On a tension-filled Saturday night, the Minnesota Wild clawed back spectacularly with Marco Rossi netting the game-winner 3:05 into overtime, lifting the team to a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The win wasn't just another tick in the column for the Wild; it served as a historic moment for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who notched his 551st career win, catapulting him to tie with the legendary Patrick Roy for second all-time among NHL netminders.
551 looks good on ya 🌸#mnwild pic.twitter.com/smpQlKU8dO
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 7, 2024
Tied with an icon, Fleury, who made 25 saves, including a critical one late in the third that nearly dashed the Wild's hopes, now shares a slab in the NHL history books with one of his idols. "Catching Patrick is an honor, a guy I look up to growing up. In the moment I was happy to get the win here for the boys," Fleury said in a statement obtained by CBS News Minnesota. The victory, however, was a team effort, as Minnesota bounced back from three one-goal deficits throughout the tussle with Columbus.
Adding to the night's drama were the power-play theatrics of Matt Boldy who blasted two past Blue Jackets' goaltender Daniil Tarasov. Meanwhile, Marcus Johansson found the net in a pivotal moment, tying the game late in the third, and Brock Faber dished out two assists, marking his fourth multi-point game of the season, as reported by NBC4i.
On the Columbus side, Cole Sillinger stood out with his hat trick, his second to date, showing individual brilliance despite the team's loss. Disaster nearly struck late in the game as Fleury left for an extra skater and was forced to respond to a Columbus offensive, making a diving stop to prevent what looked like a sure Blue Jackets goal. It was then Johansson who slipped the puck through Tarasov with just 1:32 left on the clock set up Rossi's overtime heroics, as detailed by NBC4i.
The Wild are looking to ride this wave into their next game as they host Dallas on Monday night, hoping to bank further on the momentum. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets will eye a bounce-back when they hit the road to face Winnipeg on Tuesday.
