Clutterbuck announces return with dramatic overtime winner

Jim Mone, Associated Press

Cal Clutterbuck sweeps a shot from ice level past Carolina defenseman Niclas Wallin to scores the winning goal in overtime.

The pesky forward, who was begging to play, scored while flat on the ice.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: October 25, 2009 - 12:15 AM

One night earlier, Cal Clutterbuck was in the St. Louis pressbox spotting for busy writers punching keyboards.

No wonder he walked into Wild coach Todd Richards' office Saturday morning and begged to play.

Expected to be out at least until December due to a high ankle sprain, Clutterbuck returned in only two weeks Saturday night and dramatically did his best Kirk Gibson impersonation.

Creating his usual ruckus all night both with his mouth and his energy, Clutterbuck scored his first career overtime winner while flat on the ice during a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I couldn't have probably dreamed it up any better," Clutterbuck said. "I'm just glad I was able to have some sort of impact on the game."

That he did.

Clutterbuck not only drew a late third-period, early-overtime power play by taking an elbow to the head from defenseman Joni Pitkanen, he hammered Pitkanen on a check earlier in the third.

As players began to skirmish, Clutterbuck stood in front of the Carolina bench and jawed at a half-dozen Hurricanes players.

"I was telling them, 'That's a pretty big hit, eh, for a guy on one foot. Imagine what I can do on two feet,' " Clutterbuck said, grinning.

In overtime, defenseman Greg Zanon barely missed scoring the winner when his point-blank try from the left circle rang the post. The puck ricocheted out, and as Clutterbuck made a diving, lunging stab at the puck with Niclas Wallin holding and laying on him, the puck hit Clutterbuck in the visor.

He turned and whacked blindly at the open net.

"Clutter had to really battle for that puck," Zanon said. "It went off the post. I don't know how it came straight out like that at the angle I was at."

The Wild (3-7) love overtime at home. All three victories have come at Xcel Energy Center and past 60 minutes.

"I think the fans like it, too. So far, so good," said goalie Niklas Backstrom, who was spectacular in a 21-save effort. "We showed some big ... big heart. Usually when you have that, the result is going to be good."

Backstrom, who played the night before in St. Louis, saved the Wild's bacon countless times. Late in the third, he calmly robbed Matt Cullen with the glove and Eric Staal on a shorthanded try. Earlier, he stopped Rod Brind'Amour's shorthanded breakaway and another Scott Walker shorthanded try.

But as many good chances as Backstrom faced, the Wild did a solid job in its own zone. Brent Burns, who had two assists, and partner Nick Schultz were outstanding.

"We just buckled in," Zanon said. "We talked about limiting our time in the zone and restarting from the faceoff."

Sergei Samsonov gave the Hurricanes an early 1-0 lead, but Andrew Brunette tied the score with his sixth goal in 10 games. Shane Hnidy, playing the power-play point for the Wild only because of Kim Johnsson's injury, set it up with his first career power-play assist.

The Wild took a 2-1 lead on Kyle Brodziak's first goal as a Wild, but Whitney set up Pitkanen on a 2-on-1 for a tying goal.

It was a solid victory for the Wild, which now hopes to end its 0-7 road skid this season Monday in Chicago.

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