Wild's Matt Dumba, Mats Zuccarello team up in dramatic OT win over Kings

Matt Dumba didn't have a plan.

"I wasn't even thinking," he said.

But whatever he defaulted to worked.

After a string of anticlimactic victories spearheaded by a torrid offense, the Wild rehashed a strategy from the beginning of the season and engineered another dramatic conclusion in overtime – a last-second goal by Dumba that sealed a 4-3 win over the Kings Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.

The Wild has won six in a row, tying Los Angeles and Tampa Bay for the longest win streak in the NHL this season.

And of its four OT celebrations in 2021, three have come at the expense of the Kings, including two in the season-opening series.

"There's certainly a luck part of it, for sure," coach Dean Evason said. "We have been fortunate in some areas. I think maybe our movement, we are getting everybody involved and it's not stagnant. We aren't just looking to shoot or set up. We are hanging on to some pucks and moving and making people try to take it off us.

"We play fast in the overtime. We play quick, and I think that's probably helped us in that area."

Dumba's goal, which not only gave him the franchise record for most career overtime tallies but also set the record for the latest at 4:59, came on a head-up pass from winger Mats Zuccarello.

Despite being along the wall and surrounded by Kings players, Zuccarello threaded a backhander to a pinching Dumba. From there, Dumba deked until lifting the puck over goalie Calvin Petersen's left pad.

"I was just focusing on making the right play and not trying to force it," Dumba said. "Just so happened that Zuccy was able to find me. Eyes in the back of his head. I don't know how he saw me through all those guys."

The assist extended Zuccarello's point streak to six games, a span in which he has three goals and eight assists. His 11 points since Feb.18 are tops in the NHL.

But he wasn't the only one to impress.

Rookie Kirill Kaprizov continued to set the tone offensively with his creativity, drive and puck skills.

He scored his second goal in as many games early in the second period, launching a whiffed shot by Victor Rask past Petersen. In the process, Kaprizov became just the fifth Wild rookie to register at least a five-game point streak.

And much of his success this season has come vs. Los Angeles.

Four of Kaprizov's six goals this season have been against the Kings, and he has seven points in seven games. The final game between these two teams is April 23.

"That kind of energy he brings is contagious," Dumba said. "It elevates everyone's game."

The results certainly seem to suggest that.

Before Dumba's goal, the Wild received contributions from three different lines – including the fourth line, which has scored at least one goal in three straight games.

"Everybody's chipping in," winger Kevin Fiala said.

And now what's at stake is a battle for first place in the West Division.

The Wild temporarily occupied the top spot following its win, but Vegas retook it after the Golden Knights held off Anaheim Saturday night.

But the Wild has an opportunity to answer back Monday when it begins a four-game road trip with two straight against Vegas.