NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored on a breakaway with 1.3 seconds left in overtime and Filip Gustavsson made a career-high 47 saves to give the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
“I knew I got out there within like a minute, so I knew it was kind of towards the end, but not really how much was actually left until I kind of turned away after the goal and heard the horn go off. But it was kind of nice when I knew for sure,” Boldy said. “I had time to make the move that I wanted to make, kind of make a read on the goalie coming in rather than trying to fire one."
Minnesota tied Dallas atop the Central Division with 90 points. New Jersey fell two points behind first-place Carolina in the Metropolitan Division, and the Hurricanes have two games in hand.
The game was a chippy, defensive struggle. After two scoreless periods, the Devils were outshooting the Wild 22-19.
“It was a tough game,” New Jersey forward Jesper Bratt said. “That’s how it’s going to be this time of year where two teams that are going to the playoffs — this is how it’s going to be. Not a lot of scoring chances, and tight defense all game, and obviously tough until the last second.”
Minnesota finally broke through 6:41 into the third when Mason Shaw scored his seventh goal of the season on a wraparound.
Timo Meier answered for the Devils five minutes later with his 35th goal of the season on a wraparound of his own.
“It was huge,” Bratt said of his teammate’s goal. “This is the time of year, and especially in the playoffs, where guys like that lift — and he’s been playing really well and I think as a group we’re starting to come together a little more with the chemistry and stuff and starting to find each other a little more. And he had a great effort on the goal there and got us back in the game.”
New Jersey was unable to convert on a late power play, and the teams went to overtime.
It was a back-and-forth five minutes of extra hockey, with both goaltenders making good saves.
“He’s looked comfortable to us throughout the whole game,” Wild coach Dean Evason said of Gustavsson. “Just looks like he looks right. He’s calm. He goes about his business."
After Jack Hughes hit the post for the Devils, the puck caromed right to Boldly for a breakaway and he beat the buzzer with his 23rd goal of the season.
“I heard the horn right after the goal, which honestly kind of surprised me,” Boldly said. “I wasn’t sure that there was that little bit of time left.”
Vitek Vanecek stopped 27 shots for New Jersey.
“It was a tight game,” Vanecek said. “It was 0-0, they scored in the third, we scored in the third, then they scored in overtime. ... It’s frustrating, but what are you going to do?”
NOTES: The Devils are 10-4 in overtime, while the Wild improved to 4-5.
UP NEXT
Wild: Play at Philadelphia on Thursday night.
Devils: Play at Buffalo on Friday night.
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