Kaprizov completes natural hat trick in OT, lifts Wild past Blue Jackets

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Kirill Kaprizov completed a natural hat trick with 20 seconds left in overtime to give the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.

Kaprizov finished a backdoor pass from Calen Addison at the right post.
"That guy does everything. It's crazy," Addison said. "… He might be the hardest working superstar ever. I mean, this guy goes to the corners like no one else, and he's not losing a battle ever. I mean, he does everything for us."
Kaprizov is the fifth player in NHL history to conclude a natural hat trick with an overtime goal.
"I wouldn't say it's one of the top games of my career," Kaprizov said. "I'd say there's been many games where you kind of have better chances or worst chances and sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. I wouldn't say this is an above and beyond game.
"Obviously, a great game, a fun game, but I wouldn't say it ranks anywhere specific."
Jared Spurgeon had two assists for Minnesota (33-21-6), which extended its point streak to six games (5-0-1). Marc-Andre Fleury made 22 saves.
"To be honest, everyone's working hard," Kaprizov said. "Everyone's trying and obviously I never want to be singled out. I work hard. So does the rest of the team. At the end of the day, we all come out, we play 60 minutes and do our best. I don't like to be singled out. I don't like to be compared, but I just go out there and do my job. Sometimes it goes in and sometimes I get a couple goals, but ultimately I just kind of play my game."

Elvis Merzlikins made 41 saves for Columbus (19-35-6), which is 3-1-2 in its past six.
The Blue Jackets were playing the second of a back to back after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 on Saturday.
"We just ran out of gas," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "You could feel it in the third. They had some pressure, (and) we had a couple turnovers which didn't help.
"I thought the first half of the game we were real sharp. We needed more guys tonight to be on their game. We had a few guys who just weren't locked in and it cost us tonight. You're thrilled to build the lead because you need it, especially on the road, and you're on a back to back here, so we just ran out of gas and got a little bit sloppy, and it cost us."
Kaprizov cut it to 2-1 at 1:15 of the third. Ryan Hartman's wrist shot was redirected by Spurgeon, hit Columbus defenseman Andrew Peeke then deflected in off Kaprizov.
Kaprizov tied the game 2-2 at 6:00, scoring from the slot after Joel Eriksson Ek won a face-off during a 5-on-3 power play. It was his 16th power-play goal of the season, the most in Wild history.
"They knew how they were playing the game," Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. "Did we know we were going to get the result? No, but again there was no panic. We didn't know we were going to come back and win, obviously, but we had a good feeling about how we were playing the game. We were playing right and we were fortunate that we got rewarded."
Mathieu Olivier put Columbus ahead 1-0 at 16:20 of the first period. Eric Robinson intercepted an Alex Goligoski pass and sent the puck to Olivier, who beat Fleury down low.
Merzlikins denied Kaprizov on a breakaway and a rebound attempt from Hartman 11 seconds into the second period to keep the 1-0 lead.
"Obviously, after one or two saves you build confidence and it just keeps going and going and you feel better," Merzlikins said. "You feel that you are controlling the game, it's not the game controlling you. That's real important for a goaltender, I think. I was controlling the game."

Liam Foudy made it 2-0 at 3:04 when he tipped in Erik Gudbranson's centering pass.
NOTES: The other four NHL Players to complete their natural hat trick in overtime: Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks, Jan. 8, 2022; Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres, Feb. 20, 2008; Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils, Nov. 9, 2001; Neal Broten, Minnesota North Stars, Nov. 26, 1983. … Kaprizov is the first Wild player to score a natural hat trick since Rem Pitlick (Nov. 13, 2021). … Brian Rolston held the Wild's previous power-play goal record with 15 in 2005-06. … The Blue Jackets were without defenseman Adam Boqvist (lower-body injury). He is day to day. … Kaprizov has seven points (six goals, one assist) in his past five games.