The Wild improved the power play and penalty kill, cleaning up the messes from the dud two nights earlier, and that helped the team solve the biggest problem of them all.
For the first time in a year and after six consecutive losses, the Wild finally defeated the Blues — and it wasn't close.
This was a 6-2 blowout on Wednesday in front of 19,376 at Xcel Energy Center to even the best-of-seven, first-round series at 1-1 ahead of Game 3 on Friday in St. Louis.
Kirill Kaprizov scored the Wild's first postseason hat trick while Joel Eriksson Ek had two goals and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 32 shots to pick up his first playoff victory with the Wild and 91st of his career.
Fleury is one away from tying Grant Fuhr for the third most all time in the NHL.
Historically, Game 2s haven't been the best for the Wild.
Before this victory, the team was only 2-12 and 1-2 at home. But after a 4-0 letdown in Game 1, in which the Blues snagged home-ice advantage, the stage was set for a response.
And the Wild delivered it in the first period.
On its first shot, the Wild capitalized — a one-timer from Eriksson Ek at 9:33 put in motion by Jordan Greenway, who scooped up the puck after St. Louis' Robert Bortuzzo snapped his stick.
Then during their first power play, the Wild rebounded from a costly 0-for-6 showing on Monday when Frederick Gaudreau whacked in a rebound at 13:04.
For an encore, the power play converted again with 54 seconds left in the period after Kaprizov's shot hit the post and then Blues goalie Ville Husso before rolling into the net. Husso totaled 22 saves.
Overall, the Wild went 2-for-3 on the power play; Eriksson Ek's second goal came at even strength only 51 seconds into the second when he stole the puck in front of the St. Louis net and slid the puck around Husso. Eriksson Ek is the first Wild player to record three points since captain Jared Spurgeon also had two goals and an assist in Game 1 of the 2020 Stanley Cup qualifying round.
But this offense wasn't the only sign of progress for the Wild.
After getting scored on twice and giving up another soon after a power play expired in Game 1, the penalty kill was more effective while surrendering just one goal in five opportunities.
That finish came 12:34 into the second when Jordan Kyrou flipped the puck in from behind the goal line.
Before then, the Wild snuffed out three chances with Fleury making key blocks against Brandon Saad, Vladimir Tarasenko and David Perron.
Again in the third, the PK was clutch with Fleury making another impressive save on Tarasenko.
The stop and strong defending by the Wild were timely because the Blues had momentum and had cut their deficit in half. At 4:14 of the period, Tarasenko flung in a shot off the rush.
But the Wild recalibrated to reclaim control, and leading the way was Kaprizov.
He redirected in a pass from Mats Zuccarello at 11:47, with the handoff Zuccarello's assist his second of the game, before dumping the puck into an empty net at 12:52 for his first career postseason hat trick.
Second earlier, Eriksson Ek also put his third puck into the net, but the hat trick was called back after St. Louis challenged the play and the goal was ruled offside.
Still, Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov registered their first career multi goal and multi point performances in the playoffs. Kaprizov has six points in nine postseason games with the Wild.
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