Minnesota comes out on top in a 'wild' one at home

I'm really not sure what to think about the Minnesota Wild's 6-5 overtime win Sunday night at home over the Phoenix Coyotes. It was a very interesting game, and coach Todd Richards had it right in his post-game comments in saying, "it was like a movie."

I'll go with that.

Let's lay everything out from the beginning. We got to the Xcel Center extra early to enjoy our seats in the corner seven rows up from the glass. Seeing the boys up close for warm-ups was pretty cool. It also gave me a chance to get some nice photos of them in their green uniforms.

Cal Clutterbuck.

 The game started out alright. Nothing too earth-shattering, until the Coyotes got the first goal of the game. Then the people who made the intermission food dash a little early missed out. Andrew Brunette scored with 4.4 ticks remaining in the first to tie the game and give the Wild some life.

Not a bad second, for a change
Then came the second period, a frame the Wild have been known to forget about this season. We were a little worried too, since our seats were at the end where they would be looking to score during the second.

As it turned out, the second period might have been their best. Brunette scored his second of the night on the power play, and Nick Schultz fired one in from the point to give the Wild a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Back-and-forth third
Things got a little hairy in the third. The Wild seemed to once again forget that a hockey game is 60 minutes long, not less. They came out looking like a team that was trying not to lose, rather than win.

Wild goalie Jose Theodore.

Jose Theodore had to be good on a night when the Wild gave up 44 shots, tied for the most this season. So giving up five goals isn't a bad ratio. The problem was, the Coyotes scored two goals in a 13-second span early in the third to tie it a three.

Brent Burns got the lead back, which was followed by the Wild again sitting back on its heels. Phoenix wasn't done putting pucks in the net either. They tied it, and then the dagger came with just under three minutes to go for a 5-4 advantage.

The night looked to be over, but the scoring still wasn't done. With the extra attacker on the ice for a pulled Theodore, Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored with 26 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Talk about excitement.

Time for OT
While we were waiting for the OT to start, I said to my brother, "Well, somebody better score in overtime, otherwise we might as well leave if they get to a shootout." Negative? Maybe, but the Wild haven't proven they can win in shootouts this year.

Luckily, we didn't have to wait long. Cam Barker, of all people, was the big hero of the night. His shot from the point looked to be stopped by Phoenix goalie Jason LaBarbera, but the puck trickled through his pads for the win.

Pandemonium ensued at the X. It was a pretty wild win, and much needed.

Mikko Koivu.

Other notes
- Mikko Koivu had a banner night in his 400th game. He tied his career high with four assists, which gave him 201 for his career.

- After Brunette's second goal, I asked my brother if he was going to throw his NDSU hat on the ice should Bruno get the hat trick. The opportunity had never arisen for us before, being so close to the action, and he said he was "thinking about it."

- Martin Havlat was a minus-4 for the game.

- Despite the Wild's awful streak in shootouts, they are 4-1 this season in overtime contests.

- We were close enough to the ice that I could see Burns say "F*&@" after making a bad passing decision in the Wild zone.