ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kirill Kaprizov supplied two goals as the Minnesota Wild erased an early deficit and rolled past the Boston Bruins 4-1 in their home opener at Grand Casino Arena on Saturday.
Wild take control after early Bruins strike
Boston jumped in front less than two minutes into the night, but Minnesota answered with four unanswered goals to move to 2-0-0. The Bruins, coming off Friday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets, fell to 2-1-0.
- Tanner Jeannot put Boston ahead 1:53 into the first period, finishing from near the bottom of the left faceoff circle.
- Kaprizov tied the game on the power play at 6:11 of the second, converting a one-timer from the slot area after a short pass by Maxim Shabanov.
- Shabanov’s setup was his first assist and first point for Minnesota.
- Quinn Hughes gave the Wild their first lead at 12:28 of the middle frame, firing through traffic during a lengthy two-man advantage.
Special teams turn the second period
Minnesota had 1:52 to work with at 5-on-3 in the second period. Hughes struck with one second left on the second minor penalty, putting the Wild in front 2-1 after they had spent the opening stretch chasing the game.
Hughes finished with a goal and an assist, while Kaprizov’s power-play marker started the Minnesota push.
Spurgeon and Kaprizov close it out
Jared Spurgeon gave the Wild breathing room early in the third. He carried the rush and snapped a wrist shot from the top of the right circle at 3:24, extending the margin to 3-1.
Kaprizov then sealed the result with an empty-net goal with 1:01 remaining, his second of the game.
Goaltending notebook
- Jesper Wallstedt stopped 26 shots for Minnesota in the victory.
- Michael DiPietro made 26 saves for Boston in his third NHL appearance.
- It was DiPietro’s first NHL start since Jan. 23, 2022, when he was with the Vancouver Canucks.
- Jeremy Swayman had started for the Bruins in Winnipeg the previous night.
