SUNRISE, Fla. – Kirill Kaprizov could have taken the shot himself.
He has before, on multiple occasions.
One of his most memorable goals with the Wild came when the winger completed a wraparound goal while falling and being shadowed by Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty.
This more recent opportunity on Tuesday night wasn’t nearly as challenging, but instead of wiring the puck into an empty net — Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky rolled out of the crease on Kaprizov’s drive-by — Kaprizov passed off the honors to Mats Zuccarello.
“He likes to shoot more this year,” Kaprizov said.
During a return in which the Wild have flushed last season’s swoon by going on their longest point streak to start a season in more than 15 years while not trailing in regulation (despite missing one of their best defensemen), it makes perfect sense that Kaprizov and Zuccarello would switch jobs.
Kaprizov has become the passer and Zuccarello the shooter, a role reversal that hasn’t shortchanged the Wild because no matter what order they’re playing in, the duo’s chemistry has delivered the correct combination.
“It’s working,” defenseman Jake Middleton said. “Whatever keeps those two happy and in sync.”