High drama at the X as Eriksson Ek’s late objective
Since the Wild play in Minnesota, and there is apparently a provision in the state constitution that says regional sports groups aren’t ever allowed to do things the easy way, the local hockey club picked drama rather.
Requiring simply one standings point to make the playoffs for the very first time under head coach John Hynes, the Wild got the job done in the most nailbiting, teeth-clenching method possible on Tuesday night in their regular season finale.
Joel Eriksson Ek scored an extra assaulter goal with 20.9 seconds left in regulation to give Minnesota the one standings point needed. Matt Boldy scored in overtime for a 3-2 Wild win.
“It took some competitive stamina for us to be able to get it, certainly with the 82nd game and 20 seconds left in the game. However I believe it was good. I’m actually pleased for the guys,” Hynes stated. “We battled hard throughout the year. Another hard-fought game tonight and discovered a way to win it, and now we’ve got a possibility to complete for the Stanley Cup.”
Filip Gustavsson had 22 saves for Minnesota, which pressed the Anaheim internet all night however could just get 2 of its 37 shots in guideline previous Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal. After beginning the season red-hot, the Wild saw their once-secure playoff chances get a growing number of unstable throughout the previous month, as the impact of a season-long rash of injuries took its toll.
But with their postseason berth protected, Gustavsson provided to give up the net. So Hynes put Marc-Andre Fleury in goal for the overtime, to thunderous applause from the fans. The future hall of famer is retiring at season’s end.
“Really surprised. I ‘d been sitting there for a few hours. But it was excellent from Gus and Hynesy to let me enter,” said Fleury, who had his family and a youth friend in presence. “I enjoy I got to play just a little bit more in the house.”
Fleury had five saves in the additional session, that included killing a charge. Completion result was his NHL record 71st overtime win, which caused a thunderous standing ovation and chants of his name from the fans as Fleury left the ice.
The Wild will open the playoffs on the road, most likely Sunday, at Las Vegas.
Unlike recent games where they have actually begun sluggish and played from behind, the Wild were the aggressors right from the start, with the big crowd gasping when Boldy– rerouting a Kirill Kaprizov shot– and after that Marcus Foligno put pucks off the goalpost on successive shifts.
Minnesota broke through before the opening period was half over, when a Mats Zuccarello pass found Johansson behind the Anaheim defense, and his flip shot beat the goalie low on the stick side.
However Anaheim would pull even before the period was over, as a bouncing puck headed for the crease eluded defenseman Jake Middleton’s attempts to confine it, then moved beneath Gustavsson’s best leg pad.
Back-to-back charges on the Ducks late in the very first and early in the 2nd gave Minnesota four minutes of male advantage where they threatened and tested Dostal’s glove, but did not rating. Minnesota outshot Anaheim 11-3 in the duration with absolutely nothing to show for all of the effort.
Things got more made complex for the Wild near the midway point of the third when the Ducks got a 2-on-1 rush to the net and took their first lead when Colangelo tucked a shot between Gustavsson’s knees.
Hynes called a timeout late and had Gustavsson on the bench when Eriksson Ek appeared a rebound, putting the crowd into delirium and the Wild back in the playoffs.
“We played well. That wasn’t our fate, I don’t think. I believe our fate was winning the game like we did,” Middleton said. “Perhaps it was fate to go to overtime and get Flower in the way we did, too. What an all-class relocation by Gus there.”
For Hynes, it was reinforcement of the mental durability he has been preaching all season.
“Yeah, it’s something that we’ve spoken about all year, even coming into the year, being able to win high-stakes games and comprehending not getting too expensive or too low however truly being able to remain focused on the task that’s in front of us, whatever that may be,” he stated. “Guys did an excellent job, and when it mattered the most, we had it.”
While the Wild chosen to delay newly-signed defenseman Zeev Buium’s NHL debut, Anaheim signed Western Michigan captain Tim Wasche after he assisted the Broncos win their very first NCAA title last Saturday. Wasche made his NHL launching on Tuesday, focusing the Ducks’ fourth line.
In addition to Buium, defenseman Declan Chisholm and forward Vinnie Hinostroza were healthy scratches for Minnesota.
Originally Released: April 15, 2025 at 10:50 PM CDT