Ryan Hartman hat trick leads Wild’s rally past Edmonton
Ryan Hartman had a hat trick during his brief stint with the Chicago Blackhawks, but it included two empty-net goals.
No such need on Tuesday.
The Wild’s top-line center tied the game in the first period, then put it away with a pair of third-period goals for his second career hat trick as the Wild beat the Edmonton Oilers, 7-4, at Xcel Energy Center.
“This one felt more real,” he said.
After a series of slow starts this season, the Wild upped the ante with two on Tuesday, falling behind a skidding Edmonton team 1-0 in the first 54 seconds, and 3-2 just 32 seconds into the second period.
But it wasn’t the difference this time.
“We were fine. We weren’t worried,” Hartman said. “We have a lot of guys that have played a lot of hockey games in this room, and we’ve come from behind a lot. We’re pretty calm. Not too worried about it.”
Marco Rossi, Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek each added even-strength goals, and Marcus Foligno scored an empty-netter as the Wild nipped a 0-1-1 skid in the bud before starting a three-game road trip on Thursday in Philadelphia.
Minnesota scored five third-period goals to overcome an Oilers team that arrived in St. Paul with a 1-3-1 record and without superstar wing Connor McDavid, sidelined one to two weeks with an upper body injury.
McDavid led the NHL with 64 goals and 153 points last season, but the Oilers didn’t appear to miss him early.
Even as Minnesota focused coming out strong after a series of slow starts — really in every game but a 5-2 victory at Montreal on Oct. 17 — Evan Bouchard scored on a slap shot 54 seconds into the first period, and Warren Foegele scored two go-ahead goals, the second giving the Oilers a 3-2 lead just 32 seconds into the second period.
But Minnesota tightened its defense, a focus for a team that has struggled defensively with veteran blue liner Jared Spurgeon sidelined by an upper body injury, and finally tied the game, 3-3, on Hartman’s second goal 33 seconds into the third period.
That started a flurry for the Wild, who took a 4-2 lead on Zuccarello’s one-timer from the right circle, and Eriksson Ek finished a long forecheck with a wrist shot from the crease to make it 5-3 at 9:32.
Evander Kane scored on a redirect to make it 5-4, but Hartman finished his hat trick on a rush to make it 6-4, and Marcus Foligno added an empty-net goal.
Filip Gustavsson stopped 25 of 29 shots for the win, and Jack Campbell stopped 24 of 32 for Edmonton.
The top line of Hartman, Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov combined for 10 points.
“It felt good,” Hartman said. “We were able to find each other early. We kind of talked about it as a line, we’ve been watching some shifts together, and too many times we were trying to get inside, or were forcing it a little bit.”
On Tuesday, Hartman said, the line stayed patient.
“I think we’ve kind of been keeping it and waiting for our moment to strike as opposed to forcing it,” he said. “We’ve been holding onto it and making really good plays. That was the difference tonight.”
