Minnesota Wild Shock Hockey World by Pulling Goalie in OT vs Preds… and it Works
The Minnesota Wild need points and they need them fast. So after coming away with just one point after going toe-to-toe with the best team in the league on Friday, the Colorado Avalanche, John Hynes decided that one point was not going to cut it against on Sunday against the Nashville Predators.
So much so that he was willing to give up the extra period point entirely, as the overtime minutes started ticking away. With 1:50 left in OT, and the two teams at even strength (3v3), Hynes did something that the TNT broadcasters and analysts all said they have never seen in their (life)time of watching and playing the game of hockey.
John Hynes pulls Minnesota Wild goalie in OT at full strength
He pulled Marc-Andre Fleury out of net to give the Minnesota Wild a 4-3 advantage. Before the announcers or anyone else watching could wrap their minds around what was happening… Hynes’ astounding move worked. Kaprizov to Zuccarello to Boldy for the one-tim
Not only was the move shocking to everybody watching like me, who did not know some of the finer details to the NHL overtime rules. For those who have great hockey minds, their minds were completely blown when they saw MAF skate to the bench.
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Had the Wild given up the empty net goal, not only would the Wild have lost their chance at two points during the proceeding shootout, but NHL overtime rules state that pulling your goalie while at even strength in OT means that you relinquish the point you gained once the game went to OT. That’s right, once Fleury skated off the ice, it was all or nothing for the Wild.
