ST. PAUL, Minn. - Nino Niederreiter snagged the puck off the boards and rushed toward the net, deftly setting up a wrist shot with a slick deke to each side. The puck whizzed past Nashville goalie Carter Huttons stick to give Minnesota an overtime victory but, before it got there, it had to elude Niederreiters good friend. Niederreiters goal with 2:44 left in the extra period lifted the Wild past the Predators 3-2 on Thursday night, and the tipped shot went between the legs of Roman Josi, who will play with Niederreiter next week for Switzerland in the Olympics. Theyll be roommates, actually. "I might mention it to him right now, but Im not sure if hell be happy about it," Niederreiter said. "At the same time, like I said, it was a big win for us and we needed those points. It felt like a playoff game out there because it was a pretty tough one." Jonas Brodin and Zach Parise scored early to offset two goals for the Predators by Craig Smith, who raised his team-leading total to 18. Hutton made 33 saves and helped thwart a Wild power play in the waning minutes of regulation, but that wasnt quite enough. All three goals Hutton gave up were to his stick side. "It was like a knuckle puck," Hutton said of Niederreiters winner. Josi was impressed by his buddy but not happy with him. "We didnt play that well in the first. We played a little slow, and they got on us quick. After that we played a good game. We obviously wanted two points, but its good to get a point on the road," Josi said. Smith tied the game midway through the second period when he redirected defenceman Victor Bartleys shot past Darcy Kuemper, who made his 12th straight start in goal for the Wild. The Predators hit the post twice in that middle frame and with another try in the third period. "A little bit of puck luck goes a long way," Kuemper said, adding: "I was just trying to do my part to battle and help the guys out because they were sure helping me out." Kuemper made 16 saves to improve to 7-3-2 since Jan. 1, and the Wild raised their home record to 21-7-2 this season. Coach Mike Yeo stressed to his players this week the danger of looking ahead to the break and not letting up against a team behind them in the standings, and their performance suggested the message was received. "I was real impressed with our guys, the way that they approached this game," Yeo said. "I asked them for a playoff-type mentality coming into the game, and thats a lot to ask for in February when youre about to go on a long break, but they brought it." Parise wasnt worried about a letup. "I think were all mature enough that we understood we have a game still before, and I dont think that was ever a concern about guys thinking about their flights tomorrow or their plans for the break," he said. The Predators had a jarring start to their day, when television announcer Pete Weber was taken for emergency heart surgery and general manager David Poile was hit by an errant puck that flew off the ice during the morning skate and hit him in the face where he was standing behind the bench. Poile was staying in a hospital overnight for observation and evaluation, the team said, and was unable to be present for the pregame ceremony the Wild held for all the Olympians in attendance for each team. Poile is the general manager for Team USA. "There was some bad stuff that happened today, but weve got to come out and find a way to get two points," Hutton said. "Good for them. We werent able to do it." The Predators are in last place in the Central Division but still within striking distance of the playoffs. "It was a good road point considering all the stuff that went on today," coach Barry Trotz said, adding: "We grind them out." NOTES: Wild D Marco Scandella sat out due to a sprained knee sustained the previous game. LW Stephane Veilleux cleared waivers and was sent to AHL affiliate Iowa. ... Smith has 20 points and 12 goals in his last 23 games. ... Niederreiter has 12 points and a plus-six rating in his last 19 games. Jayson Tatum Jersey . Jeff Carter had two goals and an assist as the Kings stretched their streak to seven wins in a row with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. Jaylen Brown Jersey . Toronto announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The terms were not disclosed. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Robert-Williams-Jersey/ . Team officials travelled to Los Angeles on Thursday night to meet with the free agent, a person with knowledge of the plans said. Bob Cousy Jersey . Never caused problems. Never raised a ruckus. Never got sick or hurt while frolicking in the fields of Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. Bob Cousy Celtics Jersey . After all, the No. 8 seed is chasing far loftier goals. Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., defeated American Jack Sock 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in Wimbledons second round on Thursday.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Receiver Mike Williams season in Buffalo is over, and so might be his short stint with the Bills.The team took the first step in a bid to part ways with the fifth-year player by placing Williams on the waived-injured list on Monday.The decision opens the door for any team to claim Williams by Tuesday. If unclaimed, the player would then land on Buffalos season-ending injured reserve list.At that point, the Bills could begin negotiating an injury settlement to buy out the four years left on Williams contract. He is due a guaranteed $5.2 million base salary next season. Another option would be releasing the player before he is due a roster bonus in March.Williams hurt his left calf in practice Thursday, and did not play in a 24-17 loss at Denver on Sunday. Williams was present in the locker room on Monday but gave no indication that the move was forthcoming.The Bills (7-6), who host Green Bay on Sunday, filled Williams roster spot by signing receiver Deonte Thompson off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. Thompson had 15 catches for 147 yards and also returned kickoffs in 13 games split over the 2012-13 seasons with Baltimore.Its a sudden turn of events for the Buffalo-born Williams, who looked forward to enjoying a homecoming after the Bills gave up a sixth-round draft pick to acquire him in a trade with Tampa Bay in April.Williams practice time began diminishing in training camp, and then his playinng time dropped over the past two months.dddddddddddd.He was inactive in four of Buffalos past eight games. And his last catch was an 8-yarder in a 17-14 win at Detroit on Oct. 15.Overall, he had eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown this season. Thats a dramatic drop-off for a player who topped 60 catches and 750 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons.Williams had difficulty understanding the reasons over his lack of playing time.I dont know, Im not the coach, Williams said last week. Everybodys confused. Even me.In October, Williams agent Hadley Engelhard sought the Bills permission to negotiate a trade for his client. Williams, however, intervened by saying he wanted to remain in Buffalo.On Monday, coach Doug Marrone said Williams proved to be the odd-man out after the Bills drafted Sammy Watkins in the first round, and second-year receiver Robert Woods claimed the No. 2 job in training camp.Obviously, for Mike, Im sure its a frustration, Marrone said. Ive talked to him about that quite a bit during the year. Hes worked extremely hard despite that, and has done everything he can to get back on the field.Williams played under Marrone for part of the 2009 season at Syracuse before the two had a falling out. Williams didnt finish the season, and then elected to enter the draft, when he was selected in the fourth round by Tampa Bay.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '