Minnesota’s Russian hockey player Vladimir Tarasenko has gotten into fantastic shape in the last three matches. Edmonton, the finalist of the last Stanley Cup, got a tough blow from the forward, and the Russian tank not only scored, but also nobly shared the puck with his teammates.

Got back into shape after a difficult start

Tarasenko’s performance sank after leaving St. Louis; you can’t argue with stubborn statistics in this regard. And the summer trade from Detroit to Minnesota did not add confidence in the Russian’s prospects in the NHL. The “future compensation” given for the forward looked like an outright write-off.

Vladimir also didn’t have a good start to the regular season with the Wild. In 26 games, the 34-year-old forward scored just three times, which is a modest achievement for a four-time All-Star.

But before the home game against Edmonton, the Russian Tank finally found his game. First, he scored a double and made an assist in the match against Washington, and then scored against Columbus. The heyday of Vladimir’s game coincided with the creation of the Russian attacking three. Minnesota head coach John Hines sent Yakov Trenin and Danila Yurov to help Tarasenko.

Vladimir Tarasenko and Yakov Trenin / Photo: © Jason Mowry / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru, Jason Mowry / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

“Receives rewards for hard work”

The Russian troika appeared on the ice in the match against the finalist of the last Stanley Cup, but the main events at the gates of the “Oilmen” developed without the participation of our players. The hosts upset Calvin Picard three times in the first period. The Oilers responded with goals from Andrew Mangipane and Connor McDavid.

The second segment passed without goals, which added to the hosts’ nerves. The minimal advantage could easily evaporate; it was enough to score one goal. It was at this moment that the Russian link worked. In the 49th minute, Tarasenko pushed the puck into the goal after a shot from Yakov Trenin.

The visitors tried to save the game by removing the goalkeeper, but this only led to a goal in their empty net. Moreover, Tarasenko, whose position is far from the strongest in the team, could score himself. Instead, the Russian, who rolled into an empty net with Niko Sturm, chose to pass the ball to the German, who has found goals even more difficult this season than Vladimir. This puck set the final score – 5:2.

— Vladdy is very purposeful, he makes shots on goal. It seems to me that since he came to us, his responsibility when playing in defense has always been at a high level. Now he simply receives a reward for his hard work,” John Hynes assessed the Russian’s progress after the match.

The praise for Vladimir is well deserved, because in the last three meetings he scored more points than even Kirill Kaprizov. Thanks to Tarasenko’s contributions, Minnesota also got into fantastic shape. The win over Edmonton allowed the Wild to set a club record for longest point streak at home with 14.

Minnesota’s tournament prospects are also very good. The team is confidently positioned in the playoff zone in the Western Conference. If the “savages” continue to crush their opponents, then it is quite possible to reach first place in the entire league.