Kaprizov scores twice, Wild defeat Canadiens in OT for 4th straight win

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Kirill Kaprizov scored twice, including a power-play goal with 1:22 left in overtime to give the Minnesota Wild their fourth straight victory, 4-3 against the Montreal Canadiens at Grand Casino Arena on Monday.

“It was good game I think,” Kaprizov said. “Both sides with so many chances, and I think it was fun for the fans for sure. Montreal’s a good team.”

Kaprizov scored from the top of the slot following Phillip Danault’s hooking penalty against him at 2:34.

Quinn Hughes had three assists to reach 400 in the NHL and extended his point streak to nine games (two goals, 14 assists), and Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber also scored for the Wild (33-14-10), who have points in six straight (5-0-1). Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson each had two assists, and Filip Gustavsson made 17 saves.

“We didn’t get deterred,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “We didn’t let the last part of the second and early third...I liked the response. We went right back to the game that we felt would give us a chance to win. We stayed with it. Obviously ‘Fabes’ had a nice goal for us.

“It was good to see the response after we had a little adversity where we had a couple letdowns to end the second. The third (goal) in the beginning, I thought was a fluky goal. I know it was tipped out in front, but I really liked our response."

Hughes extended his assist streak to nine games, tying Kaprizov’s franchise record (Nov. 11 to Dec. 1, 2022). He also became the third-fastest defenseman in NHL history to record 400 career assists (484 games), trailing only Bobby Orr (437) and Paul Coffey (464).

“I mean, when you got two superstars like that passing each other the puck, they just play at a different level,” Faber said of Kaprizov and Hughes. “They think at a different level. And, you know, there's a reason they've clicked so much. They're kind of on the same wavelength."

Brendan Gallagher, Ivan Demidov and Kirby Dach scored for the Canadiens (31-17-8), who had won three in a row and five of seven. Jakub Dobes made 20 saves and extended his point streak to nine games (9-0-1).

“I feel we -- I think we’re aware of when we’re off a little bit,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “And I think we try and simplify and regulate a little bit. …You saw some section of our A-game tonight, just not enough of it, but it allows us to get a big point here.”

Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead 38 seconds into the first period, finding the right corner from the left circle.

Kaprizov extended it to 2-0 at 15:48 with a redirect off a pass from Hughes in the low slot.

Gallagher cut it to 2-1 with 52 seconds left in the period with a drive to the net before cutting in at the crease for a backhand finish.

Demidov tied it 2-2 at 19:43 of the second period with a one-timer from the right dot off a cross-ice pass by Lane Hutson.

“I mean, we have pretty good chances to score after we led in the game,” Demidov said. “We should have scored in those moments, and those chances could have helped us win.”

Dach scored 12 seconds into the third period to put Montreal ahead 3-2, tipping in a Nick Suzuki shot short side.

“I don’t know if we deserved better. I mean, this was a good game,” Suzuki said. “We started kind of a slow, but I thought it kept building and pushing. It’s a big point in this building.”

Faber tied it 3-3 at 7:05 after Johansson pushed the puck forward to spring Faber for the breakaway.

“[We're] finding ways to win,” Faber said. “That's what you got to do. They got a really good team over there. Obviously, the last one we were coming off a back to back, and they took it to us. So, I thought it was a pretty even fight tonight, and thankfully we came out on top."

NOTES: Minnesota forward Marcus Foligno was a late scratch due to illness. … Wild defenseman Daemon Hunt left at 7:57 of the first period and did not return after taking a puck to his throat area. Hynes said he was OK and doesn’t “anticipate him missing time.” … Demidov, who has 46 points (12 goals, 34 assists) in 56 games, tied Mario Tremblay (46 in 1976-77) for the fourth-most points in a season by a Canadiens player at age 20 or younger. The only others with more in a single campaign are Guy Lafleur (64 in 1971-72), Juraj Slafkovsky (50 in 2023-24) and Henri Richard (47 in 1956-57).