ST. PAUL, Minn., March 29 (UPI) -- Erik Christensen scored with 31 seconds left in regulation Thursday and Mikko Koivu tallied 15 seconds into overtime to give Minnesota a 3-2 win over Florida.
The Wild's late comeback ended a three-game losing streak and cost the Panthers a point in their battle to secure the Southeast Division title.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead on Thomas Fleischmann's power-play goal with 6:44 to go in regulation, but the Wild then got to Jose Theodore twice in the span of 46 seconds to turn a what looked like a sure loss into a win.
By taking one point from the game, Florida reached 90 for the season. Washington, a shootout winner over Boston earlier in the evening, climbed to 86 points in the division race.
Florida has five games remaining and Washington has four.
Niklas Backstrom, who had been out since March 1 with a lower body injury, stopped 25 shots to collect the victory. Theodore made 22 saves.
