ST. PAUL, Minn. \u2014 The Minnesota Wild are so ravaged by injury that when fans saw the second line for Tuesday\u2019s game consisted of Yakov Trenin, Danila Yurov and Vladimir Tarasenko (and their collective eight goals on the season), the reality of the Wild\u2019s dire situation set in.<\/p>\n
So naturally, that Russian trio combined for three goals and were each plus-3 during a clinical 5-0 win over the Washington Capitals, wrapping up the team\u2019s 4-0 homestand with a combined 19 goals and six against.<\/p>\n
The Wild, who once upon a time won one of their first six home games, extended their home point streak to a franchise-record-matching 13 games (11-0-2). They are now 17-3-2 in their past 22 despite playing with a lineup that\u2019s been littered with minor-league callups for weeks.<\/p>\n
Yet, forwards such as Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Tyler Pitlick and Ben Jones have provided responsible minutes. Tuesday night, on a team missing veterans Jonas Brodin, Jake Middleton and Zach Bogosian and fresh off trading Zeev Buium, the Wild somehow managed to record their league-leading seventh shutout despite a blue line that included Matt Kiersted (short-handed assist) and David Jiricek. They also lost Daemon Hunt to a lower-body injury in the first period.<\/p>\n
This is a far cry from the last few years, when the Wild\u2019s season fell apart once injuries started to pile up.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a team right now, we\u2019re on our game,\u201d said veteran Marcus Foligno, who returned from missing nine games in a row and credited the AHL Iowa players for how they\u2019ve fit like a glove. \u201cWe\u2019re doing all the little things right, and the guys that come up in the lineup, they buy in right away, and it\u2019s easy for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a good group. We have a lot of leadership in this group now, and adding (Quinn) Hughes, he does a lot with just the poise and the way he escapes with his feet. So, you\u2019re feeling pretty secure when you got a couple guys on the back end that know what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rookie Yurov scored a goal and two assists for his first career 3-point game and seemed to unlock Tarasenko, who scored two goals and an assist. Kirill Kaprizov scored a power-play goal, Matt Boldy scored a short-handed goal, and Filip Gustavsson made 25 saves for his third shutout of the season. Gustavsson, whose 14th shutout with the Wild since joining the club in 2022-23 is tied for fourth most in the NHL during that span, is now 7-1-2 in his past 10 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.<\/p>\n
MATT BOLDY SHORTHANDED! 5-0 #mnwild<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/oPcbxt2wwC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) December 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The Wild, who improved to 8-1-1 in their past 10 against the Capitals, played one of their worst games of the season in October in Washington. Coach John Hynes said Tuesday morning that \u201cit left a mark,\u201d yet the Wild had no issues whatsoever in the rematch.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they\u2019re earning their confidence, to be honest,\u201d Hynes said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had some guys out, but I think that we\u2019re playing a strong, collective team game, and everyone that\u2019s in the lineup\u2019s contributing and playing hard, playing together. And I think when you do that, you give yourself a good chance to win most nights.\u201d<\/p>\n The Wild fly to Columbus on Wednesday afternoon for a Thursday night date with the Blue Jackets, then return home for back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche this weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a really good hockey team with a ton of elite, elite players, and their goaltenders are playing great,\u201d Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. \u201cSo they don\u2019t have a lot of holes over there on that lineup, even with the injuries that they have, which is scary to think about. But when you can roll those five guys out there like those, they\u2019re as good as you get in the National Hockey League.\u201d<\/p>\n Yurov-Tarasenko magic<\/p>\n One of the reasons the Wild felt comfortable trading Marco Rossi in the Hughes blockbuster last week was the emergence of Yurov. Against the Capitals, which include one of his heroes, NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin, Yurov was simply outstanding. Not only did he have 3 points, but he also won a career-best 10 of 11 faceoffs, including one where he told Tarasenko to stand behind him.<\/p>\n It resulted in Tarasenko\u2019s second goal for his first two-goal game with Minnesota.<\/p>\n “right there” <\/p>\n Cool shot of Yurov right before winning the faceoff on Tarasenko’s goal pic.twitter.com\/kofNxGcAqp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) December 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Yurov also assisted on Tarasenko\u2019s first goal, then was the recipient of an incredible play by Tarasenko, who hustled up the ice, then cut through the net, stickhandled between his legs and fed Yurov for a goal-mouth tap-in.<\/p>\n \u201cI told him thank you,\u201d Yurov said. \u201cI would like (for him) to do (a) hat trick, but next time.\u201d<\/p>\n VLAD TARASENKO ARE YOU KIDDING ME pic.twitter.com\/4HJCZjRwTE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) December 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Tarasenko always tells Yurov that if somebody has the puck, just go to the net. He sure did there.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like you need some time when you come to the league to adjust,\u201d Tarasenko said of Yurov. \u201cAnd I mean, everybody tried to help him, he is helping himself, and I feel like he\u2019s stopped being scared to make a mistake and play confident hockey, play a very solid 200-foot game. You know, not only offense, but he\u2019s very good in the defensive zone, which makes our job easier, and it\u2019s fun to play with him.