#Preds win 6-5 on Ekholm goal, 1:45 into OT. #mnwild hosts Flyers on Tuesday. Be here: http://t.co/s6M5WE8xIX pic.twitter.com/UEI8fUdhU2
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 21, 2014
The Wild battled back from a two-goal deficit to tie the Predators and send their game into overtime Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center. But a goal by Mattias Ekholm with 3:15 remaining in OT gave Nashville the 6-5 win, according to NHL.com. It was Ekholm’s first goal of the season.
It was the third loss in a row for Minnesota (16-12-2).
The game was tied 3-3 after two periods, when Nashville scored two goals in the third to take a 5-3 lead.
But the Wild answered quickly with one of its own, when Zach Parise scored his second goal of the game as he tipped in a shot by Jason Pominville.
The Wild pulled goalie Niklas Backstrom (27 saves) late in the third and Thomas Vanek tied the game with 47.8 seconds remaining in regulation; it was his fifth goal of the season.
Starting goalie Darcy Kuemper allowed three Predator goals in the first period and was replaced by Backstrom. It was the fourth time in his past five home starts that Kuemper has been pulled. He missed his last start due to illness, the Star Tribune reports.
The Wild also played without center Mikael Granlund, who was scratched due to illness.
