Wild surge past Winnipeg Jets 6-5 in OT on Eriksson Ek's hat trick
Joel Eriksson Ek had a hat trick for Minnesota, tying the game with 59 seconds remaining in regulation and winning it on a power play in overtime to stun the Winnipeg Jets 6-5 in a raucous home opener for the Wild on Tuesday night.
Eriksson Ek, who signed an eight-year, $42 million contract this summer, scored the equalizer just 15 seconds after an empty-netter by Jets center Mark Scheifele was wiped out by an offside call that came from a replay challenge by Minnesota.
Instead of taking a two-goal lead to the locker room, the Jets were suddenly on their heels as the Wild finished the third period with an 18-5 shots advantage.
Josh Morrissey was called for holding Kirill Kaprizov near the midpoint of overtime, giving the Wild a 4-on-3. Eriksson Ek scored on a 3-on-1 rush to beat Connor Hellebuyck, who has given up 14 goals in three losses to start the season.
Hellebuyck stopped 38 shots on a rough night for the goalies. Cam Talbot made 25 saves for the Wild, none bigger than the denial of Logan Stanley on a 2-on-1 right before Eriksson Ek's winner.
Mats Zuccarello had two goals and two assists, Marcus Foligno scored on a power play with 4:58 left in regulation and Kaprizov had three assists for the Wild in this spirited renewal of the Central Division rivalry with the Jets.
Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist to fuel an eight-point night for Winnipeg's new first line without captain Blake Wheeler, who tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss at least three more games. Andrew Copp, who took Wheeler's place at right wing, added a goal and two assists and Mark Scheifele notched two assists.
Pierre-Luc Dubois had the tiebreaking goal early in the third period and Morrissey also scored for Winnipeg, which lost leads of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 5-3.
The first game between these teams in 653 days was as feisty and frenetic as ever, as if both sides were trying to make up for the lost time to the pandemic-tailored 2020-21 season that had the Jets facing only Canadian teams.
The Wild are playing at a faster pace now, with the reigning rookie of the year Kaprizov their new star after the buyouts of franchise anchors Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. With help from their not-so-gracious guests, they gave the fans in their first full house in 19 months quite a show.
Kaprizov was penalized for roughing halfway through a Wild power play in the first period, and as soon as he returned from the box he began tussling with Dubois.
Right after Eriksson Ek sneaked a wraparound past Hellebuyck to tie the game at 2 shortly before the first intermission, Foligno and Brenden Dillon dropped the gloves. Foligno used a kung-fu-style jump kick to jump start the fight and skated off the ice to a rousing ovation.
Zuccarello was credited with the strangest goal of the game when an ill-fated poke check by Hellebuyck caused the puck to glance off Morrissey and tie the game at 3 late in the second period. The Wild nearly took the lead in the closing seconds when Jonas Brodin's whack was smothered by Hellebuyck's stomach. Ryan Hartman pushed it in, but the officials ruled the play dead and disallowed the goal.
UP NEXT
The Jets play Anaheim on Thursday in their home opener.
The Wild host Anaheim on Saturday, as the Ducks wrap up a four-game trip.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.