Stars' big mistake seals a victory for Wild

Losing a big lead wasn't a crusher for the Wild, which got a gift of a winner.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: November 8, 2009 - 12:03 PM

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Maybe it was divine justice.

Early in the second period Saturday night, Wild defenseman Nick Schultz picked the corner like your typical goal-scorer.

Slight problem: Schultz's shot was into his own net, and it triggered a Dallas Stars rally from two goals down.

But things evened up pretty marvelously for the Wild. Like Schultz, Stars defenseman Nicklas Grossman hit the wrong bull's-eye, only Grossman's pinpoint accuracy into his own net turned out to be Marek Zidlicky's winning goal for a 3-2 Wild victory at an overstuffed Xcel Energy Center.

"That's the second one I've put in my own net. It was a pure snipe," Schultz said, laughing. "But it's nice you can talk about someone else putting it into his own net, not just me."

Justice prevailed, though, because the Wild prevailed in its best 60-minute performance of the season.

Loui Eriksson scored two power-play goals in the second period to tie the game after the Wild's first two-goal first period at home this season. But even after the Stars' goals, the Wild didn't go into their standard 10-minute funk. While clinging to a one-goal lead in the third, the Wild, which outshot Dallas 11-7 in the final period and 37-21 in the game, didn't go into its standard sitting-back mode.

"It was our best performance. Everybody was going," coach Todd Richards said.

Said winger Chuck Kobasew: "It's just a matter of getting off to a good start, about putting 60 minutes together with consistency. We have spurts in games where we look great. We just can't let up."

The Wild did lose veteran Petr Sykora in the third period. It appears he hit his head into the boards after being hit hard by Steve Ott.

The Wild generated momentum on two early, yet scoreless power plays, but with Brent Burns in the box for four minutes, Cal Clutterbuck scored his first career shorthanded goal.

Clutterback jumped past Stars defenseman Trevor Daley, who tried to step up at the blue line and triggered a 2-on-1. With Mikko Koivu slapping his stick on the ice, Clutterbuck fired the riser he shoots all the time in practice past goaltender Alex Auld.

"Typical Koivu, eh?" Clutterbuck joked. "The defenseman was sliding, so unless I threw a 10-foot saucer, I don't think he's getting the puck. Good decoy, though."

Koivu would get his goal, after Zidlicky first crossed him a pass, then outmuscled Eriksson behind the net to free the puck.

But nothing's ever easy, and the Stars tied it in the second. But the Wild kept coming and regained a 3-2 lead late when Grossman put in Zidlicky's centering attempt for Zidlicky's first goal of the season.

"You don't always like to see your defensemen from behind their net throwing pucks out front, but a positive result," Richards said.

It was fitting. Zidlicky was fabulous in all three zones. In the third, he was also in great position to deny a Dallas redirection on a power play and checked a rushing Jamie Benn to free the puck later.

"That was his best game. He was great," Richards said. "He made plays offensively, but probably where he was best was retrieving pucks and playing the rush."

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