The Wild started the same group for overtime Saturday as it did Friday when the Wild quickly picked up a 4-3 victory over the Ducks.
And although the team secured the same outcome, another 4-3 win against Anaheim at Xcel Energy Center, a new crew delivered.
Victor Rask turned a Matt Dumba stretch pass into a game-winning shot, unleashing the puck behind Ducks goalie Ryan Miller 2 minutes, 46 seconds into overtime for Rask's second goal in as many games.
"He makes plays," coach Dean Evason said of Rask, who reached the 10-goal mark with the tally. "There's lots of ice out there. He's such an intelligent player. He's one of those guys that is one step ahead. He's always thinking one step ahead."
The previous night, captain Jared Spurgeon and center Joel Eriksson Ek set up Kirill Kaprizov for the clincher. That trio was back on the ice again Saturday in overtime, but this time the game didn't end in the Wild's favor until Rask took the ice. He scored late into his shift with Dumba and winger Mats Zuccarello.
And while Rask usually anchors his line defensively at 5-on-5, his goal was yet another reminder of how effective he can be at the other end of the rink.
After scoring just five goals last season to go along with eight assists, Rask has been much more productive in 2021. Aside from his 10 goals, he also has 13 assists. His 23 points are the most since he had 31 with Carolina in 2017-18.
"We do feel very good about his game period," Evason said. "We have from the start. We made a commitment as an organization in the summer when we sat down as a management team we had to give a guy like him a shot. We talked about it. He needs to get an opportunity to play. He was given the opportunity. But more importantly he's taken it and run with it."
