Jason Zucker, the third second-round pick taken by the Wild in the 2011 draft, scored only five seconds into overtime Sunday night to lift the Houston Aeros over the best team in the American Hockey League, the Abbotsford Heat, 3-2.
According to the AHL, Zucker's goal tied an AHL record for the fastest overtime goal in league history. Zucker's goal tied the record set by Dave Saatzer of the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in 1980 and Chris Corrinet of the Portland Pirates in 2002.
Zucker took Johan Larsson's pass off the opening draw and beat goalie Danny Taylor with a nasty wrister. Barry Brust, the former Wild minor-leaguer who Saturday broke the AHL record for longest shutout streak, didn't play.
For Zucker, it was his team-best ninth goal, which is tied for ninth in the AHL and tied for first among AHL rookie forwards.
Red-hot Justin Fontaine, who also scored the winning goal with 2:13 left in Friday's win over San Antonio and scored a big goal at the X last Sunday, and David McIntyre also scored against Abbotsford. Zucker scored in the game vs. San Antonio, too. The Aeros have won three straight.
Brett Bulmer sustained a lower-body injury vs. the Heat. Didn't look good, according to tweets from those on the scene. He is having an MRI tomorrow, Aeros GM Jim Mill said. Darcy Kuemper was back with the team and on the bench. Kuemper was reassigned to ECHL Orlando to get a game Friday because he hadn't played in awhile. Mikael Granlund is back in Houston and continues to progress, Mill says.
The Aeros next host Oklahoma City on Thursday
Also, the Gophers' men's hockey team swept Vermont this weekend. Adam Wilcox gave up two goals in 5-1 and 3-1 wins. They're now 9-2-2 and play Nebraska-Omaha Friday and Saturday at Mariucci. UNO is 6-0 in its past six; Minnesota is 4-0-2 in its past six.
