Takeaways: Wild fall in overtime to Predators in last home game before World Junior Tournament

The Wild will have to wait until the new year to try to rediscover their winning ways at home.

Before turning over Grand Casino Arena to the World Junior Championship and simultaneously going on a seven-game road trip, the Wild were downed 3-2 in overtime by the Predators on Dec. 23, but will remain third in the NHL going into the holiday break.

Nashville’s Steven Stamkos broke a 2-2 tie 53 seconds into 3-on-3 OT, crashing the net to redirect in a pass from former Wild forward Erik Haula after a parade of penalties in the first and second had the Wild rallying.

“The game was a little on and off,” goaltender Filip Gustavsson said. “A lot of penalties. A lot of just stoppages and 4-on-4, 5-on-4, both ways.

“It felt like I had to battle to get the feeling there after the first period.”

Joel Eriksson Ek delivered the 2-2 equalizer for the Wild, and Brock Faber also scored in his 200th career game. Gustavsson finished with 26 saves as his five-game win streak came to an end; the Predators’ Juuse Saros made 30 stops.

This is two losses in a row for the Wild, who previously had their seven-game win streak end in a fatigued 5-1 letdown to the Avalanche.

“This was a hard game,” coach John Hynes said. “So, I think it’s good we get a few days of rest.”

After a day off following the Colorado game, the Wild started with better energy and pace in their play.

Case in point: Quinn Hughes cut through the neutral zone before accepting a return pass and dropping the puck to Faber for a seeing-eye one-timer 7 minutes into the first period.

But the Wild were trailing Nashville before the period ended because the Predators cashed in on two power plays.

First, Gustavsson denied a between-the-legs attempt from Luke Evangelista, but Ryan O’Reilly backhanded in the rebound at 14:28.

Then, 2:39 later, Roman Josi flung a puck by Gustavsson’s glove from outside the top of the circles.

“I just don’t read the shot good enough to stop it,” Gustavsson said.

That deficit, though, didn’t stick with the Wild for long.

Just 52 seconds into the second period and during a delayed Nashville penalty, Eriksson Ek sent both teams back to the drawing board when he got on the end of a rebound for his fifth goal in the last nine games.

The Wild didn’t stay out of the penalty box the rest of the night.

But the Wild’s penalty kill finally fended off the pressure, with Gustavsson turning aside four shots on Nashville’s last chance; the Wild power play was 0-for-3, although Eriksson Ek’s goal came in a 6-on-5 situation.

“Special teams need to get cleaned up,” Faber said.

A high stick against Ryan Hartman went uncalled late in the third period, costing the Wild a power play.

In overtime, Gustavsson stopped Stamkos’ first try to get a whistle.

But the Wild lost the ensuing faceoff, and the Predators seized possession and eventually set up Stamkos for a do-over that he didn’t miss.

BOXSCORE: Nashville 3, Wild 2 (OT)

NHL standings

This is the first time the Wild have dropped back-to-back home games since Oct. 28-30.

Despite a wide gap between the two teams in the standings, the Predators challenged the Wild.

They funneled pucks and bodies in front of Gustavsson, and Nashville’s forecheck prevented the Wild from easily exiting their zone. As a result, it was tough for the Wild to transition with speed, and they had to battle for their own zone time.