As he battled through a nine-game goal drought, Wild center Eric Staal tossed 20 shots on net.
But not until a puck deflected off his shin pad did he finally snap out of his slump, an important finish en route to a 3-2 shootout win for the Wild over the Kings Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center.
"That's not the first time that's happened to me over my career," Staal said of the fortuitous bounce.
He was frustrated by the lack of execution, opening up about the disappointment after the Wild was blanked 4-0 by the Bruins last Tuesday. But Staal's work ethic didn't seem to wane.
"That's usually what happens," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "That's how it happens but if you don't keep shooting – my dad always used to tell me you get six, seven shots on goal a game, somehow one finds the back of the net. It doesn't matter how it goes in, but you seem involved when that happens. And when you're involved, you get opportunities."
SARAH MCLELLAN