Kevin Fiala sets franchise record as Wild beat Predators, 3-1
Kevin Fiala #22 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on March 3, 2020 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ((Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - Fresh off being named the NHL’s First Star of the Week, Kevin Fiala continued his torrid offensive stretch with a goal and an assist Tuesday night as the Minnesota Wild beat the Nashville Predators 3-1 at Xcel Energy Cener.
In the process, Fiala set a Wild franchise record with his fifth straight multi-point game. His 21st goal of the season came with about eight minutes to go in the first period, and it’s one of the prettier ones you’ll see this season. He got the puck in transition, used a toe drag to put a Nashville defender on the ice and beat goalie Juuse Saros under the crossbar to give the Wild a 2-0 lead.
Fiala has now scored 12 goals in his last 15 games with the Wild. He talked Monday about how he now feels comfortable with the Wild, nearly a year after coming to the franchise in a trade.
"I feel very confident with this group. Everybody loves each other, we’re a big family. There’s no, I don’t have to be scared to be myself. That helps me to be my best, that everybody accepts me how I am and that’s very positive for me. It helps me. It took time to know everybody and now I feel very confident here for sure," Fiala said.
He added an assist in the third period, and now has 11 points in his last five games. His multi-point streak is tied for the longest stretch in the NHL this season. His 30 assists is second on the team, and his 51 points leads the Wild.
“How he’s doing it within his team and as a teammate is the most impressive thing to us,” Wild interim coach Dean Evason said at Tuesday’s morning skate before the Wild beat the Predators.
Fiala recorded nine points last week to be named the NHL’s First Star. He was drafted by the Predators in 2014 and traded to the Wild in a deal last season that sent Mikael Granlund to Nashville.
Most importantly, the Wild got even closer to a spot in the Western Conference Playoffs with 16 games to play. They jumped past the Predators with the win, getting to 73 points, and are currently one point behind Vancouver and Winnipeg for the final playoff spot.
The Wild are 6-3-1 in their past 10 games and improved to 19-11-5 at Xcel Energy Center with Tuesday’s win. They now hit the road for three games on the West Coast in a four-day stretch, starting at the San Jose Sharks Thursday night.