Just off IR, Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek carry Wild to key win over San Jose

Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek weren’t supposed to carry the Wild in their return to action after being sidelined because of injuries — Eriksson Ek missing six weeks and Kaprizov out even longer.

In getting their best player and most indispensable forward back, the new-look Wild could start to rediscover their old-school ways and achieve better balance by establishing the logistics for a (nearly) full-strength lineup.

But that calibration can come later, when points aren’t at such a premium.

The Wild moved closer to locking up a playoff berth by outlasting the San Jose Sharks 8-7 in overtime Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center in a nail-biting victory that included a four-goal finish by Eriksson Ek before Kaprizov scored his second in walk-off fashion.

He served up his 10th career OT game-winner 1 minute, 1 second into 3-on-3 play after San Jose wrapped up a three-goal rally in the final minute of the third period.

“Tonight, I don’t feel timing,” Kaprizov said before starting to chuckle. “But a couple games and I should be fine.”

With 93 points, the Wild are in the first wild-card position in the Western Conference because they hold the tiebreaker over the St. Louis Blues, who also are at 93. The Wild can clinch a playoff spot if they win on Friday night at Calgary.

This was the ninth time in franchise history the Wild recorded at least eight goals, a season high, with the record coming in a 10-7 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 19, 2024.

After the Wild blew the lead twice and fell behind, Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek rattled off three second-period goals — including two for Eriksson Ek — before Eriksson Ek tallied a fourth only 1:04 after completing his third career hat trick early in the third.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury racked up 24 saves in what could be the future Hall of Famer’s last home game. Fleury, who was named the Wild’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy that recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, had his three children alongside him in his crease during the national anthem.

“As a goalie, those aren’t the most fun games to play,” Fleury said. “Too many goals going in. But what matters [is] two points at the end.”

BOXSCORE: Wild 8, San Jose 7 (OT)

NHL standings

San Jose capitalized first, with Tyler Toffoli slinging a puck past Fleury’s glove 12:11 into the first period, but then the Wild took over.

Marcus Johansson, bumped down to the third line with Kaprizov and Eriksson rejoining the top six, drained a long-range wrister at 14:16 before Brock Faber wove a shot through traffic created by Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno — the two former linemates reuniting alongside Matt Boldy.

Those two delivered in the second period 18 seconds after Macklin Celebrini slid the puck by Fleury’s right pad at 7:29 when Foligno set up Eriksson Ek in front of goalie Alexandar Georgiev (36 saves) and Eriksson Ek buried his own rebound.

The Sharks responded again only 48 seconds later, with Carl Grundstrom poking in a loose rebound in the crease, and the Wild trailed by 12:28 when Celebrini converted again.

“I just felt like we were casual from a defensive standpoint,” said coach John Hynes, who opened his post-game news conference by acknowledging Ray Shero, the longtime NHL executive and senior advisor with the Wild the last four seasons who died at the age of 62. “We missed assignments. We got rolled off. We gave up.”

Cue Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek.

Kaprizov netted his 24th goal (and first since Dec. 23) with a rising shot during a 4-on-3 power play at 17:02. Then with 12 seconds left in the period, Eriksson Ek whacked in a bouncing puck from — where else? — the front of the net with the man advantage.

“He only knows one way,” Hynes said. “That’s the thing with Ekky is that’s how he plays.”

On another power play, Eriksson Ek got on the end of a rebound only 1:02 into the third for the Wild’s first hat trick of the season.

During his next shift, Eriksson Ek polished off a one-timer from the middle for his first career four-goal game. Marian Gaborik holds the franchise record with five in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Dec. 20, 2007.

“Good bounces,” Eriksson Ek said. “They chirped me, or [Ryan Hartman] did, that they were all in the crease, so the fourth one was a little bit better.”

Still, the Wild were in a photo finish after San Jose’s Nikolai Kovalenko continued the scoring frenzy at 4:44, Celebrini secured his hat trick at 10:02 and fifth goal in three career games vs. Fleury, and Will Smith connected with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

“I tried to stay composed, not smash my stick everywhere,” Fleury said. “Those games, I feel there’s some weird bounces. Some missed shots. Sometimes they were just rolling or tip. I don’t know. Everything found its way in.

“I think I’ll remember the national anthem and having two points.”

Eriksson Ek totaled eight shots during 20:04, Boldy picked up a career-high four assists, Marco Rossi hit 100 career points, and the power play went 3-for-4; the Wild didn’t put the Sharks on the power play.

Kaprizov also had an assist and tied a career high with nine shots in 19:28 of ice time during first game since Jan. 26 and second return from a lower-body injury that previously shelved him coming out of the holiday break.

The star winger was sore going into Christmas, and he missed 12 games to address what was described as a non-serious lingering issue. But after suiting up for three games, he was shut down for surgery. All told, Kaprizov was idle for half the season — an interruption that sabotaged his MVP candidacy after he was the NHL’s frontrunner through the first half. He still led the Wild in goals until mid-March, and his 25 are one behind Boldy for first.

“It’s not easy time,” said Kaprizov, who did nothing for two weeks post-surgery before beginning to rehab. “It’s boring time. You just try to be focused on your recovery and rehab, practicing. Yeah, it’s just not fun.”

Last month, Kaprizov resumed skating and was given the green light last week by his doctor to start taking contact on the ice.

He and Eriksson Ek practiced Tuesday before drawing in vs. San Jose.

“I’m just happy now to come back with the team and start playing again,” Kaprizov said.

Eriksson Ek last played Feb. 22, the center not feeling well following a practice after the Wild’s first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off, where Eriksson Ek represented Sweden. His lower-body injury “built up over time,” Eriksson said, and required rest to heal.

“It was hard,” Eriksson Ek said, “especially I think I’m such a competitive guy. Just trying to do whatever I can to play, but this wasn’t anything that I could really make it heal any faster than it is. So, it was hard.

“If I’m selfish, luckily Kirill was there, too. We could bounce and lean on each other a little bit. Makes it a little bit easier.”

Without Eriksson Ek, the Wild went 8-10-3, and they were 14-13-3 sans Kaprizov.

Both were expected to play before the regular season concluded — that’s why the Wild didn’t go on a spending spree with the two players’ cap space at the trade deadline — and to accommodate their returns the Wild sent forwards Devin Shore and Brendan Gaunce to the minors after the two previously cleared waivers.

“Our team stuck together,” Fleury said, “grinded, grinded, trying to get points along the way, and everybody’s stepping in trying their best. But it’s definitely nice to get those guys back and seeing what they can do.

“Kirill’s shot is so good, and Ekky is always such a big presence in front of the net.”

Only Jake Middleton is hurt.

The defenseman was out for a second consecutive game since getting boarded last week against the New York Islanders. But Middleton did skate Wednesday and he will go on the team’s road trip, meaning the Wild could soon have everyone available for the first time since November.

“If tonight can be a little bit of a show of what we can do,” Fleury said, “I think if we keep our grinding attitude from the last couple months and adding a little bit of offense here and there from these guys, I think we’ll be interesting.”