SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Kevin Fiala scored 15 seconds into overtime to send the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night for their sixth straight victory.
Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman also scored for Minnesota, which is the only NHL team this season with at least three six-game winning streaks. Hartman’s tying goal with 5:27 left in regulation sent the game into overtime.
Cam Talbot made 40 saves for Minnesota, extending his own personal win streak to six games.
The Wild trail Central-leading Colorado by 14 points in the division, but extended their advantage for second place over Nashville to four points. St. Louis is five points behind Minnesota.
Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen scored in the third period for the Avalanche, who had won five of their previous six. Colorado, which leads the league in points, wins and point percentage, won the first two meetings in Denver this season.
Darcy Kuemper, the former Minnesota draft pick who spent his first five NHL seasons with the team, stopped 27 shots.
A matchup between two of the top-three teams in goals per game had a playoff-type feel, but lacked explosive offense until the third.
Minnesota went more than 10 minutes of game clock between the first and second periods without a shot, but opened the scoring in the second on the power play.
Jared Spurgeon saved the puck at the blue line to keep the Wild in the zone. Ryan Hartman eventually skated around the back of the net and passed to Kaprizov, who was crashing the net and fit a shot in a small spot between Kuemper and the post.
Colorado hadn’t allowed a goal in 22 straight penalty-kill situations.
Talbot, whose struggles in February and early March led Minnesota to trade for Marc-Andre Fleury at the deadline, stood strong as the Avalanche controlled play.
Colorado outshot the Wild 28-14 through two periods and 42-29 for the game.
Kadri finally beat Talbot 6:21 into the third for his 26th goal. Kadri’s faceoff win started a power play and led to Rantanen’s 33rd goal less than four minutes later.
Hartman answered to tie it with 5:27 left, going to his knees and lifting a shot past Kuemper for his 27th goal.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: Play at Calgary on Tuesday.
Wild: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday.
>>Video above: NHL makes greater strides toward LGBTQ inclusion
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