NEW YORK — Minnesota Wild center Vinni Lettieri‘s second-period goal Tuesday night was memorable in more ways than one.
Not only did it end a nearly two-year drought without a goal, it happened with his grandfather, Wild color commentator Lou Nanne, in the booth covering one of Lettieri’s games for the first time in his career.
“Perfect timing,” Lettieri said. “I wouldn’t take that one back for anything. That’s pretty special.”
Lettieri’s goal tied the score for the Wild with 7:57 remaining in the second, and Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek scored on consecutive shots in the third period to lift Minnesota to a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.
Lettieri, a Minnesota native, scored for the first time since Jan. 26, 2022, when he was playing for the Anaheim Ducks.
Lettieri and Nanne draped their arms around one another outside the Wild locker room after the game.
“I’m very, very pleased to have that opportunity,” said Nanne, the former NHL player who now calls games for Bally Sports North. “I’ve broadcast a long time, but I never broadcast one of Vinni’s games.”
Kaprizov snapped a tie by scoring a power play goal at the 6:50 mark before Pat Maroon forced a turnover by Pierre Engvall deep in the Islanders’ zone, and Eriksson Ek scored.
“Nice to get reinforced and keep our momentum going in the right direction,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “Put a lot of not only life into our bench, but it’s tough for the opposition.”
Maroon scored just 19 seconds after the opening faceoff by sending an angled shot past Semyon Varlamov. The goal was the earliest in the NHL this season and the earliest for the Wild since Ryan Suter‘s score at the 19-second mark on April 24, 2021.
“That’s our identity right there — get it in, forecheck,” Maroon said. “‘Ekky’ made a helluva play and it’s in the back of the net. That’s how we’re supposed to play.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.