Heartbreak in St. Paul! The Minnesota Wild suffered a gut-wrenching 2-1 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, November 11, 2025, despite holding a lead. But here's where it gets controversial... were the Wild complacent, or did the Sharks simply want it more? Let's break down this nail-biter.
The San Jose Sharks, riding a wave of momentum, clawed their way back to defeat the Minnesota Wild in their own barn. The hero of the night? Collin Graf (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player/_/id/5136607/collin-graf), who buried the game-winner just 2:41 into the extra frame. This was only his second goal of the season, making the moment even sweeter for the young player and the Sharks faithful.
The play unfolded with rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player//id/5206628/macklin-celebrini) – a name you're going to be hearing a lot – displaying incredible vision and passing prowess. He threaded the puck perfectly to Graf, who found himself alone near the Wild's net. Graf then showed impressive composure, deking Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player//id/4272674/filip-gustavsson) and calmly slotting the puck into the yawning cage. It was a goal that silenced the Xcel Energy Center.
But let's not forget the other key contributors for San Jose. Will Smith (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player//id/5149155/will-smith) tallied his seventh goal of the season, and Yaroslav Askarov (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player//id/4697394/yaroslav-askarov) stood tall in net, turning away 28 of the Wild's shots. The Sharks are currently on a tear, having won four consecutive games and securing points in their last seven. Celebrini, living up to the hype, continues his impressive rookie campaign with two assists in this game. He now boasts a four-game point streak, accumulating three goals and five assists in that span.
Minnesota's lone goal came courtesy of Matt Boldy (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player//id/4565233/matt-boldy) on a second-period power play. And this is the part most people miss... Minnesota’s power play, which had been a strength, faltered down the stretch. Boldy’s goal, his ninth of the season, was a blistering one-timer off a beautiful cross-ice feed from Mats Zuccarello (http://www.espn.com/nhl/player//id/5560/mats-zuccarello). Zuccarello, who missed the first 15 games due to a lower-body injury, now has two assists in three games since his return. For Boldy, it was his fourth goal in as many games, with five of his goals this season coming on the power play. The Wild entered the game ranked fourth in the league in power-play percentage at 29% (19 for 66). They went 1 for 4 on the power play in this game.
However, the Sharks responded in the third period with a power-play goal of their own. Smith capped off a beautiful passing sequence in the offensive zone, showcasing the Sharks' offensive talent and resilience. It was a textbook example of tic-tac-toe passing at its finest. (https://x.com/SanJoseSharks/status/1988448477375066289?s=20) Smith is also enjoying a hot streak, having notched three goals and four assists during a five-game point streak.
Despite the loss, the Wild had won two straight and four of their last five after a five-game losing skid to close out October. Gustavsson, in a losing effort, made 16 saves.
Up Next:
- Sharks: Head to Calgary to face the Flames on Thursday.
- Wild: Return home to host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
(Source: AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP--Sports)
So, what do you think? Did the Wild take their foot off the gas, or did the Sharks simply capitalize on their opportunities? Was Gustavsson at fault for the game winning goal? Or was it just a great play by Graf? And how far can this young Sharks team realistically go this season? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!
