ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek weren’t supposed to carry the Wild in their return to action after being sidelined for six weeks injured, even longer in Kaprizov’s case.

In getting their best player and most indispensable forward back, the new-look Wild could start to rediscover their old-school ways by establishing the logistics for a (nearly) full-strength lineup.

But that calibration can come later, when points aren’t at such a premium.

The Wild moved closer to locking up a playoff berth by outlasting the Sharks, 8-7, in overtime Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center in a nail-biting victory that included a four-goal finish by Eriksson Ek before Kaprizov nabbed his second.

Kaprizov served up the game-winner 1 minute, 1 second into 3-on-3 overtime after San Jose wrapped up a three-goal rally in the final minute of the third.

After the Wild blew the lead twice and fell behind, the duo rattled off three second-period goals — including two for Eriksson Ek — before Eriksson Ek tallied a fourth only 1 minute, 4 seconds after completing his third career hat trick early in the third.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury racked up 24 saves in what could be the future Hall of Famer’s last home game; Fleury, who was named the Wild’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy that recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, had his three children alongside him in his crease during the national anthem.

San Jose capitalized first, with Tyler Toffoli slinging a puck past Fleury’s glove 12:11 into the first period, but then the Wild took over.

Marcus Johansson, bumped down to the third line with Kaprizov and Eriksson rejoining the top six, drained a long-range wrister at 14:16 before Brock Faber wove a shot through traffic created by Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno — the two former linemates reuniting alongside Matt Boldy.

Those two delivered in the second period 18 seconds after Macklin Celebrini slid the puck by Fleury’s right pad at 7:29 when Foligno set up Eriksson Ek in front of goalie Alexandar Georgiev (36 saves) and Eriksson Ek buried his own rebound.

The Sharks responded again only 48 seconds later, with Carl Grundstrom poking in a loose rebound in the crease, and the Wild trailed by 12:28 when Celebrini converted again.

Cue Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek.

Kaprizov netted his 24th goal (and first since Dec. 23) with a rising shot during a 4-on-3 power play at 17:02. Then with 12 seconds left in the period, Eriksson Ek whacked in a bouncing puck from — where else? — the front of the net with the man advantage.

On another power play, Eriksson Ek got on the end of a rebound just 1:02 into the third for the Wild’s first hat trick of the season.

During his next shift, Eriksson Ek polished off a one-timer from the middle for his first career four-goal game.

Still, the Wild were in a photo finish after San Jose’s Nikolai Kovalenko continued the scoring frenzy at 4:44, Celebrini secured his hat trick at 10:02 and fifth goal in three career games against Fleury, and Will Smith connected with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

Eriksson Ek totaled eight shots during 20:04, Boldy picked up a career-high four assists, Marco Rossi hit 100 career points, and the power play went 3 for 4; the Wild didn’t put the Sharks on the power play.

Kaprizov also had an assist and a game-high nine shots in 19:29 of ice time during first game since Jan. 26 and second return from a lower-body injury that previously shelved him coming out of the holiday break.

The star winger was sore going into Christmas, and he missed 12 games to address what was described as a non-serious lingering issue. But after suiting up for three games, he was shut down for surgery. All told, Kaprizov was idle for half the season — an interruption that sabotaged his MVP candidacy after he was the NHL’s frontrunner through the first half; he still led the Wild in goals until mid-March.

Last month, Kaprizov resumed skating and was given the green light last week by his doctor to start taking contact on the ice.

He and Eriksson Ek practiced Tuesday before drawing in vs. San Jose.

Eriksson Ek last played Feb. 22, the center not feeling good following a practice after the Wild’s first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off where Eriksson Ek represented Sweden. Coach John Hynes called the lower-body problem a “usage injury” and not the result of a specific incident.

Without Eriksson Ek, the Wild went 8-10-3 and were 14-13-3 sans Kaprizov.

Both were expected to play before the regular season concluded — that’s why the Wild didn’t go on a spending spree with the two players’ cap space at the trade deadline — and to accommodate their returns the Wild sent forwards Devin Shore and Brendan Gaunce to the minors after the two previously cleared waivers.

Only Jake Middleton is hurt, the defenseman out a second straight game since getting boarded last week against the Islanders.

But Middleton did skate Wednesday, meaning the Wild could soon have everyone available for the first time since November.

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