SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Minnesota Wild scored three times in the third period to pull away from the Seattle Kraken in a 4-1 victory on Monday night at Climate Pledge Arena. After Jordan Eberle gave Seattle a lead in the second period, Joel Eriksson Ek tied it for Minnesota later in the frame. The Wild then dominated the final period. Marcus Johansson scored the go-ahead goal, followed by markers from Kirill Kaprizov and Vladimir Tarasenko to seal the win. Eriksson Ek, named the game’s top star, finished with a goal and two assists. Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves for Minnesota, which improved to 16-14. Philipp Grubauer stopped 25 shots for the Kraken, who fell to 11-16. The total score of five surpassed the over/under line of 5.5.

SEATTLE (Interstat) — Joel Eriksson Ek had a goal and two assists, and Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken in a National Hockey League game on Monday night at Climate Pledge Arena. The Wild broke open a tight contest with three third-period goals to snap a two-game losing skid and improve to 16-14. Seattle lost its third straight and fell to 11-16. After a scoreless first period defined by strong goaltending and missed chances at both ends, Seattle struck first on the power play. With Minnesota’s Matt Boldy in the box for tripping, Jordan Eberle redirected a Chandler Stephenson shot past Gustavsson at the 12:48 mark of the second period for his ninth goal of the season. Jared McCann also assisted. Minnesota answered just over two minutes later to even the score. Eriksson Ek collected a pass from Boldy in the high slot and fired a wrist shot past Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer at 14:42 of the second. Defenseman Jake Middleton earned the secondary assist on Eriksson Ek’s fifth goal of the year. The game remained deadlocked deep into the third period until the Wild’s top line broke through. Eriksson Ek won a puck battle along the boards and fed Marcus Johansson in front, where the Swedish winger tipped the puck past Grubauer at 15:48. The goal was reviewed for a potential high stick but upheld, giving Johansson his ninth of the season and Minnesota a 2-1 lead. Less than three minutes later, Kirill Kaprizov provided critical insurance. After a Seattle turnover, Nico Sturm pushed the puck ahead to Kaprizov, who raced in on a breakaway and deked to his backhand to beat Grubauer for his team-leading 18th goal at 18:29. Jared Spurgeon also assisted. Vladimir Tarasenko sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:00, with Eriksson Ek notching his second helper of the period and third point of the night. Gustavsson was sharp throughout for Minnesota, particularly during a first period where Seattle held an early edge in play. He stopped all 10 shots he faced in the opening frame, including quality chances from Stephenson, Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Montour, who hit the post. Grubauer was equally busy at the other end, turning aside 25 of the 28 shots he faced. The game featured a physical tone with several post-whistle scrums. Minnesota’s Danila Yurov and Seattle’s Vince Dunn were sent off for roughing after a confrontation in the first period. Other penalties included a high-sticking call against Seattle’s Dunn on Kaprizov and a tripping penalty against the Kraken’s Stephenson for taking down Boldy. Minnesota’s defense, led by Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber, blocked 18 shots and limited Seattle’s high-danger chances after the first period. The Wild also killed off two of three Seattle power plays, with the lone blemish being Eberle’s second-period marker. The loss extended a difficult stretch for the Kraken, who have been outscored 16-5 during their three-game slide. Seattle’s offense struggled to sustain pressure after its early power-play success, managing only 14 shots over the final two periods. The victory provided a needed rebound for the Wild after consecutive regulation losses at Vancouver and Calgary by a combined 8-3 score last week. Eriksson Ek’s three-point night marked a significant offensive outburst for the center, who had recorded just nine shots on goal and no points over his previous four games. Minnesota continues a five-game road trip on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. Seattle will look to halt its skid when it hosts the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. The total of five goals exceeded the over/under line of 5.5. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a 3-2 Minnesota victory, with its ELO system giving the Wild a 55.2 percent probability to win.

Preview: Wild Visit Kraken in Monday Night NHL Matchup SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Minnesota Wild, looking to rebound from a lopsided loss, visit the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Monday night in a cross-conference NHL clash. Minnesota (15-13-0) arrives after a 4-1 defeat at Calgary on Thursday halted a stretch of generally solid play. Prior to that, the Wild had earned points in seven of their previous eight games (5-1-2). Seattle (11-14-0) is also seeking a reset after a difficult 9-4 road loss to Edmonton on the same night, which extended its current skid to three games. A key player to watch for the Wild is center Yakov Trenin, who scored the team’s lone goal in the loss to Calgary. Trenin has been a consistent contributor, recording three points (two goals, one assist) in his last 10 games while providing a physical presence. For the Kraken, center Frederick Gaudreau will aim to build on his recent performance; he also scored his team’s most recent goal in the Edmonton defeat. The matchup pits two teams with contrasting recent trajectories. Minnesota has found success with tight defense and timely scoring, including a shutout victory in Edmonton just before the Calgary loss. Seattle, meanwhile, has struggled to keep the puck out of its net, allowing 17 goals during its three-game losing streak. Goaltending and defensive structure will be critical for the Kraken against a Wild team that has shown the ability to win low-scoring games. This game opens a three-game road trip for Minnesota, which will not return home until mid-December. Seattle continues a brief two-game homestand before embarking on a lengthy road swing later in the week. The Wild won both meetings between the teams last season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST at Climate Pledge Arena.