Rem Pitlick scored his first three NHL goals, leading the Minnesota Wild to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, marking their fifth win in six games.
Nico Sturm added an empty-netter with about 5 minutes remaining, while Ryan Hartman contributed three assists for Minnesota. Cam Talbot made 28 saves in the win.
Pitlick became the 31st player in NHL history — and the first for the Wild — to record a hat trick in the same game as scoring his first goal.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Pitlick said. “I’m trying to take it all in. Obviously, I was excited to get the first one, and then three — I don’t know. I’m just super grateful.”
Before this game, Pitlick had four assists in 15 career games — four with the Wild this year and 11 with Nashville last season. The former University of Minnesota player had only two shots all season before his scoring spree against the Kraken.
“He plays the right way and got rewarded for it,” said Wild coach Dean Evason. “What we noticed on the breakaways is that, yes, he made some nice moves and finished nice, but he’s going so fast he just has to skate past goaltenders.”
For Seattle, Marcus Johansson scored a power-play goal, and Alex Wennberg added another. Philipp Grubauer finished with 18 saves. The Kraken have lost six of seven games since their 4-1 win over the Wild on Oct. 28.
“There’s a ton of emotion for our players. They’re working hard,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “A couple of spots tonight, we pressed a little bit too hard, and it cost us. I won’t fault our guys’ effort in any way, shape or form tonight.”
Pitlick’s first goal came with 7:27 left in the first period. Hartman chased down the puck on the boards near the red line and found Pitlick in front, who snuck the shot past Grubauer.
“It was nice for him to set the momentum for me to get that first one,” Pitlick said. “That first pass was unbelievable. The awareness to see it, even, and then the execution was just on a platter.”
Hartman set up Pitlick again midway through the second period. After hitting Seattle’s Jared McCann and causing a turnover, Hartman passed the puck to Pitlick near the blue line for an easy breakaway at 7:44. With 40 seconds left in the period, Hartman found Pitlick again for another breakaway goal, completing the hat trick.
“Those were three pretty highlight-reel goals, too,” Talbot said. “He definitely earned it tonight.”
Johansson brought Seattle to 3-1 at 9:19 of the third period with the team’s first power-play goal at home, breaking an 0-for-20 streak with the man advantage on home ice.
After Sturm restored Minnesota’s three-goal lead, Wennberg pulled Seattle back within two with 1:02 remaining.
The Wild (10-4-0) have 20 points, marking their best start through 14 games in franchise history. Minnesota also had 20 points after 14 games in the 2015-16, 2006-07, and 2002-03 seasons.
“We’re getting goals from up and down, our first to our fourth line. Anytime you can have the chemistry and distribution of points like that, it will take us much further,” Talbot said. “I think teams are having a tough time matching up against us because we can beat them with any line.”
Game notes
Seattle F Colin Blackwell made his season debut after being activated before the game, having missed the first 14 games with a lower-body injury. Seattle F Riley Sheahan was placed on waivers on Saturday. It was Hartman’s fourth career game with at least three points. Jordan Eberle assisted on Johansson’s goal, extending both his and Wennberg’s point-scoring streaks to five games.
UP NEXT
- Wild: Host San Jose on Tuesday night.
- Kraken: Host Chicago on Wednesday night.
