Wild 3,Flames 2
CALGARY — Mikko Koivu scored the game-winner at 1:50 of overtime as the Minnesota Wild won 3-2 Wednesday night over the Calgary Flames.
Alone in the slot, Koivu took a pass from Charlie Coyle and moved in on Jonas Hiller and put a shot over his shoulder for his ninth goal of the season.
The Wild improved to 5-7 in overtime while the Flames fell to 11-4.
Justin Fontaine and Matt Dumba scored in regulation for Minnesota (29-21-7).
The Wild have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams lately going 11-2-2 in their last 15 to climb within one point of the San Jose Sharks, who hold down the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
Jiri Hudler and Lance Bouma scored for Calgary (32-22-4). The Flames are 6-2-1 in their last nine and with the point, move into sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division— one point up on Vancouver. The Canucks hold two games in hand.
Down 2-1, the Flames tied it at 10:14 of the third when Bouma fired a wrist shot from the wing that beat Devan Dubnyk inside the far goal post.
However, they could not complete the comeback as they have so many times this season with Dubnyk once again standing tall.
Dubnyk had 35 saves to improve to 11-2-1 since being acquired by Minnesota from Arizona.
The Wild took a 1-0 lead at 8:40 of the first period when Fontaine completed a pretty passing sequence with Coyle and Thomas Vanek, chipping a shot over the glove of Hiller.
Minnesota surged in front 2-0 less than three minutes later when Dumba carried the puck over the Flames blue-line and from the top of the face-off circle, wristed a shot into the top corner.
The Flames cut the deficit in half at 17:08 when Hudler deflected Dennis Wideman’s shot out of the air and through Dubnyk’s pads.
It was close to being a high-stick but ruled a goal on the ice and the call stood after video review.
The game featured two teams that have been flawless on the penalty kill lately, a trend that continued.
Notes: LW Michael Keranen was a scratch for Minnesota. He was called up from Iowa (AHL) in case Thomas Vanek was unable to play after picking up a minor injury in the last game... Out of the line-up for the Flames was Paul Byron (undisclosed injury).... Minnesota has scored first in 10 of its last 11 games while Calgary has allowed the first goal in 11 of its last 13.