Show Cyril the Great: Caprices destroyed “San Jose” and continues to lead the race of snipers NHL

The game began with the active and purposeful pressure of the ice hosts, the Minnesota players. Already in the first period, realizing a rare numerical majority of five to three, Kaprizov demonstrated his trademark sniper composure. Having received an accurate and verified pass from Hughes, he in one touch struck the goalkeeper of the opponent Yaroslav Askarov exactly “in the house”, opening the scoring in the match. This puck became his 16th of the season, which emphasizes the stability of the pupil of Novokuznetsk hockey and his ability to find space even in conditions of close care.

In the second period, when San Jose managed to equalize the score and momentarily seize the initiative, Wild quickly restored the status quo, not allowing the opponent to believe in their abilities. Another of our forward “savages” Maxim Shabanov took a favorable position at the far bar and closed the transfer of Kaprizov, returning the team to the leadership and showing excellent interaction with compatriots in the majority. This is the 6th goal of a native of Chelyabinsk this season.

The third twenty-minute run was under the full control of Wilde. Caprizov acted not only as a dangerous performer, but also as the main organizer of attacks, regularly finding partners in the free zones of the opponent’s court. His excellent vision of the game and high speed decision-making simply did not leave a chance to defend the guests. As a result, the match ended with a confident victory of Minnesota with a score of 4: 1, which was the third victory for the team in a row and allowed to consolidate previous successes on home ice.

The statistics speak eloquently about the fundamental importance of the Russian forward for the entire Minnesota game system. This season, Wild win in the vast majority of cases, when Caprizov was noted for effective actions on the scoreboard. Maxim Shabanov, in turn, continues to perform his role in the new team, effectively using the chances created for him by his star partner.

Such a well-coordinated mechanism in attack, combined with reliable defensive play, make Minnesota one of the most uncomfortable and predictably strong opponents for any league club in this segment of the championship, demonstrating serious ambition. Wild also established a new NHL achievement in this game, becoming the fastest team to score 1,000 regular season wins (1995 games).

The extension of Kaprizov’s scoring streak to seven matches in a row is a bright indicator of his current form and physical readiness. The Russian striker does not slow down, demonstrating universalism: he acts equally effectively in equal teams and in special teams, making a decisive contribution to the success of the team at every segment of the match. The 29-year-old’s ability to take over at key moments while finding the right solutions for his partners makes him an indispensable element of the coaching staff’s tactical scheme.

“Minnesota” confidently goes in the playoff zone, and in many ways this progress is due to the stable and bright play of its main leader, who sets the tone for the entire team. Having recorded 4 (1+3) performances, Kaprizov was absolutely deservedly recognized as the first star of the day in the entire National Hockey League. Now he has 30 (16+14) points in 18 matches of the current season with an impressive indicator of utility “+14”.

He confidently leads the league sniper race, ahead of the nearest pursuers by several goals, and shares third place in the overall scorer list, second only to Edmonton players Conor McDavid and Leon Draizaitl, continuing to lead Minnesota to new heights and showcasing hockey that deserves respect from experts and fans around the world.