GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Wild's grip on a playoff spot is getting tighter and tighter.
After the No. 3 Wild outmuscled the Coyotes 5-2 Monday in front of 3,481 at Gila River Arena to win its fourth straight game at the outset of this week's road trip, the team now has a 14-point cushion over No. 4 Arizona and is 15 points up on No. 5 St. Louis.
Kirill Kaprizov became the new franchise leader for most points by a rookie in a season after registering No. 37 in his 44th game to surpass Marian Gaborik, who had 36 through 71 games in 2000-01.
Kaprizov's record-breaking finish opened the scoring 9 minutes, 19 seconds into the first period on the power play when he finished off a slick passing sequence with a one-timer in front after every other Wild skater touched the puck.
Nick Bonino had the last pass to Kaprizov to push his season-long point streak to four games, which ties a career high, and Kevin Fiala also notched an assist for the 100th of his career.
Aside from setting a new franchise record for rookie points, Kaprizov tied Gaborik's rookie goals record at 18.
Before the first adjourned, the Coyotes pulled even when Christian Fischer intercepted a Ryan Suter pass and buried the puck behind Cam Talbot at 14:28.
But the Wild retook the lead in the second period with a pair of goals.
At 3:37, Marcus Foligno set up Jordan Greenway for a tap-in off a 2-on-1 rush. The goal was Greenway's first since March 6, also at Arizona, snapping a 21-game dry spell.
And then the power play added another, a backhander by Marcus Johansson off a Matt Dumba rebound. Six of Johansson's seven points over his past eight games have come on the power play, which continues to cruise after going 2-for-3. The Coyotes went 0-for-1.
Over the last 10 games, the Wild has racked up 15 power play goals. Four times during that run the team has tallied multiple power play goals in a game.
The Wild appeared to go up 4-1 at 10:29 of the second when a Carson Soucy shot sailed into the net and by Foligno, who was setting the screen. But Arizona challenged to play, and the goal was overturned after a lengthy video review determined Foligno impaired goalie Darcy Kuemper's ability to play his position. Kuemper finished with 19 saves, and Talbot had 22.
The Coyotes moved within a goal just 1:15 into the third on a point shot from Alex Goligoski, but the Wild answered back at 6:20 — a wrist shot by Kevin Fiala from inside the right faceoff circle. Jonas Brodin added an empty-netter with 2:07 remaining.
