Wild fall in overtime

ST. PAUL (AP) -- The Minnesota Wild's seventh overtime loss of the season left coach Jacques Lemaire searching for answers.

"We might try the goalie up front," Lemaire quipped after the Ottawa Senators used a goal by Magnus Arvedson 1:41 into overtime to beat the Wild 4-3 Tuesday night.

Minnesota tied the Boston Bruins for the most overtime defeats in the NHL this season.

"We're in the games," Lemaire said. "We're right there and we're battling. We just need a break at the right time to turn it around."

As the season nears its end, the Wild also are competing against another edge in their games -- opponents tend to have more to play for than they do.

That was the case for Ottawa. The Senators, fifth in the Eastern Conference, are a point behind Toronto and Boston in the race for home-ice advantage in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Victory also allowed Ottawa to break even at 2-2-1 on its five-game road trip.

"We've got 12 of our last 16 games at home," said Todd White, who had a goal and an assist. "We've got to take advantage of that."

Minnesota tied the game at 3 on a rebound goal by Pascal Dupuis at 2:26 of the third.

On the game-winner, Arvedson's wrist shot went through traffic and the pads of Minnesota goalie Manny Fernandez.

Adding to the frustration was the fact that the Wild had won three straight, tying a franchise high, entering Tuesday's game.

Chris Neil and Radek Bonk also scored for Ottawa, while Richard Park and Andrew Brunette added goals for Minnesota.

Both teams took advantage of giveaways to score in the first period. Minnesota struck first when Ottawa defenseman Zdeno Chara lost the puck to Antti Laaksonen behind the net. Laaksonen passed to Park, who scored at 7:38.

Bonk tied it when he intercepted Fernandez's clearing attempt and scored before Fernandez could get back into the crease.

The Wild led again 2:32 into the second when Brunette muscled his way to the front of the net and flipped a backhand past Senators goalie Jani Hurme for his 16th goal of the season.

White tied the game at 2 at 6:19 of the second when his pass deflected off Minnesota defenseman Brad Brown and into the net.

Neil tipped in a shot from the point by Wade Redden at 16:29 to give the Senators their first lead of the game, 3-2.

Notes: Minnesota's Marian Gaborik, who scored seven goals in the previous four games and was the Wild's first NHL player of the week, went without a goal Tuesday, but had an assist. ... Fernandez has allowed at least three goals in 11 straight games (2-8-1). ... Including his goal Tuesday night, Bonk has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his last 10 games. ... Hurme returned to the lineup after sitting out the previous eight games with a groin strain.

Ottawa 1 2 0 1 -- 4

Minnesota 1 1 1 0 -- 3

First Period--1, Minnesota, Park 6 (Laaksonen), 7:38. 2, Ottawa, Bonk 21, 12:30. Penalties--Hossa, Ott (cross-checking), 5:01; Neil, Ott (holding), 17:22.

Second Period--3, Minnesota, Brunette 16 (Dowd, Gaborik), 2:32. 4, Ottawa, White 19, 6:19. 5, Ottawa, Neil 9 (Redden, White), 16:29 (pp). Penalties--Persson, Ott (high-sticking), 3:35; Marshall, Min (roughing), 15:39; Dowd, Min (hooking), 17:09.

Third Period--6, Minnesota, Dupuis 13 (Roest, Brown), 2:26. Penalty--Marshall, Min (cross-checking), 9:18.

Overtime--7, Ottawa, Arvedson 11 (Chara, Alfredsson), 1:41. Penalties--None.

Shots on goal--Ottawa 8-13-10-1--32. Minnesota 3-8-8-0--19.

Power-play Opportunities--Ottawa 1 of 3; Minnesota 0 of 3.

Goalies--Ottawa, Hurme 11-6-1 (19 shots-16 saves). Minnesota, Fernandez 10-18-4 (32-28).

A--18,064 (18,064).

Referees--Dean Warren, Brad Watson. Linesmen--Wayne Bonney, Andy McElman.