Matt Boldy helps Wild outlast Flames in shootout

Field Level Media|published: Thu 14th December, 23:09 2023

Dec 14, 2023; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Calgary Flames center Connor Zary (47) is challenged by Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian (24) in the first period at Xcel Energy Center. credits: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Boldy scored a goal in regulation and netted the decisive goal in the shootout round to lift the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the visiting Calgary Flames on Thursday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Mats Zuccarello also scored during the shootout for Minnesota, which won for the sixth time in eight games since John Hynes took over as coach. Marco Rossi joined Boldy with the Wild's other goal in regulation.

Filip Gustavsson turned aside a final shot by Nazem Kadri in the shootout round. Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman scored in regulation for the Flames, who collected one point.

The Flames fired 37 shots during regulation and overtime, with Gustavsson stopping 35 of them.

Calgary goaltender Dan Vladar turned aside 30 of 32 shots during regulation and overtime.

Minnesota opened the scoring 4:42 into the first period. Boldy handled the puck in the right circle and ripped a wrist shot past Vladar's glove side.

The play marked Boldy's eighth goal in 20 games this season. The highly touted 22-year-old out of Boston College started off slowly but has scored seven goals in his past eight games.

Calgary evened the score at 1-1 on a power-play goal with 6:42 remaining in the second period. Elias Lindholm sent a pass across the front of the crease for Sharangovich, who punched a shot past Gustavsson for his 10th goal of the season.

Sharangovich became the Flames' first player to reach double-digit goals this season. The Belarus native has scored five goals in his past four games.

Calgary claimed a 2-1 lead thanks to a short-handed goal with 15:47 to go in the third period. Coleman attempted a pass across the front of the crease, and the puck deflected off the skate of Wild defenseman Brock Faber and into the net.

Coleman received credit for his ninth goal on the play.

Forty-five seconds later, the Wild pulled even at 2-2. Rossi pounced on a long rebound and blasted a slap shot from the left circle past Vladar for his 10th goal of the season.

—Field Level Media