Mats Zuccarello’s leadership on display as Wild win in OT, keep playoff hopes percolating

VANCOUVER – In a nearly vacant Wild locker room after their most devastating loss of the season, Mats Zuccarello stood waiting.

He hadn’t been requested to speak, but there he was trying to explain why the Wild were overrun by the Flames when all they had to do was win to clinch the playoff spot that’s been dangling just out of reach — the remnant of their surge at the start after a second-half slide by a lineup ravaged by injuries.

This has become Zuccarello’s niche, the spokesperson for the skids and the slumps, and it’s a role he adopted out of leadership.

“I have no urge to talk or be in the center when everything goes well,” he told the Star Tribune during a one-on-one interview before the 4 Nations Face-Off break in February. “But I understand that it’s tougher to talk when things go bad. As an older guy, I think you should take that responsibility instead of sending a 21- or 22-year-old in times like that.”

So, after that gaffe Friday night in Calgary, Zuccarello was front and center.

And when the Wild pulled off their gutsiest rally to date, scoring twice in the third period and then completing their 3-2 comeback in overtime over the Canucks on Saturday at Rogers Arena to move to the cusp of clinching, Zuccarello was MIA after the final shot came off his stick.

“He always finds a way to back it up,” Brock Faber said. “Big-time players make big plays, and he just seems to always be there in the big moments. As a teammate, as a young guy in this league, you couldn’t ask for another veteran presence like that just to learn from and to have guidance from.”

Zuccarello took a defense-splitting pass from Kirill Kaprizov and deked to his forehand before tucking the puck behind Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen 2 minutes, 47 seconds into 3-on-3 play for his sixth career OT game-winner.

The victory wasn’t enough to lock up one of the two wild cards still up for grabs in the Western Conference, not after the Blues went past regulation against the Kraken before eventually getting denied in a shootout, but the Wild’s path to the postseason is clear: A loss by Calgary on Sunday or a point from the Wild’s regular-season finale Tuesday at home vs. Anaheim gets them back in the playoffs after they failed to advance last year.

“We control our own destiny,” said Faber, who skated a career-high 33:28 that trails only the 33:44 logged by the Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski for the most ice time in a game this season. “Now, it’s just on to the last one, and the biggest one of the year. It’s exciting.”

In typical Wild fashion, they were tested en route.

Like Friday night, when captain Jared Spurgeon left in the second, returned for the third but didn’t finish the game after taking a puck to the throat, the Wild were down a defenseman for a stretch. This time, Declan Chisholm exited in the second period after he was hit by the Canucks’ Marcus Pettersson and went crashing into the boards back-first. Chisholm, however, was back in the third.

“You see that happen and you’re like, ‘Here we go again,’ ” Marcus Foligno said. “But I’m glad he was OK and just shaken up.”

Pettersson was also responsible for Vancouver’s first goal, capitalizing 3:11 into the first on a pinching shot.

Spurgeon didn’t play vs. the Canucks, with coach John Hynes mentioning Spurgeon is “OK” and “up and around,” but “he’s just not feeling great.”

Jake Middleton also remained sidelined, missing a fourth straight game after getting boarded April 4 against the Islanders.

The Wild inserted defenseman Cameron Crotty for his team debut and second NHL game.

They also reunited Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy on the top line, but the Wild never received an early spark. In fact, their first of two power plays came after Vancouver was whistled for interference amid a lengthy shift in which the Canucks hemmed the Wild in their own zone.

And during that ensuing power play, the best chance was a 3-on-1 for Vancouver, the Wild bobbling pucks.

The Canucks went 1-for-2 on the power play, doubling their lead at 13:08 of the second when Jake DeBrusk tipped in a Nils Hoglander shot.

But the Wild took over after the second intermission.

“It was quiet,” Foligno said. “It was positive, but everyone was laser-focused on just trying to break down that wall.”

Only 22 seconds into the third period, Faber finally solved Lankinen (30 saves) when he skated into the slot to bury a Boldy rebound. Foligno delivered the equalizer with 6:46 to go in regulation on a crease-crashing redirect.

“It’s not easy when you’re down 2-0 after two periods,” Kaprizov said. “I’m just so proud of the boys because we come back. All third period I feel we play in the offensive zone, go in net, do some shots, try to make some chances.”

Shortly after his goal, Faber put another puck in, but a whistle had blown so the shot didn’t count despite Lankinen never having complete control.

“That happens,” Faber said.

The Wild finished without Yakov Trenin, who was ejected after his fight with Derek Forbort; Trenin punched Forbort as Forbort was down on the ice.

Just before Foligno’s finish, Filip Gustavsson denied Aatu Raty on a breakaway — one of his 12 stops, the 14 shots the Wild surrendered a season low in Gustavsson’s second consecutive start.

BOXSCORE: Wild 3, Canucks 2 (OT)

NHL standings

The Wild have split their back-to-backs between their goaltenders, but considering the circumstances, they pulled Gustavsson after the Flames’ fourth goal in the third period Friday and went back to him Saturday — what could have been Fleury’s game, potentially the last of his NHL career.

“He understands the situation,” coach John Hynes said. “Obviously, he knew when we took Gus out [Friday] night what the situation was going to be, and I give him credit. He was great. He popped in. He made a couple saves for us. It was nice to see. He’s the ultimate team guy.”

The same can be said for Zuccarello, who reunited with longtime linemate Kaprizov to seal only the Wild’s fourth victory over their past 11 games with his 19th goal. Faber also factored into the play for his second point.

“I don’t know how many circles we did in our zone,” Kaprizov said. “Just try and play in the moment. Nice play by Zuccy.”

The Wild have had their share of letdowns, like that head-scratcher vs. the Islanders, falling short against the Rangers and a mismatch against the Golden Knights.

The 37-year-old Zuccarello spoke up after each one.

But on Saturday, his actions did the talking for him.

“Everyone quiet and just listen what he say and learn from him,” Kaprizov said, “Or one-on-one you can ask him any question about life or about hockey, whatever, and he help you. He’s just so important for this team, especially for me, too.

“He help me so much all these years when I came in U.S., in Minnesota. Yeah, he’s just a huge part of the team.”