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(Sports Network) - Things didn't go quiet Minnesota's way in its season- opening set in Finland. A return to North American and a visit from Edmonton could help the club turn things around.
The Wild aim to extend a 13-game home winning streak over the Oilers this evening when they make their 2010-11 debut at Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota was one of six NHL teams to open up the season in Europe, where it battled the Carolina Hurricanes in two games. After losing a 4-3 decision in their season opener on last Thursday, the Wild came out on the losing end of a 2-1 shootout the following day.
Andrew Brunette scored the lone goal for Minnesota, but Mikko Koivu, Brent burns and Antti Miettinen were all denied in the shootout. Helsinki, Finland native Niklas Backstrom made 36 saves, but gave up a goal to rookie Jeff Skinner in the deciding session.
"We had some great chances," Wild coach Todd Richards told NHL.com. "We had opportunities, and sometimes when it happens like that, when you have those long power plays, guys stay out too long. I don't think we managed ourselves there very well. It was a game that you're disappointed with the result but you look at every aspect and you're happy with the way the team competed."
Minnesota could be without Brunette tonight as he has missed two straight practices with a hip flexor.
The Wild now play three straight at home and face an Oilers club that hasn't won on the road in this series since Jan. 16, 2007. Edmonton is 0-11-2 at Minnesota since, but did win all three of its matchups at home over the Wild last year to split the season series.
Backstrom won his first 10 career decisions versus the Oilers and is 11-0-0 with a 1.08 goals-against average and four shutouts in his career against them at home.
The Oilers will be aiming to start a season with three straight wins for the second time in three years and are coming off Sunday's 3-2 home victory over the Panthers.
Ryan Jones, Shawn Horcoff and Dustin Penner all scored in the second period despite Edmonton being out-shot 12-4 in the frame. The Oilers managed just 13 shots to the Panthers' 28, but Nikolai Khabibulin made 26 saves.
"He stood tall," Jones said of Khabibulin, who has stopped 63 of the 65 shots he has faced so far this year. "He's a phenomenal goalie. One thing that surprises me is how he finds the puck in traffic."
Taylor Hall, the top pick of the 2010 draft, notched an assist on Horcoff's goal for his first NHL point.
Khabibulin, limited to just 18 games last year due to a back injury, is 4-7-2 with a 2.38 GAA in his career against the Wild.
The Oilers opened their season with a 4-0 home win over the Flames a week ago and play their next two on road.
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Koivu's Two Goals Lead Wild Past Oilers, 4-2
(Sports Network) – Mikko Koivu scored twice on the power play in a span of 52 seconds in the second period, lifting the Wild to a 4-2 win over Edmonton, in Minnesota’s ninth straight home-opening victory.
Antti Miettinen and Matt Cullen also had man-advantage goals for the Wild, who lost their first two games of the season last week against Carolina, a two- game series in Finland. Niklas Backstrom made 24 saves to get the win.
The Wild have won 14 straight home meetings against the Oilers by a combined 50-18 score, including four shutouts, last losing 2-1 on January 16, 2007.
Dustin Penner and Tom Gilbert had the goals for the Oilers, who won their first two games at home, beating Calgary and Florida. Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 20 shots in defeat.
The Oilers were hit with a holding penalty on Magnus Paajarvi, which led to Koivu’s first goal of the season, tying the game at 2-2, 14:31 of the second. Cullen passed the puck from the right circle to Koivu, who was stationed to the left of the net for the deflection past Khabibulin.
Just 52 seconds later, Koivu was in front to snare a rebound of Andrew Brunette’s left point shot. The puck trickled under the pads of Khabibulin and over the goal line.
It became 4-2 with 12:23 left in regulation as Cullen’s shot from the high slot deflected off the skate of Gilbert and past Khabibulin. The goal occurred with Edmonton’s Kurtis Foster serving a holding the stick penalty.
Backstrom stood tall in the final period by turning aside all 10 shots he faced.
Miettinen scored 7:48 into the game on the power play, which was just about to expire with Penner in the box for hooking. Brunette carried the puck into the left circle and delivered a pass to the slot for a streaking Miettinen, who deflected the disc past Khabibulin.
Penner tied the game 2:57 into the second during a man-advantage thanks to a tripping penalty on Guillaume Latendresse. Ales Hemsky passed the puck from the bottom of the left circle to Penner at the inside edge of the same circle for a successful one-timer.
Gilbert gave the Oilers the lead at 8:24 of the second as his shot from the right wall beat Backstrom high.
Game Notes
Backstrom’s 12-0-0 home mark against Edmonton is the NHL’s longest current start of career home win streak vs. one team…The Wild’s 14-game home win streak against Edmonton is tied for the longest current home win streak by one team over another. Nashville has won 14 straight at home versus Columbus. During the streak Edmonton has scored more than two goals just once…Since the lockout, Minnesota, which has never lost in regulation in 10 home openers, is 24-5-1 in October home games…It was Cullen’s first home game in his home state.
Oct 14 10:27p by Christopher Gates - 0 comments