BY BRIAN MURPHY

It is the first time Sergei Zholtok ran out of gas playing hockey.

"It felt like I was one of those marathon racers at the finish line," Zholtok said Thursday about his dehydrated collapse in front of the Wild bench during their overtime victory over Edmonton two days earlier.

After a day off for rest and recuperation, Zholtok could afford to make light of his episode, which was one of several dramatic storylines that unfolded over the final 15 minutes of a frenetic game.

Zholtok was at the end of a double shift when he doubled over and fell on his back. He lay motionless on the ice for about a minute before being helped to the bench. He refused to go on a stretcher to the dressing room, and he was able to muster enough energy to leap over the boards to congratulate Richard Park on his game-winning goal.

"I guess it's a combination of the flu bug going around and a lot of games lately," he said. "I had a couple of hard shifts and I was feeling dizzy near the boards. I turned back for the bench, and on the way, I guess I ran out of gas. I was lucky, though. I got to see the end of the game. Awesome ending, eh?"

Zholtok had a nice beginning Thursday, scoring the opening goal against the New York Islanders. Although he was fine, coach Jacques Lemaire still was forced to shuffle his lineup.