COLUMBUS, OHIO – Marco Rossi slayed the Wild's losing streak, his first career overtime goal appropriately squeaking by Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov after the rookie hauled the puck halfway up the ice.
Wild's improbable 4-3 comeback over Blue Jackets puts end to losing streak, gets Marc-Andre Fleury milestone
Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's wow-moment play led to the tying goal late in regulation and Marco Rossi won it to put Fleury into a tie for second in all-time wins in NHL history.
January 7, 2024 at 5:05AM
But the team's celebration congregated around Marc-Andre Fleury.
The goaltender tied Patrick Roy for the second-most wins in NHL history after the Wild rallied 4-3 against Columbus on Saturday at Nationwide Arena for Fleury's 551st victory.
Only Martin Brodeur (691) is ahead of Fleury.
"You know what? I was just happy to win tonight," Fleury said. "The guys have been working hard. We've been missing a few guys, a lot of guys. We obviously need points in the standings. Obviously catching Patrick is an honor, a guy I looked up to growing up.
"In the moment I was happy to get the win for the boys."
Fleury matched his childhood idol with a game that epitomized him: an entertaining and emotional outpouring that featured jaw-dropping plays and a few nail-biting moments.
Or, as Fleury put it, "a couple scares."
The biggest came as he tried to get off the ice late in the third period for an extra attacker.
After Cole Sillinger's hat trick on the power play with 5 minutes, 45 seconds remaining in the third period broke a 2-2 tie in the Blue Jackets' favor, Fleury started to make a break for the bench with less than 2 minutes to go. But he had to change direction as Justin Danforth charged into Wild territory with the puck.
Just as Danforth aimed for the empty net, Fleury dove toward the crease. Fleury didn't get a piece of the puck, but the shot sailed wide.
"Sometimes you need those lucky breaks," Marcus Johansson said, "and we've worked hard for it lately."
Just 12 seconds after Danforth's close call — and with 1:32 to go in regulation — Johansson lifted a backhander at the net that dribbled between Tarasov's legs.
"It looked like it kind of had a chance to squeak through," Johansson said. "We'll take it."
Then in 3-on-3 action, Fleury stretched out for one of his quintessential glove saves to deny Yegor Chinakhov a goal.
"Flower's just unreal," Rossi said. "Made so many big saves."
On the next shift, with 1:55 to go in overtime and 16 seconds after Fleury's clutch stop, Rossi dismissed the Wild's four-game skid.
"For sure it was a little wild there at the end," coach John Hynes said.
How fitting.
"Love how the guys battled to the end, and a little bit of a scare on that skating back and forth between the bench," said Fleury, who finished with 25 saves. "Things worked out."
Sillinger scored 8:09 into the first period off a redirect before Matt Boldy responded for the Wild on a power play one-timer at 14:48. Only 17 seconds into the second Sillinger tallied his second, but again Boldy answered back on the power play — this time at 10:15.
His line with Rossi and Mats Zuccarello, who returned after missing nine games with a fractured arm, combined for 17 shots, while Brock Faber registered three assists.
Overall, the Wild power play went 2-for-4 vs. Columbus and Tarasov (33 saves), and the penalty kill was 3-for-4.
"It was nice to see two young guys like [Boldy and Rossi] come in and be real impact players and make a difference in the game," Hynes said.
So did Fleury, who had the game puck resting near his locker stall after the win.
"He is the same today as when he was 15," said Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent, who coached Fleury when he was in juniors. "His passion for the game, his character, he's a great teammate, talented, fast, quick, his hockey sense. He's going right to the Hall of Fame. Am I surprised? No, I'm not."
Last week, Fleury, 39, became only the fourth NHL goalie to play 1,000 games; this week, he tied a record Roy held exclusively at 551 wins for almost 21 years — and in typical Fleury fashion, with a performance indicative of the unique, maximum-effort style that lifted him to this rare echelon in a game that was meaningful to the team he represents.
"It'll be nice to get one more."
Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record.
