Wild's Kirill Kaprizov looking for wins vs. scoring goals in playoffs

Two weeks after the Wild were eliminated last year, Kirill Kaprizov was still among the NHL's top goal scorers in the playoffs.

The winger was a juggernaut in the offensive zone, capitalizing seven times in six games against St. Louis, but Kaprizov doesn't want to "watch" his goal total when he and the Wild square off against Dallas in a first-round, best-of-seven series that kicks off on Monday.

"If we won, it's good for whole team," Kaprizov said in English. "If we lost and I score three or four goals, it's not good."

Typically, Kaprizov's output and the Wild's success go hand-in-hand, and the team was able to integrate its leading scorer back into the lineup after he was sidelined 13 games in March and April with a lower-body injury.

Kaprizov logged 20 minutes, 26 seconds in his return from missing a month after Winnipeg's Logan Stanley checked him to the ice and into the splits. In his second game, Kaprizov played 22:13 and tallied his 40th goal Tuesday vs. the Jets.

"I feel like I'm starting to get back to myself," Kaprizov said in Russian through an interpreter. "So, I'm really excited for the series."

When the puck drops on Game 1 at Dallas, the Wild will be battling against one of the best teams in the NHL over the last month and a half.

The Stars wrapped up the regular season on a tear, winning a season-high six straight games. Since Feb. 25, they've posted the fourth-most victories, going 17-5-2. The Wild went 2-2 vs. Dallas; both wins came in a shootout, one at home and the other on the road.

"They've been able to score a lot of goals five-on-five and power play, and they have a good PK record, as well," Wild defenseman John Klingberg said. "So, I think they've been overall top-10, top-five, in almost every category. So, it's a good team, for sure."

Klingberg would know: He was drafted by the Stars and played with them for eight seasons until last summer when he signed with Anaheim. He was traded to the Wild in March.

"It's going to be a lot of fun and a great challenge to come in there and try to spoil it for them," Klingberg said.

Marcus Johansson practiced Saturday and said he's "good to go" after getting cross-checked by Winnipeg's Neal Pionk earlier in the week and sitting out Thursday's regular-season finale in Nashville.

"It feels better already, which is good," Johansson said. "Obviously, it didn't feel good. I'm happy it's not worse than it is."

Oskar Sundqvist was also on the ice, his first skate since he left the April 6 game at Pittsburgh because of a lower-body injury.

"Obviously, my goal was to get out and get a couple of games in before the playoffs," Sundqvist said. "Obviously, the injury didn't allow me to. So, not ideal. I at least wanted that Nashville game, but there's nothing I can do about it now. I just try [to] get as ready as possible and prepare."

On defense, the Wild had Klingberg working with newcomer Brock Faber and coach Dean Evason said that could be a pairing the team keeps intact for Game 1.

Faber has appeared in only two games since leaving the Gophers to turn pro, but the Wild feel the right-shot defender has handled himself extremely well. Klingberg hasn't had much experience on the left side, but he said he's not uncomfortable in that spot.

Joel Eriksson Ek skated on his own Saturday morning, his first time since he went down with a lower-body injury from a shot block April 6 against the Penguins.

The center is considered week to week.

"Being on the ice is encouraging," Evason said.

General Manager Bill Guerin agreed to a multiyear contract extension a couple of months ago.

Guerin took over in 2019 and since then the Wild have advanced to the postseason all four seasons he has been at the helm.

"It's the best time of year," Guerin said of the playoffs, "and it's another chance for us to do something special."