The Minnesota Wild saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday night, falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in overtime.
Pittsburgh struck early when Rickard Rakell scored 66 seconds into the game. But the Penguins gave the Wild life in the first period with three power play opportunities.
On their second chance, the Wild put pressure on Casey DeSmith with a scrum in front of the net. With bodies everywhere, Matt Dumba snuck the puck across the goal line to tie the game.
Is it a goal!?!? đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/gjCVn6wMqK
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) April 1, 2022
Although Dumba’s goal was the first power play marker for a Wild defenseman this season, Minnesota also had trouble staying out of the box. Those issues carried into the second period, which allowed Pittsburgh to take the lead back on a power play goal from Jake Guentzel.
The Penguins extended their lead later in the second when Rakell scored his second goal of the game off a give-and-go with Sidney Crosby. But after Jordan Greenway had a goal wiped off the board when Marcus Foligno was ruled offsides, Frederick Gaudreau gave the Wild a boost with his 10th goal of the season.
GAUDREAU GETS US BACK WITHIN ONE. #mnwild pic.twitter.com/gzfa3Sks5a
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 1, 2022
The Wild’s momentum continued into the third period when Kirill Kaprizov scored his 38th goal of the season. The marker set a franchise record with 14 goals in the month of March and tied Marian Gaborik’s single-season record from 2007-08 with 83 points.
DOLLA BILL KIRILL!!!!
KAPRIZOV TIES THE GAME AND TIES THE @mnwild RECORD FOR MOST POINTS IN A SEASON!!! pic.twitter.com/tG5Rx02Y5v
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) April 1, 2022
Kaprizov’s equalizer eventually sent the game into overtime. But the Penguins dominated the extra frame and Evgeni Malkin stuffed in a loose puck to help Pittsburgh escape with the victory.
Despite the loss, the Wild earned a point in the Central Division standings. With a three-point lead over the St. Louis Blues, the Wild will head on the road to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.
