Minnesota Wild edge Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in overtime -NHL Match Update
After having the match firmly gripped in their hands, Minnesota made a huge comeback by scoring in the final minute of the third period to level and another in overtime to take the match as the Wild stunned the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, Tuesday night, November
1, 2011, at the sold-out Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, United States.
The Red Wings had gotten off to a great start in the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season by winning their first five games in a row, but now have lost as many ever since.
"We got off to a good start and we've lost five games in a row", Detroit coach, Mike Babcock, said. "We got a point tonight, but the reality is that we're not being good enough. We're going to have to fix it".
Nicklas Lidstrom scored the opening goal of the matchup six minutes into the inaugural period for his third of the season. Failing to capitalise on their only penalty of the period in the first four minutes, Detroit managed to kill their own as the Red Wings
gave two added man advantages straight to the Minnesota Wild following Lidstrom’s goal.
Tomas Holmstrom, Todd Bertuzzi and Johan Franzen gave three straight power play chances to Minnesota after being called for various penalties, but Detroit managed to kill all five in the first two periods.
Killing another three penalties, Detroit was one minute away from getting their first win in four contests but Minnesota’s captain, Mikko Koivu, took charge and scored the equaliser exactly at the 19:00 mark for his first of the season and to force an overtime
extension, giving the Wild a sigh of relief as they would be given another chance.
"He was an absolute force. He was a beast out there," Minnesota Wild head coach, Mike Yeo, said about Koivu.
Johan Franzen went out again during the overtime period, giving Minnesota an ample opportunity of making the game-winner, which is exactly what the Wild did as Koivu set up Devin Setoguchi for his fourth of the season to take the match.
"I was in front, he made the pass and I put it in", said Setoguchi of Koivu’s assist to him.
Minnesota hopes to extend their two-game winning streak when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, while Detroit Red Wings play the Calgary Flames at home the same day.
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