03/28/24 09:49:00
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03/28 21:47 CDT Matt Boldy breaks tie early in 3rd, Wild beat NHL-worst Sharks
3-1
Matt Boldy breaks tie early in 3rd, Wild beat NHL-worst Sharks 3-1
By MIKE COOK
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) --- Matt Boldy broke a tie 18 seconds into the third
period and the Minnesota Wild beat the NHL-worst San Jose Sharks 3-1 on
Thursday to pick up a couple points in their slim playoff bid.
Joel Eriksson Ek also scored, Ryan Hartman added an empty-net goal and Kirill
Kaprizov had two assists. Filip Gustavsson made 26 saves and assisted on
Hartman's goal to help Minnesota improve to 7-1-3 in its last 11 games.
Having not played in five days, Minnesota began the night nine points back of
Vegas for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference and three points
behind St. Louis. Minnesota has 10 games left, including against the Golden
Knights on Saturday.
Mikael Granlund scored and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots for the Sharks.
San Jose, which has an NHL-worst 40 points, has dropped nine straight and 18 of
19. However, this marked the first time in eight games the Sharks allowed fewer
than four goals.
On the go-ahead goal, Boldy centered for Kaprizov, whose shot was partially
blocked by a defenseman. The puck squirted to the left of the net where Boldy
lifted in a backhander for his 25th goal of the season.
The Wild dominated the first period, recording 16 of the 17 shots, finally
breaking through on a give-and-go between Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov with the
latter threading a pass between two defenders for the former below the left
circle.
Eriksson Ek was back in the lineup after missing four games with a lower-body
injury. He's second on the Wild with 61 points, including a career-high 30
goals.
With 36 goals and 45 assists of the season, Kaprizov is the first player in
Wild history with multiple 80-point seasons. He had 108 points in 2021-22.
Granlund tied it midway through the second period off a three-on-one rush. He
tried to pass across, but the puck deflected off the stick of defenseman Declan
Chisholm and Granlund swatted it home.
UP NEXT
Sharks: At ?St. Louis on Saturday night.
Wild: Host Vegas on Saturday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
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