Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello on 'same wavelength' as Kaprizov's hat trick leads Wild past Coyotes

The Wild knew the situation.

Two goals with time left in the third period.

"Let's try and get it for him," winger Mats Zuccarello said.

And Zuccarello delivered, finding rookie Kirill Kaprizov for Kaprizov's third goal of the night and first career hat trick with under a minute to play Friday to cap off a 4-0 win for the Wild over the Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center.

"It's always special when a guy can score a hat trick," Zuccarello said. "So, yeah, obviously we try and get that, and we were lucky this time that we were able to make that happen. It was fun for the whole team. I'm sure he feels great."

Despite how slow-moving the game felt through the first two periods, a scoreless struggle between the Wild and Coyotes, the opportunity was there for Kaprizov to take over.

He was getting double shifted with the Wild down a forward, as Marcus Foligno exited in the first period after taking a Jonas Brodin shot off the lower right leg.

Aside from getting reps with Jordan Greenway and Joel Eriksson Ek, taking Foligno's spot on that line, he was also working with Zuccarello, Nick Bjugstad and Victor Rask.

Zuccarello was the one to set up Kaprizov's first goal at 5 minutes, 47 seconds of the third before Kaprizov buried Bjugstad's handoff for his second – a highlight-reel finish in which he went from the bench, through the offensive zone and around the Coyotes net before scoring.

And to finish off his hat trick, Kaprizov one-timed a pass from Zuccarello – a fitting setup considering Zuccarello has been Kaprizov's linemate during his surge in recent weeks.

"They're thinking on the same wavelength," captain Jared Spurgeon said. "Rasky, as well, they're very creative players and they work well with each other and I think you're seeing that night in and night out."

Coach Dean Evason didn't have an update on Foligno's status after the game, but Foligno's absence was felt in the game.

"He's a big part of our group," Zuccarello said. "Good on the forecheck, creates energy, good on PK. So, obviously, when you miss any guy on the team, it shows. But I think the guys stepped up."

One player in particular who was clutch besides Kaprizov was goalie Cam Talbot.

In his first game in nearly a week, Talbot was perfect – turning aside all 25 shots directed his way for his first shutout of the season and 23rd of his career.

"Guys made it pretty easy in front of me," Talbot said, "blocking shots, clearing out rebounds, anything I left out there."

Some of Talbot's best work came in the first period, including two saves on two Phil Kessel breakaways.

"I think that might be the first one for me, definitely facing the same guy on the same shift," Talbot said. "It doesn't really change, just try to stay as patient as possible when you get a guy like Phil coming down. He knows how to score goals. That's what he does best. So, just stay as patient as possible and make him beat me with either a good shot or good deke.

"But I knew on the second one he was a little bit gassed coming down there, and he had some pressure from one of our guys backchecking. So, I just tried to play as aggressive as possible and make him beat me with a good shot and was able to get an arm and a pad on both."