Wild Cash In on the Power Play and Leave Washington Chasing
Minnesota won 5-1 in Washington, and it wasn't a fluke: the Wild had the better looks, then cashed them in while the Capitals couldn't.
By expected goals -- how many goals a team's chances were worth -- Minnesota generated 4.31 to Washington's 3.56. That gap is real but modest. Shots on goal were close too, 29 for the Wild and 27 for the Capitals. What separated the teams was finishing and special teams: Minnesota scored 2 power-play goals on 5 chances, while Washington went 0 for 1 and spent 20 minutes in the box.
Jesper Wallstedt stopped 26 of 27, including 9 of 10 of the most dangerous looks. Across the ice, Logan Thompson allowed 5 goals on 29 shots.
Kirill Kaprizov scored and had Minnesota's most dangerous chances, with a shot off the post besides. Matt Boldy also rang one off the iron and added an assist. Goals came from Danila Yurov, Michael McCarron and Max Shabanov as well, with Bobby Brink and Joel Eriksson Ek each setting up two.
Justin Sourdif scored Washington's lone goal; Aliaksei Protas hit a post.
