'He's Lights Out': Wild's Kevin Fiala Riding High On Scoring Streak
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Wild's Kevin Fiala, named the NHL's second star of the week twice in a row, is riding a 10-game point streak and five-game multi-point streak.
"It's going well," said Fiala, as reporters laughed at perhaps the understatement of the year.
It's been a while since he's been this hot.
"Probably when I was 10 years old, maybe [laughs]," Fiala said.
"He's lights out. He does everything, and he's just so fun to watch," said teammate Joel Eriksson Ek.
The 25-year-old, in his fourth season in Minnesota, set a Wild team record on Friday with five assists. Then on Sunday, Fiala flicked an impressive backhand goal to help turn the tide in Nashville.
"I wanted to do something, you know, create something," said Fiala. "I saw there a hole and go with the backhand."
Fiala's contribution on the penalty kill is an indicator of his development into a more complete player.
"He's been through a lot with us," said Wild head coach Dean Evason earlier in the week. "He's playing real well ... a great teammate."
Fiala passed Marion Gaborik on the Wild's single-season points list on Sunday. His 84 points this season would have been a franchise best if Kirill Kaprizov (103 points) had not blown that record out to sea.
Fiala has a live-in-the-moment approach.
"What I've learned about this few weeks you know, is just like I'm playing, I'm playing hockey, you know, having fun," he said. "Really I don't think about anything else, I just think about right now."
With three games left before the playoffs, teammates are treating Fiala like a pitcher with a no-hitter.
"We just want him to keep going," said Eriksson Ek. "Don't try to tell him anything [laughs]."
