A banged up, struggling Colorado team defeated the Wild 4-3 in a shootout Thursday night at the Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota original top line of Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Dany Heatley was reunited for the first time in weeks, and they came through as Parise and Koivu scored goals.
Parise’s seventh goal of the season tied the game at one midway through the second period, but the Wild entered the third-period trailing, 2-1.
Mike Rupp tied the game 2-2 with his first goal with the Wild just 2:30 into the third. The crazy part about Rupp’s goal was this:
Amazing stat by @rstanzel. Mike Rupp has scored in 22 buildings. He has 54 goals
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 15, 2013
Later in the third Mikko Koivu scored on a backhand to give the Wild a 3-2 lead. The lead was short-lived. 46-seconds later Matt Duchene’s wrap-around attempt deflected off a sliding Jared Spurgeon and into the Minnesota goal, tying the game at three.
They went to overtime and eventually a shootout, where the Avalanche easily won.
Wild Shootout Results: Parise (missed), Koivu (missed).
Avs Shootout Results: Milan Hejduk (scored), Duchene (scored winner).
Minnesota is now 6-6-2 on the season.
