Dewar’s first NHL hat trick propels Wild over Nashville

The Wild have started a new streak, and it's different than their last one.

They've won two in a row since dropping seven straight after routing the Predators 6-1 on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena to stay undefeated with new coach John Hynes in charge.

This is also just the second time all season the Wild have back-to-back victories.

How the Wild won: Connor Dewar scored his first NHL hat trick to help the Wild run away for their most convincing performance after a season-high three-goal first period.

After a penalty kill by the Wild, Dewar capitalized at 6 minutes, 8 seconds for the first time in 17 games and then Jake Middleton and Kirill Kaprizov (power play) scored 31 seconds apart. Mats Zuccarello's assist on Kaprizov's goal pushed his point streak to eight games.

This was a similar script to the Wild's slump-busting, 3-1 win over the Blues two nights earlier, the team exiting the first period ahead after surviving an early power play.

Overall, the penalty kill was perfect (4-for-4) for a second consecutive game, and the power play went 1-for-4.

Turning point: The Predators unsuccessfully challenged Middleton's goal, and that led to Kaprizov converting on the power play.

After Marcus Foligno skated into Nashville territory, he dropped the puck to Middleton, who cut to the inside for a rising backhander that handcuffed Predators goalie Juuse Saros at 14:01.

Former Wild player and first-year Nashville coach Andrew Brunette (who replaced Hynes after Hynes was let go last offseason) challenged to check if Pat Maroon was off-side when Foligno entered the zone, but Maroon was on-side. Not only did the Wild's lead double, but the Predators were charged with a delay of game penalty and that's when Kaprizov drained a one-timer five-hole on Saros.

The Wild are now 4-0 when ahead after the first, and they didn't slow down in the second.

Maroon deflected in an Alex Goligoski shot at 1:43 that was set up by Frederick Gaudreau for Gaudreau's second point of the season in as many games.

Nashville pulled Saros, who left with 11 saves. Kevin Lankinen came on in relief, turning aside 14 shots, and Lankinen also struggled against Dewar.

Kaprizov fed a puck to Dewar that Dewar wired in at 11:12 before Dewar completed the hat trick 9:47 into the third period when a puck caromed in off his skate; video review ruled he didn't kick the puck.

This was Dewar's first career multi-goal and four-point game; he also assisted on Middleton's goal.

Dewar actually put a fourth puck in the net late in the third on the power play, but the goal was called back because the play was off-side.

What it means: Hynes is only the second Wild coach to start 2-0, and his arrival has coincided with some notable changes.

The offense is getting contributions from all over the lineup, and special teams have generated momentum for the Wild instead of the opposition. Filip Gustavsson has also looked much more like the goalie who had the second-best save percentage in the NHL last season: He's blocked 49 of the last 51 shots he's faced during his first win streak of the season and some of his 26 saves vs. the Predators were timely.

Gustavsson gloved down an attempt by Philip Tomasino early in the first, denied Cole Smith after he got loose in the Wild's zone later in the period and then stopped Tomasino on a breakaway during the second. A tip by Juuso Parssinen at 2:37 of the third period was the only puck that eluded Gustavsson.

That the whole team followed up its best game of the season with an even sharper showing should boost the Wild's confidence; so should the fact this effort came against Nashville, a Central Division rival that was on a 6-0 run.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.