‘Small and steady’ gameplay helped Wild snap out of three-game funk
Matt Dumba's shot struck Wild teammate Ryan Hartman on the inside of the left elbow, leaving a bright red gash.
"Maybe," Hartman said when asked if he'd require stitches.
The sequence also dented the game.
After the puck clipped Hartman in front of the net, it hit Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton and beelined past goaltender Vitek Vanecek for the tying goal that signaled maybe the Wild's puck luck was changing. This was, after all, the first time in three games they'd scored a non-power play goal.
"We needed that," Hartman said. "There's been some bounces that haven't gone our way with throwing pucks at the net and being able to tip them. That one found its way."
Even if there wasn't physical proof on Hartman's arm of the toll the Wild's effort took, this would still be considered a hard-earned 3-2 shootout win on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center to close the book on their three-game skid.
"They competed for each other," coach Dean Evason said. "Obviously, we were all frustrated and wanted to work our way out of it and they did as a team."
Before Hartman reported to the top of the crease for the third-period equalizer that set the Wild's comeback in motion, Joel Eriksson Ek was there to give the Wild their first lead in seven periods.
Eriksson Ek deflected in a Calen Addison shot on the power play during a strong start by the Wild in the first period that showcased their urgency. (Earlier in the day, they had dropped out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, a position they regained with this victory.)
"It just creates confidence for us," Eriksson Ek said.
Second periods were the Wild's nemesis during their losing streak, and the middle frame remained a challenge on Saturday.
That's when the Devils capitalized twice in 3 minutes, 19 minutes, a turnaround that once again could have deflated the Wild like it did recently against Dallas and Vegas.
But the Wild didn't retreat.
"We weren't cheating," goaltender Filip Gustavsson said. "We weren't cheating for offense. We haven't scored a lot, and we started cheating to create more chances forward … and they created more 2-on-1s and 3-on-2s and a lot more turnovers.
"We're not that kind of team. We're not gonna go back and forth and have a 5, 6 game. We're gonna win small and steady."
Just 5:25 into the third period, Dumba and Hartman (and Hamilton) connected for a pivotal goal and that led to 3-on-3 overtime.
There, the Wild withstood Frederick Gaudreau and Kirill Kaprizov getting caught on the ice for lengthy shifts and Gustavsson fended off all three shots that came his way. His save against Yegor Sharangovich on a breakaway was especially clutch.
Gustavsson then followed up his 27 stops through regulation and overtime by going a perfect 2-for-2 in the shootout.
"He was great," Eriksson Ek said of Gustavsson. "He made really good saves. I didn't know he was that flexible."
Add in shootout finishes by Mats Zuccarello and Gaudreau, and the Wild finally had reason to celebrate before exiting the ice.
Not only did they clap back against the adversity that was simmering before the All-Star break when they also suffered three losses in a row, but the Wild rediscovered their blueprint for success.
"That's how we win games," Gaudreau said.
