Fans pay big dollars to see Kirill Kaprizov score goals and three weeks into the season, no NHL player has done it more often.

But with injuries piling up in the Minnesota dressing room, the Wild also are showing fans importance of diversity in their game. Some nights they’re finding ways to win with defense, despite the fact that their defensive corps hasn’t once been at full strength since the final preseason game.

On Sunday night, the Wild were again without veteran defensemen Olli Maatta and Jared Spurgeon, and they have been missing Brock Faber all season. And for the only time in what fans desperately want to be his first — and not his last — full season in Minnesota, Quinn Hughes’ name did not appear on the score sheet.

And yet, the Wild found enough offense, and most notably enough defense, to hold Columbus to just 14 shots on goal, and nothing on the power play, in a 2-1 victory Sunday evening at Grand Casino Arena.

And all of that was done with the likes of Daemon Hunt, David Spacek and Matt Kiersted playing vital minutes on the blue line.

“It felt good for us all game,” said Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt, who needed only 13 saves to improve to 6-1-1 this season. “When they had some pushes, we stood strong and put it down in their end again.”

For Hunt (54 career NHL games), Kiersted (47) and Spacek (7). the early season injuries have meant a reunion of the Iowa Wild’s former defensive corps at the game’s highest level. It’s also an important opportunity for that trio to prove they’re more than just temps while the Wild wait for better health.

“I think it’s really important. You look at these situations where you need depth on D organizationally,” Wild coach John Hynes of the work by that trio. “I mean, this isn’t the first time we’re gonna have injuries on D.”

The Wild begin a season-long five-game road trip Tuesday in Edmonton, where Kaprizov will match up head-to-head versus Oilers star Connor McDavid in what is sure to be another test for the Wild defense. Hynes said both Maatta and Spurgeon were scheduled to fly to Canada on Monday afternoon, in what can only be a hopeful sign of better health.

If one or both of them can’t play in Edmonton, the fill-ins from Iowa will certainly savor another chance to show they can play, and thrive, at this level.

“There’s an opportunity for me to come into the lineup, and I just want to help the team any way I can,” said Kiersted, who logged a dozen minutes on Sunday. “I think from the back end, we played strong. … If I can come in and do anything, (it’s) just play simple and lighten the burden a little bit.”

Injuries, especially on defense, is a burden teams inevitably fight during a season. The Wild, despite the lousy health early, are getting vital help with that heavy lifting.