In St Paul, the Wild took a 1-0 lead into the third period on Thursday night, before yielding three straight goals to the Nashville Predators in a 3-2 loss.
“I really liked our start,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “It thought we dictated the pace of play. Got a little cute with the puck in the offensive zone. I think [in] the second (period) we got in a little penalty trouble, self-inflicted, lost a little bit of momentum and I thought we came out in the third, had a great third period.
“Unfortunate penalty call, and [we] let a power-play goal in, but all in all, a great effort. We knew it’d be a hard game. We knew that we’d be fighting for inches all night and we had big players make big plays in the third period for us.”
Juuse Saros made 22 saves in the win.
The Predators improved to 26-21-1.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead at 12:44 of the opening stanza off a strike by Joel Eriksson Ek off the power play.
The Wild dropped to 21-22-5 snapping a three-game win streak.
“I thought that we gifted them a couple goals there,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “One was a boxout. Forsberg tips it and then we’re coming into D-zone coverage and we have numbers and we drift to the puck and give them [a gift]. And even the third goal. I thought [it was a] hard-fought game.
“I didn’t think we were at our best. But I thought the goals that we gave up were attention to detail that if you’re going to win these games you have to have, and tonight we didn’t have it.”
Nashville finally got their offense rolling in the third period when Alexandre Carrier scored at 1:44 of the frame to tie the game, 1-1.
“The first one was a clear shot there on the blocker side,” Wild goal Filip Gustavsson said, “but the second was coming towards my stomach and Forsberg got his tape on it and it hit the post and [went] in.”
Filip Forsberg scored less than a minute later to give the Preds a 2-1 lead.
“We knew we just wanted to play the same as the first: playing fast, be in their face, put the puck deep and go on the forecheck,” Carrier said. “So, I think that’s what we did. Obviously, they got a little momentum at the end there, but ‘Juice’ was there, and the boys got big blocks.”
Roman Josi padded the lead with the eventual game-winner at 11:34 for a 3-1 advantage.
“I think it’s easy to get frustrated if you’re down 1-0 after the second,” Josi said. “You’re creating chances but not scoring. I thought we stuck with it and didn’t give them much in the third, and I felt like we played some good defense.”
Matt Boldy got one back for the Wild with a power play strike at 16:09 for the 3-2 final count on the scoreboard.
Filip Gustavsson made 25 saves in the loss.