Boldy hat trick sends Wild to break on a high note
In a game filled with crazy swings in momentum, the final one swung the Minnesota Wild’s way.
When it was all over, Jared Spurgeon scored in overtime, lifting the Wild to a 6-5 win over the Nashville Predators after both teams led and trailed at various points.
The Wild got a first-period hat trick from Matt Boldy, who set up the overtime winner, along with 30 saves from goalie Filip Gustavsson to head to the Olympic break with a 34-14-10 record.
It was the third game between these Central Division rivals this season, and the third time they have needed overtime to reach a decision.
“It was a lot of scoring, a lot of momentum changes and things like that. But you know, I felt like we stayed with it, and continued to compete and found a way to win,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Sometimes you have to play, games might be a lot of momentum swings, and changes and goals that are scored. So, sometimes you have to win a high-scoring game. But either way, you’ve got to find a way to win. High score or low score, whatever it might be, so I’m proud of our guys tonight.”
Predators coaches Andrew Brunette and Darby Hendrickson — well-known for their on-ice work in Minnesota two decades ago — likely spent considerable time with their team going over detailed tactics on how to slow down the red-hot Wild.
Boldy needed less than 13 minutes to leave those plans in shambles with his 30th, 31st and 32nd goals, tying him for the team lead.
“I’ll take it. Won’t complain about that,” said Boldy, who is headed to Italy later in the week to skate for Team USA in the Winter Olympics. “I got some good bounces.”
He completed the fastest hat trick from the start of a game in Wild franchise history, helping the visitors to 2-0 and 3-1 leads in the opening period. But a pair of power-play goals by the Predators, and a bank shot off the arm of Gustavsson by former Gophers standout Erik Haula had the teams knotted 3-all after the initial 20 minutes.
Nashville scored to take the lead, and hit the post, within the opening minute of the middle frame, pushing the Wild back on their heels and getting the raucous crowd back in the game. But the second period would end tied as well, when Yakov Trenin chipped in a loose puck from the top of the crease for his fifth goal of the season.
After Vladimir Tarasenko gave the Wild a late lead, banking a long-range shot off a Nashville defender and over the line, the Predators answered 34 seconds later on a similar play, when a cross-ice puck deflected off a skate and into the net. Minnesota had 19 shots in the third but could not get another go-ahead goal until the 3-on-3 extra session.
“Yeah, obviously a huge stretch there for us to put ourselves in a good position, and rest up physically, mentally and, obviously, cheer on the guys that we have that are representing their countries and come back to the second half there,” said Spurgeon, as the Wild head into the break having gone 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Juuse Saros had 38 saves for the Predators, who are back in the hunt for the playoffs after a rough start to the season. It was Minnesota’s NHL-leading 23rd game of the season that has required overtime.
The Wild’s next game is Thursday, Feb. 26 at Colorado.
