ST. PAUL, MN (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists to establish a career-high nine-game point streak and the Minnesota Wild held off the Arizona Coyotes 4-3 Sunday.
Sam Steel, Jared Spurgeon and Matt Boldy also scored for the Wild, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves.
Minnesota is 13-2-0 in its past 15 games against Arizona.
Nick Schmaltz scored in his third straight game, and Lawson Crouse and J.J. Moser added late goals for Arizona, playing the 10th game of a 14-game trip.
Kaprizov has five goals and nine assists in his current scoring streak. He scored the first Minnesota goal eight minutes in. Pressure from Joel Eriksson Ek led to a loose puck he was able to push in front.
Kaprizov’s backhand centering pass banked off Shayne Gostisbehere and right to Steel, who poked it in for a 2-0 Wild lead early in the second period.
With assists in eight straight games, Kaprizov tied the franchise record set by Jim Dowd from Feb. 27-March 17, 2002. Mikael Granlund (2016-17) and Kevin Fiala (2021-22) have the franchise record with points in 12 straight games.
Clayton Keller had his 14th assist of the season for Arizona. His 21 points is the most by a Coyote through the first 20 games played in a season since Ladislav Nagy had 21 in 2003-04.
Keller has a league-best 18 points in 16 road games, one more than Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby. However, McDavid has played just 10 road games and Crosby 14.
Connor Ingram had 24 saves for the Coyotes.
SHORT-HANDED WILD
Minnesota dressed 11 forwards and played most of the second period with only 10.
Marcus Foligno fought Liam O’Brien at 1:44, but the rugged Wild forward threw his equipment in the penalty box while continuing to yell at an official. In addition to a roughing minor and fighting major, he received 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct.
UP NEXT
Wild: Home against Edmonton on Thursday.
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