The Bruins score came first, but the Minnesota Wild had the better finish. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice as the Wild beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Saturday in their home opener at Grand Casino Arena, erasing an early deficit and keeping Minnesota unbeaten through two games at 2-0-0.
Tanner Jeannot put the Bruins ahead just 1:53 into the first period, giving Boston a quick start after its 4-3 overtime win at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. From there, Minnesota settled in and gradually took control, with John Hynes saying the Wild stayed with it after a quiet first period and then executed much better in the second.
Kaprizov sparks the turnaround
Kaprizov tied the game 1-1 at 6:11 of the second period with a power-play goal, and the Wild never gave the lead back. Quinn Hughes put Minnesota ahead 2-1 at 12:28 of the second period, and Jared Spurgeon added an insurance goal at 3:24 of the third to stretch the margin to 3-1.
Kaprizov closed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 1:01 remaining. He finished with two goals and one assist, giving Minnesota the kind of top-line production that can make an early-season difference in a tight game.
Goaltending and pressure tell the story
Jesper Wallstedt made 26 saves for the Wild, while Michael DiPietro faced the loss in a start that marked his first NHL appearance in net since Jan. 23, 2022. DiPietro was sharp early and finished with 26 saves of his own, but the Wild’s ability to generate pressure and win key stretches turned the game in their favor.
Marco Sturm said DiPietro was great and wished Boston could have given him at least a point, but the Bruins could not hold the early lead. Michael DiPietro said he owned the result and wanted to be better next time.
The win moved Minnesota to 2-0-0, while Boston dropped to 2-1-0. For the Wild, it was a strong home opener and another sign that their early-season structure is already producing results. For the Bruins, the night was a reminder that a fast start does not guarantee a finish, even when the goaltending gives them a chance.
