GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MINNESOTA (7-2) at EDMONTON (3-6)

NHL: MINNESOTA (7-2) at EDMONTON (3-6)

<h3>Wild look to avenge first loss vs. Oilers</h3>

<div class="pre">Minnesota (7-1-1) at Edmonton (3-6-0) 9:00 pm EDT</div>

EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild should haveno problem rebounding from their first regulation loss of theseason against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.


Minnesota became the last team to lose on Wednesday asgoaltender Niklas Backstrom allowed five consecutive goals in a5-3 loss to Calgary.


The setback was particularly stunning considering that Backstromentered the game second in the league with a 1.48 goals-againstaverage.


The good news is that the Wild now travel to Edmonton where theyhave had great success recently. Minnesota, which beatthe Oilers 2-0, at home on October 10, has won eight of the last11 meetings here.


Right wing Marian Gaborik is one player in particular thatenjoys playing here. The third overall pick of the 2000 draft,Gaborik has eight goals and three assists while enjoying aseven-game point streak in Edmonton. Not coincidentally, theWild have won all seven games.


Backup goaltender Josh Harding will likely be in net forMinnesota, and has been outstanding this season. The five-yearveteran has won his only two starts this season while posting a0.50 GAA.


Meanwhile, the Oilers have lost six of seven and coming off a4-2 setback to Colorado. Rookie Sam Gagner had two assists inthe loss, and his seven points are tied for the team lead withfellow rookie Andrew Cogliano.


One of the biggest reasons for Edmonton's struggles is that itis 0-for-15 with a man advantage in the last four games, as wellas a league-worst 2-for-35 on the power play.

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL AT EDMONTON
STARTING GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON

OFFICIALS: REF - DENNIS LARUE, KELLY SUTHERLAND
LIN - MARK SHEWCHYK, RYAN GALLOWAY</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
EDMONTON 0 17:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

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

MINNESOTA EDMONTON

K CARNEY HEALTHY Z STORTINI HEALTHY
P DEMITRA HEALTHY J PITKANEN KNEE INJURY
C CLUTTERBUCK HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
EDMONTON 1
1ST PRD: EDM - SHAWN HORCOFF 3 (LADISLAV SMID, RAFFI TORRES) 3:30</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

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

MINNESOTA EDMONTON

K CARNEY HEALTHY Z STORTINI HEALTHY
P DEMITRA THIGH INJURY J PITKANEN KNEE INJURY
C CLUTTERBUCK HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
EDMONTON 2
1ST PRD: EDM - ALES HEMSKY 1 (RAFFI TORRES, SHAWN HORCOFF) 10:42</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
EDMONTON 2 6:35 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

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

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: EDM - SHAWN HORCOFF 3 (LADISLAV SMID, RAFFI TORRES) 3:30
EDM - ALES HEMSKY 1 (RAFFI TORRES, SHAWN HORCOFF) 10:42

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 9 9
EDM 9 9

GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">------------------------
Minnesota 0 --0
Edmonton 2 --2
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Edmonton, Shawn Horcoff 3 (Ladislav Smid,
Raffi Torres), 3:30. 2, Edmonton, Ales Hemsky 1 (Raffi Torres, Shawn
Horcoff), 10:42. Penalties: G Sanderson, Edm (hooking), 5:53; B
Radivojevic, Min (hooking), 12:49; K Johnsson, Min (delay of game),
12:54.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Minnesota 9 --9
Edmonton 9 --9
-----------------------------

Goalies : Minnesota, Josh Harding (9 shots, 7 saves). Edmonton, Dwayne
Roloson (9 shots, 9 saves). Referees: Dennis Larue, Kelly Sutherland.
Linesmen: Mark Shewchyk, Ryan Galloway.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

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

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
EDMONTON 2
2ND PRD: MIN - JAMES SHEPPARD 1 (BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC, MARTIN SKOULA)
6:36</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
EDMONTON 3
2ND PRD: EDM - (PP) SHAWN HORCOFF 4 (DENIS GREBESHKOV, RAFFI TORRES)
7:22</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
EDMONTON 3 9:00 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 2
EDMONTON 3
2ND PRD: MIN - PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 3 (NICK SCHULTZ, MIKKO KOIVU)
14:43</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 2
EDMONTON 3 3:10 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

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

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: EDM - SHAWN HORCOFF 3 (LADISLAV SMID, RAFFI TORRES) 3:30
EDM - ALES HEMSKY 1 (RAFFI TORRES, SHAWN HORCOFF) 10:42
2ND PRD: MIN - JAMES SHEPPARD 1 (BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC, MARTIN SKOULA)
6:36
EDM - (PP) SHAWN HORCOFF 4 (DENIS GREBESHKOV, RAFFI TORRES)
7:22
MIN - PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 3 (NICK SCHULTZ, MIKKO KOIVU)
14:43

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 9 15 24
EDM 9 8 17

GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">------------------------------
Minnesota 0 2 --2
Edmonton 2 1 --3
------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Edmonton, Shawn Horcoff 3 (Ladislav Smid,
Raffi Torres), 3:30. 2, Edmonton, Ales Hemsky 1 (Raffi Torres, Shawn
Horcoff), 10:42. Penalties: G Sanderson, Edm (hooking), 5:53; B
Radivojevic, Min (hooking), 12:49; K Johnsson, Min (delay of game),
12:54.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Minnesota, James Sheppard 1 (Branko
Radivojevic, Martin Skoula), 6:36. 4, Edmonton, Shawn Horcoff 4 (power
play) (Denis Grebeshkov, Raffi Torres), 7:22. 5, Minnesota,
Pierre-Marc Bouchard 3 (Nick Schultz, Mikko Koivu), 14:43. Penalties:
D Boogaard, Min (roughing), 6:54; D Penner, Edm (tripping), 7:48; D
Grebeshkov, Edm (tripping), 12:25; M Greene, Edm (high sticking),
17:56.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------
Minnesota 9 15 --24
Edmonton 9 8 --17
----------------------------------

Goalies : Minnesota, Josh Harding (17 shots, 14 saves). Edmonton,
Dwayne Roloson (24 shots, 22 saves). Referees: Dennis Larue, Kelly
Sutherland. Linesmen: Mark Shewchyk, Ryan Galloway.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 2
EDMONTON 3 19:55 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at EDMONTON

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 3
EDMONTON 3
3RD PRD: MIN - BRIAN ROLSTON 5 (ERIC BELANGER, PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD)
2:16</div>