ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Capitals scored more goals than the Wild and still didn't win.
After an unusual own goal by Washington cut the Wild's deficit in half, the Wild used the help to rally for a 3-2 win in a shootout on Saturday in front of 19,078 at Xcel Energy Center for its second straight victory.
Kevin Fiala and Frederick Gaudreau capitalized in the shootout after Mats Zuccarello tied the game at 2 with 35 seconds left in the third period on a shot that squeaked through goaltender Zach Fucale, the Wild's NHL-leading 11th 6-on-5 goal.
That was the first puck the Wild actually deposited into the Washington net.
With Fucale on the bench for an extra attacker during a delayed Wild penalty in the second period, the Capitals played keep away until a pass by Carl Hagelin split his teammates and sailed 152 feet into Washington's empty net.
Marcus Foligno, who waved a stick at the puck before it reached Hagelin, was credited with the goal at 13:55, his career-high 14th of the season and the 100th of his career. Foligno never officially regisred a shot on net.
That own goal prevented Fucale from becoming the first goalie to register back-to-back shutouts in his first two NHL starts. Fucale finished with 21 saves.
At the other end, Kaapo Kahkonen made 29 stops in another solid outing, his second straight start since No.1 Cam Talbot was sidelined with injury.
Not until 2:41 of the second did the Capitals get a puck behind Kahkonen, a tip by Connor McMichael off a Nick Jensen shot.
Their next goal came just four seconds into a power play, a one-timer by Evgeny Kuznetsov set up by Alex Ovechkin at 5:48.
That was the first of four power plays for Washington in the second; Fiala was called for three of those Wild penalties in 4:27, a holding the stick infraction and two trips. Ryan Hartman also was whistled for a trip, the delayed penalty that led to the Capitals' own goal.
Although Washington didn't score any more on either net after that, going 1 for 5 on the power play, the chunk of time the Wild spent defending the Capitals interrupted the team's rhythm.
Kahkonen did his part to fend off the pressure.
He blocked a breakaway attempt by Daniel Sprong and then made his best save of the game when he sprawled out to keep out a Lars Eller attempt, a close call that required video review to confirm Kahkonen kept the puck from completely crossing the goal line.
Overall, Washington racked up 11 shots in the second compared to just four for the Wild, this after a mostly even first period that saw action concentrated at both ends. One of the better looks of that period actually came from rookie Marco Rossi in just his second NHL game, as Foligno found Rossi alone in front, but Fucale made the save. The Wild also blanked on its lone power play in the first.
The parade to the penalty box also appeared to lead to Fiala getting benched.
He didn't play the final seven minutes of the second period and didn't take his first shift in the third until near the midway point. Fiala did take advantage, though, when the Wild pulled Kahkonen for an extra attacker late in the third, as Fiala earned an assist on Zuccarello's game-tying goal.
Fiala's omission earlier in the evening added to an already depleted-looking lineup.
Due to a rash of injuries and COVID-19 absences, the Wild was missing nine regulars against the Capitals.
But the team has some time to heal up.
The Wild's next game isn't scheduled until Friday at home vs. the Ducks.
