Kaprizov has propelled Minnesota to the top of the NHL, making our 'wild one' the league's leading scorer.

Another action-packed day in the National Hockey League featured the participation of Russian players from their overseas clubs. A total of seven skaters and three goaltenders made their mark in the final game statistics. Kirill Kaprizov from Minnesota and Ivan Barbashev from Vegas scored the game-winning goals, while Evgeny Malkin contributed a crucial assist in overtime to secure a victory for Pittsburgh. "MK-Sport" provides the details.

https://www.sportmk.ru/sports/2024/12/04/kaprizov-vytashhil-minnesotu-v-lidery-nkhl-nash-dikar-luchshiy-bombardir.html2024-12-04 09:12:09

The most cheerful yet modest Russian NHL player Kirill Kaprizov continues to dominate the league this season. Ahead of the match against the Vancouver Canucks, the reputable North American channel ESPN acknowledged the 27-year-old graduate of the Novokuznetsk hockey school as the most valuable player of the first quarter of the regular season. This is by no means a mere compliment—our player should not expect any leniency from the local press across the ocean or hope to receive recognition simply for his charming looks and attractive smile.

Like any other foreign player in the league, the Russian must earn the title through hard work and effective play “here and now,” which Kirill is doing brilliantly. He consistently racks up points, remaining at the top of the scoring race, but most importantly, his contributions are extremely valuable and effective for his team, the Minnesota Wild, which has surprisingly and quietly crept up to contend for the championship lead against other teams.

The team led by 49-year-old American coach John Hynes has not only begun to cautiously pursue them but has also taken the lead in this peloton. This is largely thanks to the brilliant performance of their Russian leader—Kirill Kaprizov. Even without his regular partner and close friend Mats Zuccarello, who is sidelined due to injury, our forward continues to steadily score points and helps his club achieve victory after victory.

In the game against the strong but inconsistent Vancouver team this season, the Russian was constantly in the spotlight, and his name was frequently mentioned by North American commentators. Kirill missed the first opportunity to secure a win for the Wild when, with the score tied at 2:2 in the dying moments of the third period, he was denied by Finnish goaltender Lankinen with a one-timer. However, he was unstoppable when, in the final minute of overtime, Kaprizov delivered an irresistible shot straight into the top corner.

3:2 – Minnesota claims its fourth consecutive victory and takes sole possession of the NHL standings. Kirill, who was recognized as the second star of the match, notches his 39th point (16+23) in 24 games played, reclaiming the top spot in the scoring race, surpassing Nathan MacKinnon from Colorado and Martin Necas from Carolina on additional metrics. The Russian also leads the NHL in plus/minus ratings, boasting a score of (+19) after the game against Vancouver.

Another contributor to the winning goal among our compatriots was the Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev. In a record-setting NHL match between the Golden Knights and Edmonton, which featured no penalties and just one goal, the outcome was decided by a precise shot from the 28-year-old Russian in the 10th minute. This marked Ivan's 13th goal of the season, bringing his total to 28 points (13+15) in 26 games played. Like Kaprizov, he was also named the second star of the match.

***

Finally, there is good news about one of our most esteemed overseas hockey players and a favorite of many in our country—Evgeni Malkin and his Pittsburgh. The 38-year-old native of Magnitogorsk managed to break his “black” 10-game scoreless streak by netting a goal against the defending Stanley Cup champions, Florida, in the middle of the first period. Geno struck the top corner of Spencer Knight’s net with a powerful shot, who was on the ice in place of Sergei Bobrovsky, who missed the game due to the birth of his child.

Furthermore, Malkin participated in a goal-scoring play in overtime, which secured the Penguins' fourth consecutive victory. Evgeni recorded an assist on Brian Rust's goal, which was the fifth of the match. 5:4 – Pittsburgh is gradually improving its unfortunate standings after a rough patch in October and has climbed to 10th place in the Eastern Conference, just one point away from the playoff spots. The Russian forward has accumulated 24 points (6+18) in 27 games this season.

Subscribe to the “MK-Sport” channel on Telegram and be the first to receive news, articles, and photo galleries about sports and athletes!