abcnews
In a Saturday night matchup at Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Wild secured a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins, powered by a two-goal performance from Kirill Kaprizov and a 26-save effort from goaltender Jesper Wallstedt.
Quinn Hughes contributed a goal and an assist for Minnesota, while Jared Spurgeon also found the back of the net. Tanner Jeannot scored the lone goal for Boston.
The win lifted Minnesota's all-time record in home openers to 18-4-4, and their .769 points percentage in such games ranks second in the NHL behind only Vegas, which boasts an .850 mark (8-1-1).
Boston, which had won its first two games while allowing just three goals, was coming off a 4-3 overtime victory in Winnipeg on Friday. Michael DiPietro made 26 saves for the Bruins in his third career start and first since January 23, 2022, with Vancouver. DiPietro, the 2025-26 American Hockey League MVP with Providence, led the AHL with 34 wins, a 1.91 goals-against average, and a .930 save percentage.
Eight different Wild players recorded points on Saturday, following nine who did so in Thursday's 3-1 season-opening win at Nashville.
Kaprizov tied the game 1-1 with a power-play goal six minutes into the second period, finishing a feed from Maxim Shabanov. He then added an empty-net tally with 1:01 remaining for his third goal of the season and 11th in eight career games against the Bruins.
Minnesota had a five-on-three power play for 1:52 midway through the second period. Hughes scored with one second left on the latter infraction, using a wrist shot that went through a screen by Ryan Hartman to give the Wild a 2-1 lead.
Boston failed to convert on all four of its power-play opportunities. Minnesota has now killed off all eight short-handed situations through two games after allowing none in the preseason.
Spurgeon extended the lead early in the third period with a shot that deflected off the skate of Boston's Nikita Zadorov.
Jeannot had opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game, converting a touch pass from Mark Kastelic to put the Bruins up 1-0.
Key Analysis
The Wild's balanced attack and stellar goaltending have been key to their early success, while the Bruins will look to regroup after their first loss. Minnesota's special teams have been particularly impressive, killing off every penalty so far this season.
Boston will return home to face Ottawa on Monday night, while Minnesota begins a three-game road trip at Buffalo on Tuesday.
Originally reported by abcnews.