SUNRISE, Fla. (Interstat) — Kirill Kaprizov recorded three goals and an assist, Matt Boldy scored his first goal of the season in the game’s first minute, and the Minnesota Wild spoiled Florida’s home opener with a 4-1 victory over the Panthers on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The announced attendance was 19,856.

Boldy gave Minnesota the lead 53 seconds into the first period, finishing a wrist shot with assists from Jared Spurgeon and Kaprizov. The Wild struck quickly after Joel Eriksson Ek won the opening faceoff against Sam Bennett. Quinn Hughes put an early wrist shot high and wide, and Florida’s Seth Jones tested Jesper Wallstedt before Matthew Tkachuk delivered a hit on Kaprizov. Boldy then converted to make it 1-0. Minnesota kept pressing. Kaprizov made it 2-0 at the 6:18 mark of the opening period, scoring on a wrist shot with assists from Maxim Shabanov and Quinn Hughes. The goal came shortly after Florida’s Dmitry Kulikov was penalized for holding against Bobby Brink. Florida had some pushback later in the period. Sam Bennett hit Spurgeon, while Wallstedt denied Bennett and Bokondji Imama. Jacob Markstrom stopped Joel Eriksson Ek, Quinn Hughes, Ryan Hartman and Bobby Brink. The first period also included a fight between Michael McCarron and Imama, and Eriksson Ek received a slashing penalty against Bennett. Minnesota led 2-0 after the first period.

Florida cut the deficit in the second period when Matthew Tkachuk scored an unassisted wrist shot at 4:18, beating Wallstedt. The Panthers had chances to pull even, but Wallstedt stood firm. Anton Lundell recorded multiple shots on goal, and Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen also tested Wallstedt. Kaprizov restored Minnesota’s two-goal cushion at 10:00 of the second, scoring with assists from Boldy and Eriksson Ek. Boldy had a backhand saved by Markstrom shortly after the goal, and Kaprizov put a wrist shot wide left. Minnesota’s penalty kill was tested later in the period when Jonas Brodin was called for holding against Imama. Florida’s Brady Tkachuk had a backhand saved by Wallstedt during that stretch. Markstrom also stopped Ryan Hartman and Matt Boldy, while Daemon Hunt put a wrist shot on net. The Panthers continued to generate shots, but Wallstedt kept them from closing the gap further. Minnesota carried a 3-1 lead into the third period.

Kaprizov completed his hat trick at 54:56, scoring unassisted with 5:04 remaining in regulation to make it 4-1. The goal capped a dominant performance from Minnesota’s top forward and quieted a Florida crowd that had come to see the Panthers’ first home game of the season. Wallstedt finished with 29 saves, while Florida’s Jacob Markstrom made several stops to keep the Panthers within reach until Kaprizov’s third goal. Florida nearly got back into the game. Carter Verhaeghe hit the left post, Sam Reinhart hit the left post, and Matthew Tkachuk hit the right post. Lundell had several shots turned away, and Bennett had a tip-in saved. Wallstedt also stopped Aaron Ekblad, Lars Eller, Seth Jones and Sam Reinhart during a busy third period. The Wild blocked shots from Carter Verhaeghe and Radko Gudas, and Quinn Hughes had a wrist shot saved by Markstrom late. Minnesota’s defense held after a series of penalties disrupted the final period.

Kaprizov led all skaters with three goals, one assist, four shots on goal and two hits. Wallstedt finished with 29 saves on 30 shots. Boldy added one goal, one assist, four shots on goal and two penalty minutes. Eriksson Ek contributed one assist, three shots on goal and six penalty minutes. Spurgeon had one assist, one shot on goal and one hit. Hughes recorded one assist and three shots on goal. Nico Sturm had one shot on goal. Michael McCarron finished with five penalty minutes and three hits.

For Florida, Tkachuk scored one goal and had four shots on goal and two penalty minutes. Anton Lundell recorded six shots on goal and two penalty minutes. The Panthers pressured in the third period, and Carter Verhaeghe hit the left post. Sam Reinhart also hit the left post, and Matthew Tkachuk hit the right post as Florida searched for a second goal. Wallstedt denied multiple scoring chances, including several saves on Lundell and Reinhart. Florida’s best stretch came in the third, when it put repeated shots on Wallstedt and drew penalties, but the Panthers could not solve him again.

Wallstedt continued his strong start to the season. He has been in net for all five Minnesota games and owns a .935 save percentage with a 1.79 goals-against average. His play helped the Wild withstand Florida’s push after the Panthers made it a one-goal game in the second period. Minnesota also received key defensive plays from Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin, while McCarron and Yakov Trenin added physical shifts. The Wild finished with a veteran response after Florida’s pressure increased.

The game included plenty of physical play and penalties. In the first period, Michael McCarron and Florida’s Bokondji Imama received fighting majors. Joel Eriksson Ek was called for slashing, and Florida’s Dmitry Kulikov was penalized for holding. Jonas Brodin received a holding penalty in the second period. In the third, Anton Lundell was called for holding, and Blake Coleman received a holding penalty. A late scrum produced roughing penalties for Brady Tkachuk, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy and Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Lafferty was also called for interference, while Rieger Lorenz and Garnet Hathaway received misconduct penalties. The chippy play continued to the final minutes, but Minnesota protected its lead.

Minnesota improved to 3-2 this season. Florida dropped to 2-3. The Wild have now won three of their first five games, while the Panthers fell in their home opener after a season-opening road trip. Minnesota’s victory came after losses at Tampa Bay and Buffalo and wins over Boston and Nashville. Florida had opened with road games at Carolina, San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles before returning home. The Panthers had won two of their first four before Saturday’s loss.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Florida 4, Minnesota 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Minnesota with a 50.6 percent probability to win. Florida had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 5 went over the over/under line of 6.