VANCOUVER, B.C. — Although it mostly looks like a bear, the Minnesota Wild have never officially said what creature is represented on the sharp logo they wear on their sweaters. But whatever animal it is, it’s apparently a bad idea to back one into a corner.
Less than 20 minutes from seeing their playoff fate slip from their control, the Wild mounted a furious comeback on Saturday for a 3-2 overtime win over the Canucks in Vancouver, which notably increases the chances Minnesota will return to the playoffs after a one-season absence.
Trailing by a pair at the start of the third period, the Wild got late goals from Brock Faber and Marcus Foligno to forge a tie, and Kirill Kaprizov set up Mats Zuccarello in the extra session to help the Wild open up a five-point standings lead on Calgary, their closest pursuer.
The Wild need just a point in their season finale on Tuesday to clinch a playoff berth.
“The expectation was to get back to a style of game that gives us a chance to win. I thought we did that tonight. And just happy for the guys,” said Wild coach John Hynes, who had been disappointed a night earlier when his team missed a chance to clinch in a 4-2 loss in Calgary.
“It was a long night last night, and then you come in tonight, and I thought we played a pretty solid game,” Hynes said. “And to come out and continue to push in the third period and get rewarded for it is obviously a big two points for us. But I think it’s important for another reinforcement of when we do the right things and play the right way, we’re a hard team to play against and give ourselves a good chance to win.”
Filip Gustavsson had 12 saves for the Wild, who head back to Minnesota for the regular-season finale having won three of their last four.
Playing before a smaller audience, due in part to the fact that Vancouver was eliminated from the playoff race days earlier, the Canucks got the crowd involved early regardless when defenseman Marcus Pettersson found a small gap over Gustavsson’s right shoulder barely 3 minutes into the game.
The Wild outshot Vancouver in the first period and had the game’s initial power play but were frustrated by goaltender Kevin Lankinen for their second consecutive game against the Canucks’ backup netminder.
Minnesota’s already-thin defensive ranks lost another man early in the second period when Petterson hit Declan Chisholm hard into the end boards. While it was deemed a clean hit, with no penalty called on the play, Chisholm’s helmeted head made hard contact with the glass, and he was helped from the ice.
Hynes and his staff rotated five defensemen for the rest of the period, which has been an all-too-common challenge for the Wild in this injury-plagued season. Already were without injured Jared Spurgeon and Jake Middleton, the Wild got Chisholm back in the third period.
“I mean, you see that happen and you’re like, you know, ‘Here we go again.’ But I’m glad he was OK and just shaken up,” Foligno said. “If it’s a full-on head hit, then somebody would have been done, but you know, it’s tough. You’re walking that line of answering it and not trying to hurt the team at the same time.”
The visitors took a pair of penalties in the middle frame, killing the first one, but seeing Jake DeBrusk slide to the side of the net and clank a shot past Gustavsson for a 2-0 Canucks lead after two periods.
Faber got his 10th goal of the season just 22 seconds into the third, cleaning up a loose puck in the low slot, and giving the visitors some much-needed life. Minnesota went down another man a few minutes later when fourth line wing Yakov Trenin was ejected following a fight with former Duluth East standout Derek Forbort.
Then Ryan ...
