Wild arrive late due to traffic, beat Devils 3-2 in shootout
Minnesota Wild left wing Kevin Fiala (22) scores a goal against New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) in a shootout during an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov.24, 2021, in Newark, N.J. The Wild defeated the Devils 3-2 in a shootout.[(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)]
Kevin Fiala scored the lone goal in a shootout, Cam Talbot made 42 saves and the Minnesota Wild beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Wednesday night after arriving late to the arena because of traffic.
The game was delayed 24 minutes after the Wild got stuck in a Manhattan traffic jam with the Holland Tunnel closed. The team bus did not arrive until 6:26 p.m. and the start was pushed back to 7:33 p.m.
Minnesota scored two first-period goals before the Devils overcame the 2-0 deficit in the third to send the game to overtime.
Dmitry Kulikov assisted on Ryan Hartman’s goal to open the scoring 12:10 into the first period and give the Wild a 1-0 lead. Nico Strum scored at 19:06, making it 2-0 at the first intermission.
The Devils cut the lead in half early in the third when Pavel Zacha scored to make it 2-1 at 3:08.
New Jersey tied it with six skaters on the ice when Yegor Sharangovich scored at 18:53 to make it 2-all.
The Wild ended a two-game skid and remained atop the Central Division.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves in the loss. The Devils were 0 for 4 on the power play, including a two-man advantage in the third period, when Talbot had three saves.
The Devils fell to 1-3 in shootouts this season, while the Wild improved to 2-1.
NOTES: New Jersey center Chase De Leo made his debut for the Devils. He played nine shifts and 5:30.
UP NEXT
Wild: Host the Winnipeg Jets on Friday afternoon.
Devils: At the Nashville Predators on Friday night.