Matt Boldy scored on a breakaway with just 1.3 seconds remaining in overtime. Filip Gustavsson made a career-high 47 saves to secure a 2-1 victory for the Minnesota Wild over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
“I knew I got out there within a minute, so I knew it was kind of towards the end, but not really how much was actually left until I kind of turned away after the goal and heard the horn go off. But it was kind of nice when I knew for sure,” Boldy said. “I had time to make the move that I wanted to make, kind of make a read on the goalie coming in rather than trying to fire one.”
Minnesota tied Dallas atop the Central Division with 90 points with this win. New Jersey fell two points behind first-place Carolina in the Metropolitan Division, with the Hurricanes having two games in hand.
The game was a tight, defensive battle. After two scoreless periods, the Devils were outshooting the Wild 22-19.
“It was a tough game,” New Jersey forward Jesper Bratt said. That’s how it’s going to be this time of year—two teams that are going to the playoffs—this is how it’s going to be. There were not a lot of scoring chances, and the defense was tight all game and obviously tough until the last second.”
Minnesota finally broke the deadlock 6:41 into the third period when Mason Shaw scored his seventh goal of the season on a wraparound.
Five minutes later, Timo Meier responded for the Devils with his own wraparound goal, his 35th of the season.
“It was huge,” Bratt said of his teammate’s goal. This is the time of year, and especially in the playoffs, where guys like that lift—and he’s been playing really well. I think as a group, we’re starting to come together a little more with the chemistry and stuff and starting to find each other a little more. And he made great effort on the goal there and got us back in the game.”
The Devils couldn’t capitalize on a late power play, sending the game into overtime.
The extra period was a thrilling, back-and-forth affair, with both goaltenders making key saves.
“He’s looked comfortable to us throughout the whole game,” Wild coach Dean Evason said of Gustavsson. “Just looks like he looks right. He’s calm. He goes about his business.”
After Jack Hughes hit the post for the Devils, the puck bounced right to Boldly for a breakaway, and he scored his 23rd goal of the season just before the buzzer.
“I heard the horn right after the goal, which honestly kind of surprised me,” Boldly said. “I wasn’t sure there was that little time left.”
Vitek Vanecek stopped 27 shots for New Jersey.
“It was a tight game,” Vanecek said. It was 0-0. They scored in the third, we scored in the third, and then they scored in overtime. … It’s frustrating, but what are you going to do?”
Game Notes:
- The Devils are 10-4 in overtime, while the Wild improved to 4-5.
UP NEXT:
- Wild: Play at Philadelphia on Thursday night.
- Devils: Play at Buffalo on Friday night.
