On Saturday evening, the Minnesota Wild staged a thrilling comeback to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 during overtime at Little Caesars Arena. With just 1:25 remaining in the extra period, Marco Rossi broke free from the penalty box and capitalized on a breakaway opportunity, slotting the puck past the Red Wings' goalie, Cam Talbot, sealing the victory for the Wild.
The match began with the Red Wings taking control early. Alex DeBrincat opened the scoring with a deft backhander during the first period, sending the home crowd to their feet. The Wild struggled to find their rhythm, and when Dylan Larkin netted another for Detroit late in the second period, it seemed the Red Wings would have the upper hand, leading 2-0.
Just when it looked bleak for Minnesota, they sparked back to life. Vinnie Hinostroza answered with their first goal, taking advantage of a power play opportunity. His effort brought the Wild back within one goal, and with momentum shifting, Matt Boldy soon followed suit, contributing to the Wild's rally.
Despite their renewed strength, the Wild found themselves trailing again when Lucas Raymond scored for Detroit shortly after the third period commenced, pushing the score to 3-1. Minnesota, undeterred, clawed back with Boldy's second goal of the night, cutting the deficit to just one.
With time running low, Wild head coach Dean Evason made the decision to pull veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for the extra skater. The gamble paid off when Marcus Foligno tied the game with just 1:31 left on the clock, stunning the Red Wings and their supporters.
The stage was set for overtime, and the atmosphere was electric as both teams took to the ice with adrenaline pumping. Just after exiting the penalty box, Rossi was positioned perfectly for the breakaway, where he delivered the game-winning shot, cementing the Wild's comeback as one for the ages.
This remarkable victory marked the Wild's third consecutive win as they improved their record to 34-19-4, showing resilience without their leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, who has been on long-term injured reserve with injury. Marc-Andre Fleury, at age 40, played his 1,045th career game, surpassing Roberto Luongo to rank second on the NHL's all-time list for games played by goaltenders, only trailing Martin Brodeur.
Conversely, the Detroit Red Wings faced their second consecutive loss, falling to 0-1-1 since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Although Larkin’s power-play goal was significant—tying him for the league lead with 13 this season—his team couldn’t secure the win.
The stage is set for the Wild and Red Wings to face off again this coming Tuesday night, as Minnesota looks to leverage their recent momentum against the same opponent.