Ducks allow a sizable lead to evaporate

Andrew Brunette’s power-play goal in overtime lifted the Wild to a 4-3 win over the Ducks on Tuesday night in Minnesota’s home opener.

Trailing, 3-0, with less than 14 minutes to play in the third period, the Wild got goals from Mikko Koivu, Petr Sykora and Eric Belanger to send the game to overtime.

The Ducks got second-period goals from Joffrey Lupul, Evgeny Artyukhin and Saku Koivu, but were held to only two shots in the third period.

Looking to bounce back after losing to San Jose, 4-1, at the Honda Center on Saturday, the Ducks instead let a seemingly secure lead slip away.

With the teams skating four on four in overtime, the Ducks’ James Wisniewski was penalized for roughing during a post-whistle skirmish. Brunette poked a puck past goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere on the ensuing power play for the Wild’s first win this season.

Lupul, who returned to the Ducks in the June trade that sent defenseman Chris Pronger to Philadelphia, opened the scoring with his first goal of the season near the five-minute mark of the second period, tipping a Ryan Whitney shot past goalie Niklas Backstrom.

Less than a minute later, Lupul was helped from the ice after going down to block an Antti Miettinen shot and getting hit in the face by the puck. He returned after receiving stitches over his right eyebrow.

Artyukhin and Koivu scored in quick succession later, building a 3-0 lead for the Ducks.

Giguere finished with 28 saves.