Eriksson Ek’s buzzer-beater lifts Wild over Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. – After seeing a pair of multi-goal leads slip away a few nights earlier, the Minnesota Wild survived seeing a two-goal lead slip away Thursday night in South Florida. They took a two-goal lead into the third period at Amerant Bank Arena only to see the Florida Panthers tie it up.
But Joel Eriksson Ek’s dramatic game-winner with 4. 4 seconds on the clock made for a 3-2 win as the Wild downed the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. The Wild, who have now won three of their last five, got second period goals from Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman, which were among the byproducts of sending 49 shots at the Florida net.
Minnesota goalie Jesper Wallstedt finished with 18 saves, improving to 15-8-6 in his rookie season. The win came despite a busy night for Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov, who had 46 saves in the loss. The teams split their two-game season series, with the Panthers grabbing an overtime win in St.
Paul on Hockey Day Minnesota in January. But the two points may have come at a cost for the Wild, after captain Jared Spurgeon was injured in the third period and did not return. Minnesota got the game’s first power play and the second unit did everything but score, with Vladimir Tarasenko hitting the post with a long-range shot, and Marcus Johansson’s swipe at the rebound foiled by a sprawling arm save.
It was one of 19 shots Daniil Tarasov turned away in the opening period. Less busy, but equally vital, in the other end of the rink was Wallstedt, who foiled Mtthew Tkachuk’s solo rush to the net with a shoulder save to keep the game scoreless at the first intermission. But their 20th shot counted when Foligno – playing in his first game back after missing 14 of the previous 16 games – slipped a low shot past the goalie after linemate Yakov Trenin had fought off a challenge from a Florida defender to get Foligno the puck.