Boos, a Milestone and a Wild Win, 4-2: Hughes Owns His Vancouver Return

Vancouver, 10.25.26- Quinn Hughes came back to Vancouver wearing enemy colors, heard boos whenever the puck found his blade, and authored the loudest moment. His second-period power-play goal was career point No. 500, and the hinge in Minnesota’s 4-2 win.

The setup had theatre baked in: former captain, first game back at Rogers Arena, video tribute, mixed cheers, plenty of edge. The Wild did not match Vancouver’s opening pace. The Canucks fired the first six shots and led 10-5 on the shot clock through one. Minnesota stayed composed and stole the lead late when Kirill Kaprizov feathered a cross-crease pass to Maxim Shabanov for a power-play finish with 1:27 left.

Wild Special Teams and Hughes

That goal flipped the temperature. Minnesota opened the second with cleaner exits and more bite through neutral ice. Bobby Brink made it 2-0 at 5:54, taking Michael McCarron’s feed, freezing Leevi Merilainen and wrapping the puck around him for Brink’s first goal of the season.

Then came the postcard moment. Hughes worked below the goal line, funneled the puck into Joel Eriksson Ek, circled weak side and buried the rebound at 12:55. Point 500 arrived in game 520, making him the seventh-fastest defenseman—and second-fastest American blueliner—to the mark. He later sprang Kaprizov for a breakaway goal 3:38 into the third, giving Minnesota a 4-0 cushion.

Hughes logged 26:10 with a goal, an assist and three shots. Kaprizov posted a goal and an assist, pushing his season line to 13 goals and 21 points through 13 games. Shabanov added a goal and an assist, Brink supplied the slick insurance marker, and McCarron paired an assist with five shots and five hits. Calvin Pickard stopped 15 of 17 for his first Wild win.

Special teams supplied the separation. Minnesota went 2-for-5 on the power play, killed Vancouver’s only chance, and outshot the Canucks 29-7 over the final 40 minutes. After being chased early, the Wild owned the middle and made Vancouver defend tired.

Max Sasson and Brock Boeser broke the shutout in the third, but the comeback never grew teeth. Minnesota protected the interior, kept shifts short on the back-to-back and left Vancouver with its tenth straight loss.

Coach John Hynes praised the response more than the finish, noting that Vancouver came out “hard, physical, aggressive” before the Wild found their competitive level late in the first. His read matched the tape: Minnesota did not win the opening argument, but it controlled everything after.

Across the hall, Canucks coach Manny Malhotra liked Vancouver’s start and early offensive-zone time, but said the group could not maintain it; after another second-period fade, he called the pattern concerning.

For the Wild, the takeaway travels well. They improved to 8-3-2, won both halves of a road back-to-back and showed they can win without being perfect from puck drop. More importantly, their biggest puck-drivers delivered at full volume. Hughes handled the emotion, Kaprizov handled the finish, and Minnesota skated out with two points and extra swagger.

MN Wild Prediction v Utah

Minnesota should edge Utah 4-3, provided it stays disciplined against the Mammoth’s dangerous power play. Kirill Kaprizov’s finishing and Quinn Hughes’ puck movement give the Wild a matchup-breaking top end, while Utah’s aggressive offense will test Minnesota’s depleted blue line. Expect Jesper Wallstedt to face quality traffic and Joel Eriksson Ek to matter on draws and net-front shifts. The swing factor: Minnesota’s penalty kill surviving Utah’s early push before its transition game takes over late.