Sharks 3 - 4 Wild
Final
  for this game

Ortmeyer lifts Wild over Sharks

Feb 27, 2012 - 3:29 AM St. Paul, MN (Sports Network) - Jed Ortmeyer scored the game-winner with 4:13 left, as the Minnesota Wild took down the San Jose Sharks, 4-3, on Sunday.

Jared Spurgeon's blast from the right point was deflected in by Ortmeyer, who recorded his first NHL goal since March 28, 2010, when he played with the Sharks.

Ortmeyer couldn't have scored at a better time for the Wild, who remained five points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Matt Cullen, Nick Schultz and Cal Clutterbuck also scored.

Niklas Backstrom made 25 saves for Minnesota, which has won three of four.

Joe Thornton and Brent Burns both had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who finished a nine-game road trip with a 2-6-1 record. Tommy Wingels also lit the lamp.

Thomas Greiss stopped 22-of-26 shots for San Jose, which stayed two points behind idle Phoenix for first in the Pacific Division.

To make matters worse, head coach Todd McLellan left the game in the second period after taking a stick to the head. McLellan ended up being OK and was alert and responsive in the locker room.

"I saw [Marco Scandella] come into the boards and I saw our guys kind of push him out," San Jose assistant coach Matt Shaw said. "Then I looked and Todd was trying to compose himself and stay upright, and you could tell he was in some discomfort. I just kind of grabbed him."

Down by one late in the third period, Minnesota scored twice within a span of 74 seconds to take the lead. First, Marco Scandella kept the puck in the offensive end and fired a shot on net from the left point. Cullen deflected the puck past Greiss to tie the game with 5:27 to play.

Ortmeyer followed with his game-winner and Backstrom made 13 saves in the final frame.

"It's going to be a long flight home," Sharks forward Jamie McGinn said.

San Jose drew first blood at the 1:22 mark of the opening period. McGinn made a centering pass from behind the net for Wingels to make it 1-0 early on.

Thornton put home a rebound nearly two minutes later to give the Sharks a 2-0 edge.

Minnesota got on the board at the 9:13 mark. Clutterbuck took control of the puck in his own zone and made his way down the right wing before beating Greiss from the right circle.

The Wild scored a power-play goal early in the middle stanza to tie the game. Schultz's blast from the point ricocheted off the stick of San Jose's Patrick Marleau and beat Greiss at the 1:43 mark.

"In the second period, we took over the game," Schultz said.

On a power play, Burns beat Backstrom with a one-timer from the point to give the Sharks a 3-2 lead at the 8:45 mark of the third.

Game Notes

The Wild took three of four from San Jose this season. Minnesota has claimed victory in its last four home tilts versus the Sharks...The Sharks will return to San Jose for a four-game homestand, which is set to begin Tuesday against Philadelphia.






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