The Minnesota Wild secured a playoff berth in a thrilling fashion, with Joel Eriksson Ek scoring the tying goal with 20.9 seconds remaining in regulation and Matt Boldy netting the winner in overtime to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Retiring goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made crucial saves in overtime, including during a 4-on-3 power play.
Eriksson Ek's goal, his 14th of the season, came off a pass from Boldy in the dying moments, with Lukas Dostal making an initial stop before the puck crossed the line. The Wild, holding the first wild card spot, will face Vegas in the Western Conference quarterfinals. Rookie Sam Colangelo had the go-ahead goal for the Ducks, who were eliminated from playoff contention earlier.
The Wild's victory marked their 18th win in 19 games against Anaheim. Minnesota, with a record of 45-30-7, displayed resilience down the stretch despite injuries to key players like Kirill Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek. Anaheim will conclude their regular season against Winnipeg, while Minnesota's playoff series in Vegas is set to begin over the weekend.