Minnesota Wins 3rd Straight Beating Preds In OT

The Minnesota Wild are starting to put together a string of wins having won 3 straight with their 5-4 overtime win over the Nashville Predators, the Wild are one game under .500.

Marcel Goc opened the scoring at 7:20 of the first period, beating Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom on a pass out front from Martin Erat. Antti Miettinen and Cal Clutterbuck replied for the Wild. Clutterbuck scored his 5th goal after crushing Nashville defenseman Kevin Klein with a body check deep in the Predators' zone forcing a turnover that was picked up by Martin Havlat, who tipped a pass to Kyle Brodziak, who in turn passed to Clutterbuck as he moved to the Wild's net and Clutterbuck beat Pekka Rinne for the lead.

Preds' captain Jason Arnott scored his first of two goals on the night after a miscue between Backstrom and defenseman Marek Zidlicky. Nashville's Francis Bouillon shot the puck into the Wild's zone and Backstrom picked up the puck, passing to Zidlicky, who missed it. Speedy Steve Sullivan snapped up the puck passing quickly to right winger J.P. Dumont, who flipped a quick pass to Arnott who was parked to Backstrom's right. Arnott slammed in his 8th goal at 16:52.

Guillaume Latendresse restored Minnesota's lead about 30 seconds later, after the left winger forced a turnover in the neutral zone, crossed the Predators blue line and did a give and go with defenseman Kyle Brodziak. Latendresse held the puck moved to his left and snapped his 4th goal into Nashville's net with Rinne well out of the play. Both teams combined for a total of 27 shots in the first period.

In the 2nd, Sullivan tied the score at 8:27 with a wrist shot from just in from of Backstrom after the goalie stopped a shot from the slot by Klein. Arnott got his 2nd early in the third period to give Nashville the lead 4-3 and Sullivan was in on this one too, getting his 3rd assist (one goal, 3 assists).

Minnesota center Mikko Koivu tied the score at four-all 13 minutes into the 3rd period setting up overtime as Andrew Ebbett beat Rinne as the puck rebounded to the slot after Latendresse's two shots from Rinne's left were stopped by the Wild's netminder.

Minnesota hopes to extend their winning streak on Friday when they host the Anaheim Ducks, while the Predators head to Chicago the same day.