Postgame Hat Trick: Wild 4, Predators 1

Wild.com's Dan Myers gives three takeaways from the Wild's 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Saturday night:

1. The Wild used an outstanding second period to erase a one-goal deficit and take the lead.
Minnesota needed about 20 minutes to get its legs back after a four-day layoff, as Nashville outshot the Wild 9-6 in the first period and led 1-0 on a goal by Ryan Johansen.
But the Wild came out blazing hot in the second, tying the game on a goal by Joel Eriksson Ek at the 2:50 mark then continuing to push the pace over the next 10-plus minutes.

After several highlight-reel saves by Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne kept the game tied, Minnesota took its first lead when Nino Niederreiter hammered away at his own rebound, popping the puck into the net for his 18th of the season.

2. The Wild continued the rebound parade minutes into the third period when Jason Zucker scored a milestone goal.
For Zucker, the goal was his 30th of the season and came after Eric Staal chipped him a pass in the left corner. Zucker charged toward the post, watching shot number one hit Rinne before he somehow stuffed a second try between the goaltender and the pipe.

In reaching the 30-goal mark, Zucker became just the sixth Wild player all-time to reach the plateau, joining Marian Gaborik, Brian Rolston, Zach Parise, Jason Pominville and Eric Staal.
It's the third time in franchise history the Wild has had two players reach at least 30 in the same season (Rolston and Gaborik did it twice) and first time since 2007-08.
Speaking of milestones, the victory was the 500th in the NHL coaching career of Wild bench boss Bruce Boudreau.
He becomes the 26th NHL coach to reach 500 victories and in doing so in 837 games, is the second-fastest to accomplish the feat (Scotty Bowman, 825). Boudreau ranks 10th amongst active NHL coaches in career wins.

3. The victory was a biggie for the Wild, as teams were closing in around them in the Western Conference.
A four-day respite didn't make it easy, as St. Louis, Colorado, Anaheim and Los Angeles all managed to creep closer and closer to the Wild in both the Central Division and in the Western Conference wild card standings.
Both the Blues and Avalanche scored victories earlier in the day on Saturday, with Colorado briefly pulling even with Minnesota in the Central standings and the surging Blues moving to within one point.
Saturday's win gave the Wild the smallest bit of breathing room: two points up on the Avs and three up on both the Blues and Ducks. St. Louis, based on its 39 victories in regulation or overtime, is currently the second wild card in the West.
Minnesota has one game in hand on Colorado, St. Louis and Anaheim.
Related:
- Boudreau Q&A on playoff hunt, layoff and more - Watch: Zucker's 30th of the season - Watch: Niederreiter scores on own rebound