ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Joel Eriksson Ek had a hat trick for Minnesota, tying the sport with 59 seconds remaining in regulation and successful it on an influence play in time beyond regulation to stun the Winnipeg Jets 6-5 in a raucous residence opener for the Wild on Tuesday night time.
Eriksson Ek, who signed an eight-year, $42 million contract this summer season, scored the equalizer simply 15 seconds after an empty-netter by Jets middle Mark Scheifele was worn out by an offside name that got here from a replay problem by Minnesota.
As a substitute of taking a two-goal result in the locker room, the Jets had been instantly on their heels because the Wild completed the third interval with an 18-5 photographs benefit.
Josh Morrissey was known as for holding Kirill Kaprizov close to the midpoint of time beyond regulation, giving the Wild a 4-on-3. Eriksson Ek scored on a 3-on-1 rush to beat Connor Hellebuyck, who has given up 14 objectives in three losses to start out the season.
Hellebuyck stopped 38 photographs on a tough night time for the goalies. Cam Talbot made 25 saves for the Wild, none greater than the denial of Logan Stanley on a 2-on-1 proper earlier than Eriksson Ek’s winner.
Mats Zuccarello had two objectives and two assists, Marcus Foligno scored on an influence play with 4:58 left in regulation and Kaprizov had three assists for the Wild on this spirited renewal of the Central Division rivalry with the Jets.
Kyle Connor had two objectives and an help to gasoline an eight-point night time for Winnipeg’s new first line with out captain Blake Wheeler, who tested positive for COVID-19 and can miss at the least three more video games. Andrew Copp, who took Wheeler’s place at proper wing, added a objective and two assists and Mark Scheifele notched two assists.
Pierre-Luc Dubois had the tiebreaking objective early within the third interval and Morrissey additionally scored for Winnipeg, which misplaced leads of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 5-3.
The primary sport between these groups in 653 days was as feisty and frenetic as ever, as if either side had been attempting to make up for the misplaced time to the pandemic-tailored 2020-21 season that had the Jets going through solely Canadian groups.
The Wild are enjoying at a sooner tempo now, with the reigning rookie of the 12 months Kaprizov their new star after the buyouts of franchise anchors Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. With assist from their not-so-gracious friends, they gave the followers of their first full home in 19 months fairly a present.
Kaprizov was penalized for roughing midway by means of a Wild energy play within the first interval, and as quickly as he returned from the field he started tussling with Dubois.
Proper after Eriksson Ek sneaked a wraparound previous Hellebuyck to tie the sport at 2 shortly earlier than the primary intermission, Foligno and Brenden Dillon dropped the gloves. Foligno used a kung-fu-style bounce kick to leap begin the battle and skated off the ice to a rousing ovation.
Zuccarello was credited with the strangest objective of the sport when an ill-fated poke test by Hellebuyck prompted the puck to look off Morrissey and tie the sport at 3 late within the second interval. The Wild practically took the lead within the closing seconds when Jonas Brodin’s whack was smothered by Hellebuyck’s abdomen. Ryan Hartman pushed it in, however the officers dominated the play useless and disallowed the objective.
UP NEXT
The Jets play Anaheim on Thursday of their residence opener.
The Wild host Anaheim on Saturday, because the Geese wrap up a four-game journey.
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More AP NHL protection: https://sociallytrend.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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