Kevin Fiala recorded four points and Jared Spurgeon scored an overtime winner on Sunday night that helped the Minnesota Wild defeat the San Jose Sharks 5-4 and clinch a playoff spot for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons.
The Wild got off to a great start thanks to some offensive firepower from the blue line. Dmitry Kulikov got Minnesota on the board with his fifth goal of the season and Spurgeon fired his eighth goal of the year to give the Wild an early 2-0 lead.
The Captain throws another 🥚 into our #Easter basket. #mnwild pic.twitter.com/wiWQfHlv4Z
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 17, 2022
Despite the early advantage, the Sharks came ready to play. Rudolfs Balcers made it a 2-1 game later in the first period before Matt Nieto tied the game at 1:19 of the second. Minnesota took the lead back when Matt Boldy scored his 14th goal of the year but Noah Gregor tied it back up heading into the second intermission.
San Jose continued to capitalize on a rough night for Marc-Andre Fleury, scoring a shorthanded goal from Nick Bonino to take a 4-3 lead. But the Wild tied the game again when Fiala tipped Jordie Benn’s shot from the point for his 29th goal of the season.
KAPS LOCK KEVIN FIALA!! #mnwild pic.twitter.com/QgejWkYvPz
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) April 18, 2022
The game eventually went to overtime which officially clinched the Wild’s spot in the playoffs. But they weren’t satisfied with another trip to the playoffs. Fiala’s third assist of the night fed Spurgeon for the game-winner and gave Minnesota the extra point in the standings.
KEVIN CALLED GAME. 😤 #mnwild pic.twitter.com/eoCSWiXiDV
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) April 18, 2022
With a playoff spot wrapped up, the Wild’s attention turns to playoff seeding. The win helped Minnesota keep pace with the St. Louis Blues who used seven goals in the second period to crush the Nashville Predators 8-3 on Sunday night. The Blues (102 points) lead the Wild (101 points) by one point for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs but Minnesota has one game in hand.
That makes every game important down the stretch including Tuesday night’s trip to face the lowly Montreal Canadiens.
