GLENDALE, Ariz. – The separation between the Wild and Coyotes in the standings is substantial, and that disparity translated to the ice in the first meeting of the season between these new Central Division rivals.
After nabbing seven of the eight meetings last season, the Wild continued that dominance on Wednesday night in a 5-2 blowout at Gila River Arena that extended the team's win streak to four games at the beginning of a three-game road trip.
This run is tied for the longest of the season, matching the 4-0 start by the Wild, which have racked up five goals (one via shootout) in each of their latest victories.
Kevin Fiala finished with three points, including the Wild's snazziest goal of the season, while Kirill Kaprizov scored his third goal over the last four games. Captain Jared Spurgeon, Jon Merrill and Mats Zuccarello had two assists apiece.
As for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen, he improved to 2-1, winning back-to-back starts after making 23 saves. His best stop came late in the second period when he gloved down a shorthanded breakaway by Lawson Crouse.
With the Wild ahead 2-1, Fiala opened the floodgates 2:45 into the second period with a terrific display of hand-eye coordination.
A centering pass by Spurgeon clipped the Coyotes' Shayne Gostisbehere and while the puck sailed in the air, Fiala caught a piece of it with his stick and batted it into the net for a jaw-dropping goal — literally. That was Fiala's reaction as his Wild teammates crowded around him in celebration.
The goal was Fiala's second this season and first since the season opener, snapping a 10-game drought.
Only 36 seconds later, Dmitry Kulikov buried his first goal of the season on a shot from the slot and then during a 5-on-3 power play with 1:09 left in the period, Kaprizov stuffed the puck inside the near post for his team-leading 10th point.
Fiala earned his second assist of the night on the play; same with Zuccarello, who recorded his first points in his second game back from COVID-19. This was the seventh time in Fiala's career he notched more than two points in a game.
Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka exited the game after the second period with 17 saves. Scott Wedgewood had eight stops in relief.
These two teams played out of the West Division last season during a realigned, 56-game schedule, and now they're in the Central together after Arizona moved out of its previous home in the Pacific to accommodate Seattle's arrival.
And the Coyotes' start was historic but not in a positive way.
The team tied the second-longest winless streak in NHL history to begin a season, matching its previous 0-10-1 rut from 2017-18. Arizona finally won last Saturday, but the momentum didn't carry over to this game.
Just 4:22 into the first period, the Wild capitalized on the power play when Joel Eriksson Ek sent a top-shelf shot by Vejmelka. Overall, the Wild went 2-for-3 and the Coyotes blanked on their three chances.
Nine minutes in, the Wild were up 2-0 after Merrill's point shot was deflected in by Marcus Foligno while Vejmelka was without his stick.
Before the first period ended, Arizona cut its deficit in half after Andrew Ladd scored on a breakaway at 14:10.
But when the Wild returned for the second period, the team took over — surrendering only one goal the rest of the way, a one-timer by Gostisbehere 7:04 into the third.
In the end, 10 different Wild players registered at least a point.
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