|
 Center Mikko Koivu and right winger Jason Pominville scored in a
shootout, and center Kyle Brodziak netted two goals in the third
period as the Wild stayed unbeaten at home with a 4-3 victory over
the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Goalie Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves in the first 65 minutes, and
stopped two of the three Sharks in the shootout.
Koivu also scored in regulation for the Wild, who overcame a 3-1,
third-period deficit for the second consecutive game to win. Still,
the Wild (6-3-0) were again unable to score with the man-advantage,
falling to a league-worst 0-for-27 on the power play this season.
"It goes to show that you've got to play a full game to win, and
we've been able to bounce back the last couple games," said
Pominville, who scored on a glove-side wrist shot in the shootout.
"We didn't get off to the best start, but we hung with it and found
a way."
On Tuesday in Boston, the Wild rallied to beat the Bruins 4-3.
 Rookie defenseman Mirco Mueller and centers Tommy Wingels and Joe
Thornton scored for the Sharks (6-4-2), who saw their third-period
lead slip away despite a career-high 43 saves by goalie Antti Niemi.
"Sometimes it's tougher coming off an emotional win than it is an
emotional loss, and that was one thing that was a little bit scary
for me coming into this game," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "You're
coming back home after a really big, emotional win. You have to
guard against that letdown. You can only talk so much, and we
weathered it, fortunately."
The Sharks appeared to get a goal from defenseman Brent Burns in
overtime, but officials ruled the play dead because he made contact
with the goalie.
"I don't know. I thought it was a good goal," said Burns, the NHL's
top-scoring defenseman this season. "I just kind of got pushed into
the net, so I really didn't see it. I knew it was in. They said I
pushed the goalie, so I don't know. Can't say I agree."
Niemi was busy right away, as Minnesota rattled off five of the
game's first six shots, and he turned aside a breakaway by Wild
center Kyle Broziak in the opening minutes. The Sharks appeared to
take an early lead when defenseman Jason Demers got a short-range
shot past a diving Kuemper. However, referee Brad Meier emphatically
signaled no goal, noting that center Logan Couture skated through
the crease prior to the shot.
Keumper equaled his San Jose counterpart midway through the first
period, stopping Sharks center Patrick Marleau on a short-handed
breakaway with a blocker save.
[to top of second column] |
Mueller broke the deadlock late in the first, getting his first
career goal off an odd bounce. Wild left winger Zach Parise
attempted to swat away Mueller's pass from the corner across the top
of the crease, but the Minnesota alternate captain inadvertently
redirected the puck between Kuemper's skates, giving the Sharks a
1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
"They're a very aggressive team with their defense jumping into the
rush," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "We were able to manage the
puck and spring some guys loose in the first. Second we didn't
manage it as well, and they weren't near as aggressive and kept us
in our zone."
Wingels doubled the San Jose lead in the opening minutes of the
middle period, scoring on a power play by slipping a shot between
Keumper and the goalpost.
Koivu finally got Minnesota on the scoreboard near the midway point
of the second, taking a Parise feed from the corner and crashing the
net, slipping the puck past Niemi before barreling over the goalie's
outstretched right leg pad.
NOTES: Wild C Erik Haula missed his second consecutive game after a
hard hit to the head during Monday night's game in New York against
the Rangers. The hit resulted in Rangers D John Moore receiving a
five-game suspension from the NHL on Wednesday. ... Sharks RW
Barclay Goodrow made his NHL debut Thursday in the same building
where he experienced one of his biggest disappointments. In 2011
when Minnesota hosted the NHL Draft, Goodrow was in attendance and
went unclaimed, eventually signing a free agent contract with San
Jose. ... Wild LW Stephane Veilleux was recalled Thursday and played
his first game of the season for the NHL club after LW Matt Cooke
was scratched because of a lower body ailment. ... Both teams will
open November on home ice. The Wild, in the midst of a three-game
homestand, host the Dallas Stars on Saturday. The Sharks return to
San Jose for a Saturday night meeting with the New York Islanders.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
