Kaprizov gets hat trick, Wild defeat Blues in Game 2

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Kirill Kaprizov scored a hat trick, and the Minnesota Wild defeated the St. Louis Blues 6-2 in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round at Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday.

The best-of-7 series is tied 1-1. Game 3 will be at St. Louis on Friday.
"To be honest, I didn't want to change anything from Game 1 (a 4-0 loss)," Kaprizov said. "I even think in Game 1 there were some chances that didn't go in for us. So in Game 2, just try to stick to the same recipe, do the same thing, and obviously things worked out. So really just trying not to focus on it too much. Just play the game."
RELATED: [Complete Wild vs. Blues series coverage]
Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves, and Joel Eriksson Ek had two goals and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 2 seed from the Central Division.
Minnesota was 2-for-3 on the power play after going 0-for-6 in Game 1.
"We took a lot of heat for our special teams, right, and they were real good obviously tonight," Wild coach Dean Evason said. "Our first shot obviously goes in, was a big key for us."

Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist, and Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues, the No. 3 seed from the Central. Ville Husso made 22 saves.
"Yeah, a couple bad breaks," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "That's the way it goes. Our guys competed all 60 minutes, played hard. You've got to try and find a way to get some second and third opportunities around the paint a little bit more, and Fleury made some big saves."
Eriksson Ek made it 1-0 at 9:33 of the first period on Minnesota's first shot of the game. Robert Bortuzzo's stick broke on a clearing attempt, and Jordan Greenway picked up the loose puck and passed to Eriksson Ek for a one-timer from the right circle.
Frederick Gaudreau pushed it 2-0 at 13:04 with a power-play goal, putting away a rebound in front off Jonas Brodin's slap shot.
Kaprizov scored another power-play goal to make it 3-0 at 19:06. He batted a rebound off the left post, and as Husso scrambled to cover the puck it deflected into the net.
Eriksson Ek scored 51 seconds into the second period to extend the lead to 4-0, intercepting an errant pass by Tarasenko in the slot, toe-dragging Husso and tucking the puck inside the right post.
"You've got to be at the right place at the right time," Eriksson Ek said. "You can't say that everything is luck. It's about being on the inside and being on the right side of guys and getting to those loose pucks."

Jordan Kyrou cut it to 4-1 at 12:34, scoring near the left post after he whiffed in front on a power play.
Tarasenko got St. Louis to within 4-2 at 4:14 of the third period with a one-timer from the right circle, but Kaprizov finished a 2-on-1 with Mats Zuccarello to push it to 5-2 at 11:47.
"I liked our push even throughout the whole game," Thomas said. "I thought 5-on-5 we played pretty well. I think we're pretty happy with (that). I mean, it felt like we were coming on, coming on, and a couple posts, a couple crossbars, and [Fleury] made some big saves over there, so you have to give him some credit.
"But I think we ought to be happy with our push and clean up a couple areas. We're happy with our game."
Eriksson Ek appeared to score his own hat trick at 12:04, but Berube challenged the play for offside, and the call was reversed after a video review.
Kaprizov then shot into an empty net during a 4-on-4 at 12:52 for a 6-2 final. It was the first playoff hat trick in Minnesota history.
"We talked after [Game 1 about] what he's going to have to do, or what are we going to have to do, to free [Kaprizov] up," Evason said. "We're not going to have to do anything. He's just going to do what he does. He's just going to play hard. Sure, he's got two, three people around him, they're trying to hit him. He's just going to play through it. He just stays the course, just goes about his business. It shouldn't surprise. … He takes it as a big challenge, and he did tonight and had a great game."

NOTES:St. Louis played without defenseman Nick Leddy (upper body), and Bortuzzo (upper body) left the game late in the first period after blocking a shot on the side of his head. No update was provided for either postgame. … Fleury earned his 91st playoff win, moving one behind Grant Fuhr for third in NHL history.