ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored with 4.9 seconds remaining in overtime, lifting the Minnesota Wild to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.
Kaprizov took a pass from Marcus Johansson and beat Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault to help the Wild avoid a shootout. It was Kaprizov's third goal in two games after scoring twice against Boston on Tuesday.
Thursday was the fourth overtime game for the Wild in their last five contests.
“I just think our focus level, our poise and confidence in the tight games has looked good," said Wild head coach John Hynes, who improved to 9-3-0 since taking over behind the bench.
Defenseman Brock Faber scored his second career NHL goal, Matt Boldy also scored and Marco Rossi had a goal, two assists and a fight for a “Gordie Howe hat trick” to spark the Wild.
Kaprizov was previously scoreless for six straight games before a two-goal night in Boston on Tuesday. He finished with three points for his 71st career multi-point game.
Thursday's tally with seconds left in overtime was the third game-winner for Kaprizov this season, and his second in as many games.
“Obviously dramatic with the four seconds left, but excited again,” Wild forward Marcus Foligno said. "I mean, you give him that chance, back door, he’s going to put it in a lot of those times. Big two points and game-winner from him again.”
Juraj Slafkovsky, David Savard and Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens.
“It was a pretty even game,” Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher said. "Obviously they jumped on us pretty early, we battled back, battled back. We were slowly feeling like we were taking over the game. They made one more play than we did.”
Filip Gustavsson made 22 saves in the win. Montembeault stopped 20 shots in the loss.
Rossi assisted on Boldy’s goal in the first period and added a score 95 seconds later.
Rossi later received a game misconduct penalty for instigating a fight with Montreal’s Kaiden Guhle. Rossi jumped Guhle after the Canadiens defenseman hit Kaprizov hard into the boards. Both players received fighting penalties, with Rossi also earning a 10-minute misconduct.
“It was my first fight,” Rossi said. “It went so quickly, so I wasn’t thinking so much.”
A total of 11 penalties were whistled in the second period.
Montreal tied the game at 3-3 on a Slafkovsky goal in the third period, setting up overtime. Savard scored his second of the season to make it 2-1 in the second, beating Gustavsson from the right faceoff circle with 11:43 to play in the second period. Suzuki evened the game at 2-2 early in the third on the power play.
“It’s just an attitude of we’re getting after it and we’re trying not to be denied and control what we can,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. "That’s what we’re doing, and it’s really fun being on the bench.”
The Wild were without forward Ryan Hartman, who is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury. Minnesota played Thursday's game with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: At Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
Wild: Host Boston Bruins on Saturday.
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