Game Recap: Wild 3, Predators 2 (OT)

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Marcus Johansson scored at 3:38 of overtime, and the Minnesota Wild overcame allowing a last-second goal in regulation to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2 at Grand Casino Arena on Tuesday.

After Predators goalie Justus Annunen knocked the net off its moorings, Johansson’s initial shot hit the left side of the net before he tapped the puck into where the net should have been. Video review by the NHL Situation Room supported the call on the ice that the actions of Annunen caused the net to be displaced prior to the puck crossing the goal line, resulting in the goal being awarded to Johansson.

“I didn’t know really what happened. Didn’t know if we were supposed to celebrate or not,” Johansson said. “Just kind of didn’t know what the call was going to be. When it’s pushed off like that, maybe it’s the right thing to do. But thankfully I put it in even though the net wasn’t there.”

With Annunen pulled for the extra attacker, Steven Stamkos tied it 2-2 for Nashville with 0.3 seconds left in the third period, scoring with a one-timer from high in the left face-off circle off a pass by Nick Blankenburg.

“I took a peek at the clock with about eight seconds left,” Stamkos said. “I knew any opportunity we’re going to have [would mean we’d need] to get the puck off quick. And we did a great job again of controlling the puck. We had some looks, some retrievals, some battles and just tried to get a shot off. Got a nice pass from ‘Blankie’ and nice to see that go in.”

Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist, Brock Faber had two assists, and Johansson added an assist for the Wild (5-6-3), who won their second straight. Filip Gustavsson made 32 saves.

“I mean, you want to get two points,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “It’s the first time we won back-to-back games. I liked the way we gathered ourselves after the second in the third. But I would say that the takeaway from a coaching perspective is that we understand we got the two points, which is important, but then there’s also dynamics of the game that we’d like to address prior to the (next) game.”

Matthew Wood scored, and Annunen made 22 saves for the Predators (5-6-4), who have lost five of six (1-3-2). They were coming off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.

“We were just having trouble scoring a little bit, but we hung in there,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “It was good to get a point. I would have liked to [have] gone to [the] shootout or play a little bit longer.”

Kaprizov gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead on the power play at 10:44 of the first period, scoring with a wrist shot from the top of the slot. He has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past six games.

Wood tied it 1-1 at 5:16 of the second period with a backdoor tap-in off a Michael McCarron backhanded feed after Wild forward Tyler Pitlick fanned on the puck in his own zone.

Buium then put Minnesota ahead 2-1 on the power play at 16:01, redirecting a Faber point shot in the low slot.

“Found a way to get two points,” Buium said. “So, I think that’s the big thing. Obviously, we didn’t play the way we wanted to, but at the same time you’ve got to find a way to win every game. So, we found a way tonight.”

NOTES: Stamkos scored his sixth career game-tying goal in the final minute. The only players with more are Phil Esposito (eight), Alex Ovechkin (eight), Evander Kane (eight), Dave Andreychuk (eight), Teemu Selanne (seven), Marian Hossa (seven), Anze Kopitar (seven) and Brendan Shanahan (seven). … Nashville outshot Minnesota 14-4 in the second period. … Johansson extended his point streak to an NHL career-high six games (eight points; five goals, three assists). … Buium, a 19-year-old in his first NHL season, scored his third goal. Nick Schultz (four in 2001-02) is the only defenseman in franchise history to score more in a season as a teenager.