Postgame Hat Trick: Wild 3, Predators 2 (OT)

Dan Myers gives three takeaways from the Wild's 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville:

1. Minnesota extended its franchise-record winning streak to 11 games when Jared Spurgeon scored the game-winning goal with 2:14 remaining in overtime.
It capped a heck of a game by Jordan Schroeder, who dished out a beauty of an assist to set up Spurgeon's winner.
Entering the offensive zone 2-on-1, Schroeder cruised down the right-wing wall and perfectly centered a no-look pass right onto the tape of the Wild defenseman, who blasted a one-timer past an outstretched Pekka Rinne for the deciding goal.
"I was surprised, to be honest," Schroeder said when asked about being chosen to play in the extra session. "I was excited. I wanted to go out there and make it happen. Fortunately, I was able to make that pass to Spurgeon and he was able to put it home."
Schroeder, who has spent most of the season in Iowa, finished perhaps his best game in a Wild uniform with two assists, including helpers on each of Minnesota's last two goals.
His mere presence on the ice in overtime came after the fourth-line winger forced his way into a bigger role with his quality play all night long. After playing well through the first 40 minutes, Schroeder was even promoted to the top line during spurts in the scoreless third period.
"When you get the opportunity to move up, you want to try and take advantage of it," Schroeder said. "It's fun playing that way, playing with confidence.
"I don't want to blend in."

The two-point game was Schroeder's fourth multi-point effort in the NHL and first since he had two assists against Vancouver on Feb. 16, 2015.
"First of all, I thought he was playing well," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "With his speed, I thought in the overtime, you give him a chance and he might get a breakaway. As long as he plays within the confines of what we want to do, he's going to get opportunities to score."
2. Wild forward Zach Parise returned to the lineup after missing two games with illness and provided some early offense.
Parise, who has been battling a pesky case of strep throat, missed the final pair of games before the holiday break but got back in the goal column on Tuesday, tipping a point blast by Matt Dumba past Rinne at 5:53 of the first period to give the Wild a 1-0 lead.
"They're always great feelings. I thought I could've had a couple more; I don't want to get too greedy," Parise said. "But our line had some really good looks, some good chances and I thought we did a really good job."

The combination of both injury and illness has prevented Parise from getting into a consistent groove so far this season, but the Wild has persisted anyway, improving to 22-8-4 on the season. Its 48 points through 34 games are the most in franchise history.
If Parise can put his ailments behind him and begin to look like the Parise of old, Minnesota will have yet another weapon at its disposal during the second half.
Tuesday was a good start.
"He was good. He gave more than I thought he would be able to give, coming off of an illness and not being on the ice for five days," Boudreau said. "Great tip in front and I thought he was strong on the puck."
3. Boudreau spoke following Tuesday's morning skate about the importance of special teams and the kinds of momentum they can create within a game.
It took about six minutes for that to come to fruition.
Nino Niederreiter took a high sticking penalty just 16 seconds into the game, allowing the home-standing Predators (15-13-6) a chance to gain some early momentum. Instead, Minnesota allowed one shot and came away unscathed.
Given its first power play chance a couple of minutes later, the Wild capitalized when Parise -- camped out in front of Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne -- deflected a bomb from the point by Dumba, giving the Wild a 1-0 edge at 5:53.
The Wild power play, which has been inconsistent this season, has been on the upswing of late and has now converted in five of the past six games.
On the flip side, Minnesota's penalty kill has now killed 30 of its opponents' 32 opportunities during the Wild's 11-game winning streak (93.8 percent).

Loose Pucks

• Goaltender Devan Dubnyk finished with 28 saves and won his ninth straight start, extending his career best and setting a new Wild franchise record (Niklas Backsrom, 8, 2013).
• Dubnyk has backstopped the Wild to at least a point in 13 straight games and leads the NHL in goals against (1.58) and save percentage (.947). He has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 consecutive starts.
• Minnesota's six-game winning streak on the road is the third-longest in franchise history, and it has points in 10 of its past 11 away from Xcel Energy Center.
• Eric Staal, who assisted on Chris Stewart's second-period goal, extended his point-scoring streak to eight games (5-6=11), his longest such streak since he scored in 11 straight games from Jan. 24-Feb. 14, 2003.

He Said It

"It's great. I kind of thrive off of that with the open space and speed and was able to take advantage of it." -- Wild forward Jordan Schroeder on being able to use his speed and skill with all of the open ice available during 3-on-3 overtime

They Said It

"We need to find a way to be ready to play. We have to be ready right away. [We didn't score on an early power play] and they scored right after. That's not the way we want to start the game, and we'd rather play with the lead." -- Predators forward Filip Forsberg on Nashville's slow start

Dan's Three Stars

* Jordan Schroeder
\\ Charlie Coyle
\\* Jared Spurgeon