Wild vs. Stars 2016 final score: Minnesota overtime heroics force series back to St. Paul

A back and forth game ultimately fell the way of the Wild in a 5-4 overtime victory for Minnesota. Multiple comebacks were staged, but the Stars faltered at the finish line as the series heads back to St. Paul with Minnesota back in it 3-2.

Minnesota scored five times on 24 shots against Antti Niemi, despite Dallas dominating with 41 of their own.

The first period was a busy one, as the Wild jumped out to an early two-goal lead to silence the American Airlines Center. Mikael Granlund picked the pockets of the Stars defense on an offensive zone turnover for Dallas. Niemi originally stayed with it, but Granlund kept stuffing before it finally poked home.

Johnny Oduya benefited from a Wild turnover in the final minutes of the first. Ales Hemsky made a great drive to the net but an ill-timed clear from Minnesota found its way to the back of the net. Dallas was able to get to Hemsky's rebound before Oduya's blast from the point cut the lead down to 2-1.

A minute into the third, captain Jamie Benn got the Stars tied 2-2 with some neat moves in close on Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk. However, just 50 seconds later, Nino Niederreiter burned the Stars defense on a breakaway and went backhand-forehand-backhand on Niemi for the 3-2 score.

Dallas then started to pull away from Minnesota with two goals in less than 30 seconds to tie then take the lead 4-3. Jason Spezza's turn around shot slipped past the leg of Dubnyk in close from an impossible angle at 8:28 of the third. Then Alex Goligoski made up for his bad defense on Niederreiter's breakaway goal on a shot from the far boards that found its way in high on Dubnyk.

When it seemed the Wild would fold, Mikko Koivu had the answer for Minnesota. With 3:09 to go in the third, Koivu went upstairs on Niemi to tie the game on a quick shot from the slot that forced the second overtime of the evening.