\u201d<\/p>\n Yurov is a terrific pro who came to North America with great defensive details and an exceptional work ethic. After Tuesday\u2019s morning skate, he was spotted alone on the top floor of the practice rink, running the stairs to warm up his legs for the game after Monday\u2019s off day.<\/p>\n Danila Yurov running the stairs on a game day. This kid is gonna be special pic.twitter.com\/GvCOFKi78f<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n What\u2019s cool is that the offense is moving now.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we talk about even his hockey sense and his details, he\u2019s mature beyond his years,\u201d Hynes said. \u201cHe\u2019s got great hockey sense, but he\u2019s very attentive in meetings. His practice details are good. You look at his off-ice, doing his routines; he\u2019s usually one of the first guys in lots of times; he\u2019s one of the last guys to leave the rink. Even long after practice \u2014 a lot of guys are out \u2014 he\u2019s in the weight room stretching and doing his thing. So, he seems like he loves the game, but he\u2019s a guy that I think really prepares himself and is into all facets of being a really good player.\u201d<\/p>\n If Tarasenko keeps playing like this (6 points in his past five games), they could continue to find a connection on the ice. After a tough start to this season, Tarasenko is playing his best hockey and looks like he\u2019s skating better than he has all season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going well,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s nice, and nice when the puck goes in.\u201d<\/p>\n Kaprizov climbing the charts<\/p>\n Kaprizov, who entered the game with no points in five career games against the Caps, scored his 21st goal. That ranks third in the NHL.<\/p>\n It was also his 206th career goal, to pass Mikko Koivu for second all-time, and his 70th power-play goal, to pass Zach Parise for first in franchise history. Kaprizov is only 14 goals from becoming the Wild\u2019s franchise leader in goals scored (Marian Gaborik, 219).<\/p>\n Kaprizov\u2019s power-play goal in the second period came after an outrageous shift by Quinn Hughes, who was tiptoeing the blue line and making perfect setups all shift. Finally, he found a seam and shot a puck that hit Joel Eriksson Ek and rebounded right to Kaprizov.<\/p>\n Kirill Kaprizov is the new @mnwild<\/a> franchise leader in power-play goals! \ud83d\udc9a pic.twitter.com\/5QgelsZKSQ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NHL (@NHL) December 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Since entering the NHL in 2020-21, Kaprizov has more goals than any Russian skater in the NHL, scoring 206 goals in 353 games. Alex Ovechkin has 205 in 372 games in that span.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just got such a gift for scoring and is so highly skilled,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cI don\u2019t even know how he put it in or if it went off his backhand or not. But I just feel like it\u2019s gonna take five, 10, 15 or 20 games, and then we\u2019ll really be rolling (on the power play). That\u2019s just how it goes, and then it\u2019ll be really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Hughes, Faber to the rescue<\/p>\n In the first period, Hunt sustained a lower-body injury when he was hit hard by Caps forward Ethen Frank. He tried to test his leg during a TV timeout but left for good.<\/p>\n Daemon Hunt knee on knee pic.twitter.com\/CDhBnV3Rwh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) December 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n With three veteran defensemen already hurt, it helped that minute-munchers Hughes and Brock Faber could essentially play half the game. Hughes logged 29:33 and Faber 28:10.<\/p>\n We saw Faber routinely log 30 minutes in his rookie season, and we all know the superstar Hughes can be as well.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I mean, I feel like I\u2019ve been doing that mainly my whole career,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cThis team makes it really easy, too, with our skill we got and whatnot. But yeah, I enjoyed playing with Fabes and some of the different guys. But obviously, when we get some guys back, that would be helpful too.\u201d<\/p>\n Foligno returns, other injury updates<\/p>\n With the Wild short on forwards while Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson are hurt, they at least got Foligno back in the lineup after missing three weeks with a sprained knee.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s good that we understand the mental side of it, the next man up,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s always been like this since being here. It is what it is, it\u2019s a carousel of injuries and it sucks, but we hope JoJo is not out long and just something that he can get back to and line up pretty quick. \u2026 Everyone\u2019s playing so well right now, too. Just hopefully that I can slot back in there and fill the hole that JoJo left.\u201d<\/p>\n Hynes doesn\u2019t believe any of the injured players will travel to Columbus, which means the Wild will need a defenseman from Iowa.<\/p>\n Johansson, hurt in the second period Sunday against the Boston Bruins, is day to day with a lower-body injury, as is Bogosian (lower body), who also got hurt Tuesday. Zuccarello, who has missed four games, and Vinnie Hinostroza, who has missed 12 games, have begun skating. Brodin, who missed his third game in a row, is day to day, and Middleton, who has missed four games, will start skating on his own Wednesday.<\/p>\n Yet, despite seven missing bodies now with Hunt hurt, the Wild didn\u2019t miss a beat \u2026 again.<\/p>\n now THAT is a hat pic pic.twitter.com\/RDH8Tniabf<\/a><\/p>\n