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Recap: Wild Steal 2-1 OT Win From Devils in Final Seconds

Date: March 22, 2023

By: Jonathan Heite

Thomas Tatar after the tough OT loss vs the Wild.

Elsa/Getty Images

In a tough, low-scoring contest, the New Jersey Devils (45-18-8) fell to the Minnesota Wild for the second and final time this season, 2-1, in overtime.

Matt Boldy, who was coming off a hat trick against the Washington Capitals this past Sunday, scored the game-winning goal with 1.3 seconds left in the extra period, after Jack Hughes hit the post on the other end of the ice.

It was a scoreless affair for most of the game, as Vitek Vanecek and Filip Gustavsson kept both opposing offenses off the scoresheet until Mason Shaw broke the stalemate 6:41 into the third period with a wraparound goal.

Connor Dewar and Oskar Sundqvist were credited with the assists, and a few minutes later, Timo Meier scored his 35th goal of the season to tie the matchup at one. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt secured the assists, as Meier delivered his own wraparound tally, which turned out to be Gustavsson’s only mistake of the night.

The Minnesota netminder finished the evening with a career-high 47 saves, and Vanecek ended with 27 saves.

The Devils also outshot the Wild, 48-29, and they went 0/3 on the power play, which included a good opportunity towards the end of regulation.

“Lately, we’ve been playing some really good defensive teams where there’s not a lot of space,” said Bratt. “I think there were some times, especially in the second and third periods, where we were gaining some momentum, tough how the game ended.”

Superstar left winger Kirill Kaprizov has been absent since March 8 due to injury, but Minnesota has been able to continue to pick up crucial points in the standings.

The Wild are currently tied with the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division (90 points). Next up is a Thursday night showdown in Philadelphia with the Flyers before heading back home for a two-game homestand against Chicago and Seattle.

After a Carolina 3-2 victory over the Rangers in regulation tonight, the Devils trail the Hurricanes by only two points in the race for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

New Jersey will next travel to Buffalo for a road showdown with the Sabres Friday, before hosting the Senators on Saturday. The Devils look to get back on the winning track and overtake Carolina for first place before the regular season ends on April 13.

Jonathan Heite is an Assistant Sports Director at WSOU and can be reached at jonathan.heite@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports, NHL, New Jersey Devils

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