GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MINNESOTA (7-1) at CALGARY (4-5)

NHL: MINNESOTA (7-1) at CALGARY (4-5)

<h3>Wild aim to continue stellar defensive start</h3>

<div class="pre">Minnesota (7-0-1) at Calgary (4-3-2) 9:00 pm EDT</div>

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Thanks to a great start defensively,the Minnesota Wild's offensive struggles have gone virtuallyunnoticed.


On Wednesday, the Wild will travel to the Pengrowth Saddledometo meet the Calgary Flames.


Minnesota (7-0-1) is off to the best start in franchise historydespite not having scored more than three goals in any game thisseason. The inability to find the back of the net has beenoffset by some spectacular goaltending by Niklas Backstrom, whois second in the league with a 1.48 goals-against average.

However, the Wild's quest to improve their offense could behampered in the short term by the possible absence of right wingPavol Demitra, who is day-to-day with a strained adductormuscle.


On the other hand, Calgary has been very proficient on theoffensive end, as it is just one of six teams that have scored30 goals.


Center Daymond Langkow has registered three two-goal gamesthrough nine contests and has eight for the season, trailingonly Los Angeles Kings center Michael Cammalleri, who leads theNHL with 10 goals.


The Flames are coming off a 4-1 loss to San Jose on Monday,snapping Calgary's two-game winning streak here.

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL AT CALGARY
STARTING GOALIES: MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM
CGY - MIIKKA KIPRUSOFF

OFFICIALS: REF - BRAD WATSON, KELLY SUTHERLAND
LIN - ANTHONY SERICOLO, STEVE MILLER</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA VS CALGARY - SCRATCHES

MINNESOTA CALGARY

P DEMITRA UPPER BODY W PRIMEAU ANKLE INJURY
P NUMMELIN HEALTHY A ERIKSSON HEALTHY
C CLUTTERBUCK HEALTHY E NYSTROM HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
CALGARY 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
CALGARY 0 17:37 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
CALGARY 0
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) BRIAN ROLSTON 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, ERIC
BELANGER) 3:16</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
CALGARY 0 14:50 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 2
CALGARY 0
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 3 (KIM JOHNSSON) 5:20</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 2
CALGARY 0 12:48 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 2
CALGARY 0 11:10 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0
1ST PRD: MIN - WES WALZ 1 (BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC, MARIAN GABORIK) 9:31</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 8:20 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 5:05 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 2:57 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 1:20 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 3 3
CALGARY 0 0 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) BRIAN ROLSTON 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, ERIC
BELANGER) 3:16
MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 3 (KIM JOHNSSON) 5:20
MIN - WES WALZ 1 (BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC, MARIAN GABORIK) 9:31

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 7 7
CGY 8 8

GOALIES: MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM
CGY - MIIKKA KIPRUSOFF</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">------------------------
Minnesota 3 --3
Calgary 0 --0
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Brian Rolston 4 (power play)
(Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Eric Belanger), 3:16. 2, Minnesota, Mark
Parrish 3 (power play) (Kim Johnsson), 5:20. 3, Minnesota, Wes Walz 1
(Branko Radivojevic, Marian Gaborik), 9:31. Penalties: E Godard, Cgy
(holding), 2:23; R Warrener, Cgy (hooking), 4:07; P Bouchard, Min
(interference), 10:39; D Phaneuf, Cgy (major fighting), 14:47; S
Veilleux, Min (instigator, fighting major, misconduct), 14:47.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Minnesota 7 --7
Calgary 8 --8
-----------------------------

Goalies : Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (8 shots, 8 saves). Calgary,
Miikka Kiprusoff (7 shots, 4 saves). Referees: Brad Watson, Kelly
Sutherland. Linesmen: Anthony Sericolo, Steve Miller.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 19:12 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at CALGARY

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
CALGARY 0 16:41 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>