The Tampa Bay Lightning’s three-game winning streak came to an end Friday night as they fell to the Minnesota Wild 5-3 at the Xcel Energy Center.
Despite a strong start and two power-play goals, the Lightning couldn’t contain the Wild’s offensive firepower, particularly Kirill Kaprizov, who notched two goals in the third period to secure the win for Minnesota.
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Game Recap:
The Lightning drew first blood with a power-play goal from Brayden Point in the closing minute of the first period. However, the Wild quickly responded with a goal from Joel Eriksson Ek early in the second.
The back-and-forth action continued in the third period. Minnesota took the lead twice, only to see the Lightning answer back with goals from Jake Guentzel and Nick Paul.
However, Kaprizov’s late-game heroics, including an empty-net goal, sealed the victory for the Wild.
Key Factors:
- Kaprizov’s Dominance: Kirill Kaprizov was the star of the game, scoring two crucial goals and adding an assist.
- Special Teams: While the Lightning capitalized on the power play, their penalty kill struggled, allowing the Wild to score a key goal.
- Late-Game Execution: The Wild were more effective in the final minutes, capitalizing on opportunities and securing the win with two empty-net goals.
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