In a thrilling finish at Amerant Bank Arena, Joel Eriksson Ek delivered a last-second heroics to lift the Minnesota Wild over the Florida Panthers, 3-2. With just five ticks left on the clock, Eriksson Ek capitalized on a face-off in the left circle, deflecting Brock Faber's point shot and then skillfully netting his own rebound while falling.
Earlier, Aaron Ekblad had tied the game for Florida with 1:13 remaining, firing a one-timer from the left circle as Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov was pulled for an extra attacker.
Eriksson Ek's post-game reflections were all about composure: “You can’t let your emotions get too high or too low. They scored, so we just aimed to get the next one.
I just wanted to shoot above his pads. Tarasov made some great saves.”
Indeed, Tarasov was a wall between the pipes, matching his career-high with 47 saves. “Everyone was happy to come back from 2-0,” he remarked.
“But giving up that goal with five seconds left is tough. Just frustration now.”
Marcus Foligno, back in action after missing a dozen games, and Ryan Hartman also found the net for the Wild, who are now 41-20-12 and have won three of their last five. Jesper Wallstedt contributed with 18 saves, helping Minnesota close in on the Dallas Stars for second in the Central Division.
Coach John Hynes praised his team's resilience: “We responded well, ended it in the offensive zone. One face-off, we drill it to the net front, and we had presence.
We played a solid game. The response after their goal set us up for the win.”
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk, who notched a goal and an assist, lamented the loss despite Tarasov’s outstanding effort: “He was unreal, the best player on both teams. It’s frustrating we couldn’t reward his all-world effort.”
The Wild dominated early, outshooting the Panthers 19-6 in the first period. Foligno opened the scoring in the second, converting a backhanded pass from Yakov Trenin.
It was a special moment for Marcus, playing alongside his brother Nick Foligno for the first time in the NHL. Nick, recently traded from the Blackhawks, shared the sentiment: “It’s really special for our family.
We appreciate this opportunity.”
Hartman extended the lead to 2-0, capitalizing on a turnover. However, Tkachuk quickly responded in the third, narrowing the gap with a deflection.
Despite playing shorthanded after Evan Rodrigues exited with a broken finger, the Panthers fought back. Coach Paul Maurice encouraged his team to “stay in the fight,” and they nearly pulled off the comeback.
Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon had a scare in the third, leaving the ice after a collision. Coach Hynes reassured fans, saying Spurgeon received “a few stitches” and should be fine.
Eriksson Ek’s goal set a new record for the latest go-ahead goal in Wild history, surpassing Marcus Foligno’s previous mark. Meanwhile, Tarasov’s performance echoed his past heroics with the Blue Jackets, underscoring his resilience in net.
This game was a testament to the intensity and unpredictability of hockey, with both teams showcasing grit and determination until the final buzzer.