Kaprizov, Wild defeat Devils for fifth straight win

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Kirill Kaprizov had two goals and an assist, and the Minnesota Wild extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday.

Kaprizov has scored 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in his past 15 games after getting six assists in his first eight games this season.
"To be honest, I didn't change much. I've kept the same mental attitude," Kaprizov said. "I've said it before in some of the other interviews when I wasn't scoring, I didn't want to change anything, I wanted to stick to my game, and that's what I've done. Obviously, it's just going in now, and that's the difference."

Ryan Hartman had a goal and two assists, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 29 saves for Minnesota (16-6-1), which has outscored its opponents 23-9 during the streak.
"We thought we played really, really well in this hockey game for a group that pushed again, did the same thing to us in New Jersey (in a 3-2 shootout win Nov. 24)," Wild coach Dean Evason said. "We got up and then they just keep coming. It's like they're not fazed. For us to respond again in the right manner was real good all around."
Ryan Graves and Tomas Tatar scored, and Dougie Hamilton had two assists for New Jersey (9-8-4), which has lost two straight and seven of its past nine (2-5-2). Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves.
"We got smoked on the compete, there's no doubt," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "First goal, went around us. Net front, we got beat. They won the compete game, there's no doubt."
Kaprizov gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 8:49 of the first period. He received a stretch pass from Hartman along the right boards, held off Graves, and shot short side as he cut across the crease.
Rem Pitlick waited out Blackwood and scored into an open net following a turnover by Graves to extend the lead 2-0 at 11:09.
Kaprizov then made it 3-0 at 2:28 of the second period with a one-timer from a sharp angle that deflected in on the rebound off the helmet of Devils defenseman Damon Severson.
"Our defense had a tough night," Ruff said. "Our defense is better than that. Our defense probably had as tough a night as I've seen them."

Graves scored 24 seconds later to make it 3-1 with a slap shot from the left point, and Tatar cut it to 3-2 on a partial breakaway at 7:40.
Dmitry Kulikov buried a rebound near the left post to make it 4-2 at 10:27.
"We had a little bit of life, and then we give up the next one," Graves said. "I think we just have to do a better job of managing the game."
Hartman scored off the post from the right circle at 16:05 of the third period for the 5-2 final.
"We're having a great time, but we're playing the right way and that's why it's happening," Hartman said. "We're playing underneath the puck. We're playing smart defensively. There's some times where we lose our high forward in the offensive zone and they go for rushes. [The Devils] probably had a few too many odd-man rushes tonight, but we've got [Kahkonen] back there who saved us a lot. But overall, the way we've been playing is how we want to play, and we're getting off to leads which is a nice change."
NOTES: Wild forward Mats Zuccarello, who missed the previous two games with an upper-body injury, had one assist and was plus-4 in 18:29 of ice time. … Kaprizov has scored at least three points in a game four times this season. The only players in the NHL with more are Leon Draisaitl (nine) and Connor McDavid (six) of the Edmonton Oilers, and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (six). … It was New Jersey's first loss in Minnesota since March 10, 2015.