Quinn Hughes Makes Wild History as Minnesota Rolls Past Oilers 7-3
EDMONTON - When the Minnesota Wild traded for Quinn Hughes back in December, they knew they were getting an elite puck-moving defenseman. What they might not have expected is that he’d rewrite the franchise record book less than two months later.
On Saturday night in Edmonton, Hughes delivered again - scoring a goal, adding an assist, and extending his point streak to eight games (two goals, 11 assists). That run now stands as the longest ever by a Wild defenseman, a testament to how seamlessly he’s fit into Minnesota’s system since arriving from Vancouver.
And Hughes wasn’t alone in lighting it up. Minnesota poured it on in a 7-3 rout of the Oilers, getting multi-point nights from Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello, and rookie standout Brock Faber - each of whom tallied a goal and an assist. Kirill Kaprizov, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Tyler Pitlick also found the back of the net, rounding out a balanced, relentless offensive effort.
Jesper Wallstedt held things down in net for the Wild, stopping 39 of 42 shots in a busy night between the pipes.
For Edmonton, it was a rough outing that snapped a three-game win streak. Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jack Roslovic provided the scoring, but defensive breakdowns and shaky goaltending were too much to overcome.
Tristan Jarry was pulled after giving up five goals on 20 shots. Connor Ingram came in for relief and made seven saves, but by then, the damage was done.
A Wild Second Period
The turning point came just 35 seconds into the second period. Ryan Hartman won a clean faceoff, tapped it over to Zuccarello, and the veteran winger wasted no time - firing a shot high over Jarry’s glove to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. From there, the Wild never looked back.
They added two more goals in the period, turning a tight game into a lopsided affair. Even though Edmonton outshot Minnesota 33-16 over the final two periods, the Wild’s opportunistic offense and Wallstedt’s composure kept the Oilers at bay.
Kaprizov Hits 30
Kirill Kaprizov continues to do what he does best - score goals in bunches. His power-play tally late in the first period marked his 30th of the season, making him the first Wild player to hit that milestone this year. It’s another reminder of just how central he is to Minnesota’s offensive identity.
Special Teams Telling the Story
If there’s a concern for the Oilers, it’s their penalty kill - and it’s not a small one. Over their last four games, Edmonton has allowed six power-play goals on just 14 penalties. That’s a trend that’s beginning to cost them, especially against teams like Minnesota that can make you pay with the man advantage.
Draisaitl, who briefly left the bench in the second period, returned to finish the game. Meanwhile, Evan Bouchard quietly extended his own point streak to four games - notching four goals and eight assists over that span - continuing a strong stretch of play from the Oilers’ blue line.
Wild Heating Up
With this win, Minnesota has now picked up points in five straight games (4-0-1) and sits second in the Western Conference behind only the Colorado Avalanche. They also completed a clean sweep of their three-game season series against the Oilers - a statement of just how well this group is clicking right now.
The Wild are getting contributions up and down the lineup, their special teams are producing, and Hughes is proving to be the kind of game-changer that can tilt the ice in Minnesota’s favor every night. If they keep playing like this, they’re going to be a problem come playoff time.
What’s Next
The Oilers will look to bounce back when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. For now, though, it’s back to the drawing board - especially on the penalty kill - after a humbling night at home.