Wild defeat Ducks in OT 2-1

These are the types of games that the Minnesota Wild need to win if they are to return to the post-season.

Facing a Ducks team that had won six out of eight games in November the Wild were victorious Wednesday night defeating Anaheim 2-1 in overtime.

Once again the Wild got off to a great start out shooting Anaheim 11 to 4 in the 1st period. Anaheim would get on the board first however in the 2nd period when Teemu Selanne scored on the power play to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

That lead would only last 1:38 before the Wild tied it up on a backhand shot by Martin Havlat. It was Havlat's 2nd straight home game with a goal.

Anaheim would out shoot the Wild 16-2 in the 3rd period but were unable to convert any of their chances due to the play of Niklas Backstrom in net.

In the overtime the Wild outshot the Ducks and scored the game winner when Antti Miettinen's initial shot ricocheted off of Ducks goaltender Curtis McElhinney & then off of Miettinen's shoulder into the back of the net.

The goal was reviewed to make sure it was legit but Miettinen wasn't worried that it would be overturned.

"I was pretty sure they were going to allow it right away because I was just skating pretty fast that way," said Miettinen, "So that was the motion that put the puck in, not anything else."

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle thought his club played one of their best games of the season despite the first period but was disappointed to come away with only one point on the night.

"I think it's frustrating for the players. They worked hard and gave us everything they had. We got the game into overtime. We were a little frustrated that we didn't get the extra point from the standpoint we were pretty good in the third period."

It was another game where the Wild got off to a great start but found a way to win despite not finishing strong.

"We're staying in games, but we can't be too fooled by ourselves either," Todd Richards said. "We're finding ways to win, you've got to give the guys credit for that. But we have to be better. We have to be more consistent in our play."

How big of a win was this for the Wild? Going into Wednesday's game they had 18 points and were 10th in the Western Conference even though they had won four of their last six games.

Anaheim had 22 points on the season with 13 of those points coming in the last eight games. This is one of the teams in the West that the Wild are going to have to finish ahead of if they want to make a return to the post-season.

The win moves the Wild to 9-6-2 on the season while the Ducks are now 10-8-3 on the season. 

GAME NOTES : 

Niklas Backstrom had 27 saves in the game and is now 8-4-2 on the season with a 1.90 GAA and a .938 save %

The Game winning goal was Miettinen's 5th of the season and his first career overtime game winner.

It was the first overtime game winner for the Wild since Kyle Brodziak scored against Philadelphia on March 25th of last season.

Marco Scandella picked up his first point in the NHL with an assist on Miettinen's goal. He logged a career high 21:09 ice time during the game.

Martin Havlat now has eight points (2G, 6A) in his last seven games for the Wild. He has 14 points (2G, 12A) which is second on the team.

Minnesota is 6-2-1 in home games this season. On the season the Wild is 2-0-1 against the Pacific Division.