ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kirill Kaprizov scored 27 seconds into overtime to send the Minnesota Wild to a 4-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.
Kaprizov, the rookie sensation with 27 goals this season, snapped a quick shot that was stopped by Anaheim goalie John Gibson, but drove the net and found the puck on a rebound and easily scored with Gibson unable to recover.
Victor Rask, Nico Sturm and Joel Eriksson Ek also scored for Minnesota, which has won three of its past four games and has points in five straight. The Wild started the day one point behind Colorado for second in the West Division. The Avalanche played at Los Angeles later Friday.
Kaapo Kahkonen made 22 saves for Minnesota.
Max Comtois, Adam Henrique and Derek Grant scored for Anaheim. Gibson stopped 32 shots.
The teams finish their season series on Saturday in Minnesota.
Kaprizov, perhaps the frontrunner for the league’s top rookie honor, has had a flair for the dramatic all season. On the first shift in overtime along with Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov got the puck in his own defensive end and started his charge to score the game-winner.
He leads all rookies in scoring and is the franchise’s all-time rookie leader in goals, power-play goals and points.
SITTING STARS
Zach Parise was a healthy scratch by Minnesota for the second time this season. Parise has been playing in a bottom two-line role for much of the season. He is one shy of his 200th goal as a member of the Wild.
Meanwhile, Ryan Getzlaf was out of the lineup for Anaheim, the second time he’s been scratched this season without an injury. Getzlaf, who has five goals and 12 assists this season, will likely see his 13-season streak of leading the team in assists end this year.
INJURY NOTES
Ducks defenseman Josh Manson returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury.
Kevin Fiala was back in Minnesota’s lineup after missing one game with a lower-body injury.
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