Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury sighed while Kirill Kaprizov laughed through a grin.
Two different expressions, but they relayed the same sentiment: relief.
The Wild won't be the last team to win in the NHL this season, not after they rallied to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Thursday in front of 17,323 at Xcel Energy Center to nix their season-opening three-game losing streak.
"It's no pressure now," Kaprizov said. "A little bit easy."
Kaprizov snapped the slump, scoring 3 minutes, 2 seconds into overtime after lifting in his own rebound during a delayed Vancouver penalty that allowed the Wild to set up in a 4-on-3 advantage.
The goal capped a 59-second shift for Kaprizov, whose fifth career overtime tally sealed his third point of the night. Add in another minute-long skate to start, and Kaprizov was on the ice for almost two-thirds of the extra session.
"Just emotion," Kaprizov said about how he felt after the goal before adding, "a little bit tired."
The winger also helped the Wild get to overtime, setting up linemate Mats Zuccarello on the power play 8:31 into the third period. Calen Addison factored into the play and later the game-winner, his fifth and sixth assists of the season.
But Marc-Andre Fleury's play in the period also was key. Seven of his 23 saves came in the third, and he was especially locked in during a Canucks power play.
"Guys did a great job blocking shots and helping out around the net," said Fleury, who was back in action for the first time since he was pulled during a 7-6 loss to the Kings on Saturday.
Overall, Fleury made six stops in two shorthanded situations.
"He wanted that opportunity, and obviously he was game-saving on the penalty kill," coach Dean Evason said.
The finish wasn't all that was new for the Wild. For the first time this season the team established a lead, ending a three-game drought 4:37 into the first period on Zuccarello's first goal of the evening. He and Kaprizov are tied for the team lead with four; Zuccarello also finished with three points.
"At least that's the step in the right direction: We got the lead in a game," Ryan Hartman said.
But the Wild didn't stay in control. Just 3:21 later, Bo Horvat converted on a redirect in front, and by 16:47, the Wild were down after Nils Aman drove to the net for his first career goal.
Although they tied the Canucks with 1 minute left in the first, a Sam Steel one-timer off a Kaprizov pass, the Wild struggled to rediscover that early edge and fell behind again at 13:37 of the second when Dakota Joshua put back his own rebound.
In the third period, though, the Wild's demeanor changed, and they went on to pick up their league-leading 17th overtime win dating back to last season. Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko made 33 stops.
The Canucks are the only winless team in the NHL, a 0-3-2 skid that has kept coach Bruce Boudreau one victory shy of his 600th.
"We came in here between the second and third and just told each other, 'Enough talking about it,'" Hartman said. "'We've been talking and saying all the right things. We haven't just gone out and done it. We said, 'Enough talking. Let's go finish the job.'"
Still, the team didn't exit the ice unscathed. Jordan Greenway, who was making his season debut after offseason shoulder surgery, left early due to an upper-body injury.
Evason said this wasn't the same injury as before for Greenway, and he ruled the winger out for Saturday's game at Boston.
That's the start of a five-game road trip for the team and after this performance against the Canucks, the Wild ensured they wouldn't be taking the funk that followed them through the first week of the season with them.
"Everybody kind of got tense, right? Not being ourselves," Fleury said. "Just to be relaxed and smile and having fun playing the game and working, it's good. It's good to see everybody laugh. We just gotta keep building on it."
