Russian Kirill Kaprizov was recognized as the second star of the Minnesota-Chicago match, which ended in a 4-1 victory for his team.
The striker took part in three of the four goals of the Wild: he distinguished himself and twice provided assists to partner Mats Zuccarello.
The Norwegian, in turn, scored a hat-trick and became the first star of the meeting.
It's not the first time Mats and Kirill have demonstrated a great interaction with each other, which can already be called a classic of the Minnesota game.
“They did very well today.
We did not cut off the game early in our defense zone, and this only activated them, they immediately got down to business there, ”Chicago head coach Luke Richardson admitted after the match.
The first goal against the "hawks" Whims and Zuccarello was built already in the fifth minute of the starting period.
The Russian, having received the puck at the side, saw the Norwegian at the far post and made an excellent diagonal pass, which left the Chicago defenders out of work.
In the second period, Kaprizov replenished his own sniper account, showing enviable promptness on someone else's penny.
Goalkeeper Petr Mrazek parried Zuccarello's shot, but failed to secure the puck, and the Russian pushed it past the ribbon.
This goal was the 18th for Cyril this season.
And the striker scored the third point in the match in the last minutes, again assisting Zuccarello, who struck an empty net.
After the match, the Russian was sincerely happy for his partner, with whom he had a good relationship not only on the ice, but also beyond.
“I hope he will score points in every match.
How many games do we still have in the season?
44, 45?
I hope he breaks all records.
And mine, including,” Kaprizov told reporters.
The Norwegian scores points already in nine games in a row, and Kaprizov has the longest scoring streak of the team so far, who this year was marked by scoring in 14 meetings in a row.
Cyril himself beats his own records.
So, after the reporting match, he had 39 points scored in 30 starting games of the regular season, and this is the best indicator among Wild players in history.
The previous achievement also belonged to Kaprizov, who scored 36 points in 30 matches last season.
In addition, the 25-year-old striker has not left the ice for 11 home games without replenishing the scorer's account, and this is a repeat of the second longest streak in club history.
In the 2014/15 season, this mark was conquered by Jason Pominville, and the record for this indicator belongs to Marian Gaborik, who scored points in 14 matches at the Excel Energy Center in the 2007/08 season.
There is one more interesting statistic, according to which Kaprizov leads the league.
The Russian striker has 198 points in 166 NHL career games, that is, Kirill averages 1.19 points per match.
This is the best result so far in league history for a left winger.
In the top three in this indicator are two more Russians.
Artemi Panarin of the Rangers is averaging 1.12 points per game, while Washington captain Alexander Ovechkin is 1.11.
In the fall, Kaprizov, who spends only his second full season in the NHL, noted in post-match interviews that he had only now fully adapted to the new conditions and was beginning to show his best qualities on the court.
Kirill also got on well off the ice: after the game with Chicago, he spoke to reporters in English, only occasionally resorting to the help of translators.
The same Panarin, who has been playing overseas since 2015, has not yet mastered the language at a level that allows him to freely communicate with others.
However, the recognition of both fellow hockey players and coaches Kaprizov has already received.
Various experts compare him with Pavel Bure, Nikita Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl and Sidney Crosby.
“He's a superstar, no question about it.
I like his attitude.
It seems that he always goes out on the ice in a good mood.
He's extremely competitive, holds the puck well, is hard to handle at the goal line, and is also quite resourceful.
I think he is dangerous both as a passer and as a scorer.
In both respects, he plays top notch, ”Colorado mentor Jared Bednar quotes The Athletic.
The long-term leader of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Sidney Crosby, in turn, noted the Russian’s skating and throwing technique and his vision of ice.
“He is a really versatile player who can create many different chances.
That's why he succeeds so often.
When I played against him and watched him, he didn't have any weak spots.
He can score from a distance, he can handle the opposition one-on-one and pass easily.
So he is dangerous in every way, ”concluded the famous Canadian.