ST. PAUL — It looked like the Minnesota Wild were headed to a similar result Saturday night against the New York Rangers after giving up the first goal for the sixth time in the past seven games.
The Wild have been accustomed to falling behind early this season and they've trailed a league-high 347 minutes and 54 seconds. That led to a dire situation Saturday as they entered the game with losses in four straight and six in their past seven games.
The Wild, who entered the game with a 3-5-2 record, have paid for it early this season, and it's why they sit seventh in the Central Division.
And the trailing continued Saturday, but the Wild didn't allow just one goal. The Rangers had a 3-0 lead after the first period. Unlike other games this season though that featured sluggish starts, the Wild came more ready to play.
But it didn't matter as the Wild still found themselves down three.
The Rangers struck first 3:36 into the contest on a double deflection with the puck eventually hitting Jimmy Vesey's skate before sliding in.
Then Artemi Panarin's rising shot from atop the right circle beat Filip Gustavsson high glove at 5:52. It took the Rangers just 61 seconds to score again, this time a wrister coming off the stick of Erik Gustafsson from the right dot — which beat Gustavsson glove side.
The Rangers had scored three goals on four shots in the first seven minutes, and Marc-Andre Fleury (13 saves on 14 shots) came in relief for Gustavsson. Everything seemed to be spiraling out of control for the Wild, who generated a ton of offense on the power play — and hit a post — and had a 13-7 edge in shots in the first.
And the Wild's first period deficit wasn't even because of one of their usual culprits: their league-worst penalty kill at 64.7 percent. All three of New York's goals were at even strength, and the Wild killed the only penalty they had in the first, which was their lone penalty all game. One would've thought that would've been a recipe for success since the Rangers' power play is third in the league at 31.6 percent.
On a normal night this season, the Wild's 3-0 deficit after the first period would've proved to be too much. After all, they've struggled in almost every facet through their first 10 contests.
But this wasn't a normal night. For the first time this season, the Wild showed a glimpse of their potential and got the closest they've been all season to their identity in their 5-4 come from behind win over the Rangers inside Xcel Energy Center Saturday.
“In the past here early, we've changed and kind of got out of our game, and we didn't tonight," head coach Dean Evason said, adding that they reminded the group in the first intermission about the positives from the first 20 minutes. "It's a huge credit to the group and the leadership group. We challenged them, and I think they did a fantastic job of keeping the entire group composed through a tough start."
The win not only ended the Wild's four-game losing streak — but it ended New York's six-game winning streak.
“We didn’t panic. We played our game, kept going," Rossi said. "We didn’t look back or at the scoresheet. We played our game and then the goals were coming and we had success.”
It's the reward for playing arguably their best period and 40-minute span of the season in the final two periods Saturday. And the two goals that gave the Wild life in a game that look destined to be their sixth straight loss came from high-danger, dirty areas.
“We played our way, dominated in the O zone, kept the puck and just made them defend for 40 minutes,” Ryan Hartman said. We’re pretty happy about that win.”
Added Faber: "We started to come back in the first, get some life and in the second period, we looked in the mirror and turned it around, which was needed."
There are still parts of their game that need to be corrected, but the Wild played a game that closely resembled their identity as a physical forechecking defense-first hockey club that still knows how to put the puck in the net.
“We showed how we should play, how we can play and how much success we can have when we do,” Fleury said.
The Wild held New York to just 18 shots and allowed only seven high-danger chances at five-on-five to a dangerous offensive team in the Rangers even when they're without Adam Fox and Filip Chytil in the lineup like Saturday night.
"We got the puck in, (and) we got after it," Evason said. "We talked about our turnovers that didn't happen. We're not a dump and chase team, but we are forecheck team. I think we realized that."
Hartman cut the Wild's deficit to 3-1 almost six minutes into the second by tapping the puck over the goal line after Dakota Mermis' shot got behind Jonathan Quick, who made 36 saves.
Then Faber's slick feed set up Joel Eriksson Ek for an easy-tap in to get the Wild within one with 13:36 left in the middle frame.
“Goals like that are huge,” Boldy said, “especially when you can jump them right on top of each other one after another. It’s a huge difference maker in a game.”
While the Wild didn't tie the game in the second, it was arguably their best period of the season, and their third-period performance wasn't too far behind.
And they picked up right where they left off, tying the game at three apiece a minute and 41 seconds into the third period when Mats Zuccarello's deflection in front on Jonas Brodin's point shot beat Quick glove side.
It's quite fitting that Marco Rossi gave the Wild a 4-3 lead three minutes and 39 seconds later on a one-timer in the slot off Kirill Kaprizov's cross-ice pass from along the boards. Rossi is currently tied with the Chicago Blackhawks No. 1 overall pick in Connor Bedard at five goals for the rookie lead.
The Wild's 22-year-old center has seven points on the season and has been nothing short of impressive. He's stronger on pucks and along the boards, is noticeably making plays on every shift and hasn't shied away from getting to the dirty areas. There's a reason why the Wild are giving him so much ice time and promoted him to the top line.
Then Chris Kreider tied the game at four apiece with a tip in front off Panarin's point shot with 13:20 left in the third.
“They tied it back up and we took that thing home and I felt like we deserved that win and, again, just want to keep building,” Faber said.
Even though the Wild dominated the final two periods and overtime, it took a shootout on the strength of Zuccarello and Boldy goals and Fleury's two saves to get the two points and improve to 4-5-2.
"What we liked is that we just kept working and if things didn't turn, obviously we'd be disappointed," Evason said. "But we couldn't be disappointed in how we played tonight and how hard we played, how determined we played."
The Wild now head into their three-game road trip in New York this upcoming week — against the Islanders, Rangers and Sabres — with a newfound spark and momentum that they hope will help them get back on course after a slow start this season.
“The hardest is the first win, to get it back," Rossi said. "We have a lot of confidence right now. Now we just try to keep it rolling and keep playing our game.”
Added Boldy: "It's a step in the right direction, for sure."
And their chances of doing so are about to get even better with their No. 1 blueliner and captain in Jared Spurgeon likely returning to the lineup at some point on the road trip.
All data via Natural Stat Trick