games, the Coyotes generated much more offensive pressure but couldn't solve Talbot. Phil Kessel was the biggest victim, as Talbot denied Kessel on three separate breakaway and partial breakaway chances.
The Coyotes were 0-for-4 on the power play. The Wild have killed off 17 of 18 penalties over their last six games.
The Wild also went 0-for-4 on the power play, continuing their season-long struggles with the man advantage. Minnesota ranks last in the NHL in both power-play goals and power-play percentage.
Minnesota forward Marcus Foligno didn't return to the ice after he was struck in the lower leg by a shot from Brodin in the first period.
The Coyotes and Wild play again in Saint Paul on Sunday.
--Field Level Media
Arizona | Minnesota | |
N/A | Points | Kirill Kaprizov 3 |
N/A | Goals | Kirill Kaprizov 3 |
N/A | Assists | Mats Zuccarello 3 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Adin Hill .903 | Save Percentage | Cam Talbot 1.000 |
Adin Hill 28 | Saves | Cam Talbot 25 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Arizona | 25 | 0 | 0-4 | 4-4 | 8 | 36 |
Minnesota | 32 | 4 | 0-4 | 4-4 | 8 | 19 |