Rem Pitlick recorded his first three NHL goals, leading the Minnesota Wild to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night. This was the Wild’s fifth win in six games.
Nico Sturm added an empty-net goal with about five minutes left, while Ryan Hartman contributed three assists for Minnesota. Cam Talbot made 28 saves.
Pitlick became the 31st player in NHL history—and the first for the Wild—to achieve a hat trick in the same game as scoring his first career 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 breakout performance, Pitlick had four assists in 15 career games—four with the Wild this season and 11 with Nashville last year. The former University of Minnesota player had only taken two shots all season before his big night against the Kraken.
“He plays the right way and got rewarded for it,” said Wild coach Dean Evason. “We noticed on the breakaways that, yes, he made some nice moves and finished well, but he’s going so fast that he just skates right past goaltenders.”
Marcus Johansson scored a power-play goal for Seattle, and Alex Wennberg added another. Philipp Grubauer made 18 saves. The Kraken have now lost six of their last seven games since defeating the Wild 4-1 on Oct. 28.
“There’s a ton of emotion for our players. They’re working hard,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “A couple of times tonight, we pressed a little 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 hustled down the ice to retrieve the puck near the red line and made a cross-ice pass to Pitlick in front of the net, where he managed to sneak 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 like it was just on a platter.”
Hartman set up Pitlick again midway through the second period. After a hit on Seattle’s Jared McCann led to a turnover, Pitlick got the puck near the blue line and had an easy breakaway, scoring at 7:44. With 40 seconds left in the period, Hartman found Pitlick streaking up the ice for another breakaway, completing the hat trick.
“Those were three pretty highlight-reel goals, too,” Talbot said. “He definitely earned it tonight.”
Johansson brought Seattle within 3-1 at 9:19 of the third period with the team’s first power-play goal at home this season. The Kraken had started 0 for 20 on the power play at home.
After Sturm restored Minnesota’s three-goal lead, Wennberg narrowed the gap to 4-2 with 1:02 remaining.
The Wild (10-4-0) have 20 points, marking the 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, from our first to our fourth line. Anytime you can have the chemistry and distribution of points like that, it will take us that much further,” Talbot said. “I think teams are having a tough time matching up against us because of the way we can beat them with any line.”
Game Notes
Seattle forward Colin Blackwell made his season debut after missing the first 14 games with a lower-body injury. Seattle forward Riley Sheahan was placed on waivers Saturday. It was Hartman’s fourth career game with at least three points. Jordan Eberle assisted on Johansson’s goal, extending 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.
