NHL: CHICAGO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------------ Chicago 0 0 --0 Minnesota 0 1 --1 ------------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Lapointe, Chi (hooking), 2:11; D Boogaard, Min (roughing), 16:49; A Burish, Chi (roughing served by P Kane), 16:49; P Bouchard, Min (holding), 19:00. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 1 (Eric Belanger, Brian Rolston), 4:47. Penalties: D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 3:06; D Koci, Chi (major fighting), 3:06; J Williams, Chi (tripping), 8:51; P Demitra, Min (interference), 9:55; W Walz, Min (hooking), 11:18; B Seabrook, Chi (hooking), 14:31. Shots on goal: ---------------------------------- Chicago 9 11 --20 Minnesota 3 14 --17 ---------------------------------- Goalies : Chicago, Nikolai Khabibulin (17 shots, 16 saves). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (20 shots, 20 saves). Referees: Marc Joannette, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Derek Amell.</div>
NHL: CHICAGO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- CHICAGO 0 0 0 0 MINNESOTA 0 1 0 1 FINAL GOAL SCORING: 1ST PRD: NONE 2ND PRD: MIN - PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 1 (ERIC BELANGER, BRIAN ROLSTON) 4:47 3RD PRD: NONE POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: CHI - 0 OF 4, MIN - 0 OF 4. SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- CHI 9 11 7 27 MIN 3 14 7 24 GOALIES: CHI - NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM OFFICIALS: REF - MARC JOANNETTE, TOM KOWAL LIN - BRAD LAZAROWICH, DEREK AMELL ATT: NA</div>
NHL: CHICAGO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------------------ Chicago 0 0 0 --0 Minnesota 0 1 0 --1 ------------------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Lapointe, Chi (hooking), 2:11; D Boogaard, Min (roughing), 16:49; A Burish, Chi (roughing served by P Kane), 16:49; P Bouchard, Min (holding), 19:00. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 1 (Eric Belanger, Brian Rolston), 4:47. Penalties: D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 3:06; D Koci, Chi (major fighting), 3:06; J Williams, Chi (tripping), 8:51; P Demitra, Min (interference), 9:55; W Walz, Min (hooking), 11:18; B Seabrook, Chi (hooking), 14:31. THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: B Radivojevic, Min (tripping), 2:07; R Bourque, Chi (roughing), 16:59; B Radivojevic, Min (roughing), 16:59. Shots on goal: --------------------------------------- Chicago 9 11 7 --27 Minnesota 3 14 7 --24 --------------------------------------- Power-play Conversions: Chicago - 0 of 4, Minnesota - 0 of 4. Goalies : Chicago, Nikolai Khabibulin (24 shots, 23 saves; record: 0-1-0). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (27 shots, 27 saves; record: 1-0-0). A: NA. Referees: Marc Joannette, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Derek Amell.</div>
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild showed agreat deal of faith in Niklas Backstrom when they re-signed himover the summer. On Thursday, the second-year goaltender showeda glimpse as to why it was warranted. Backstrom stopped all 27 shots he faced for his sixth careershutout and Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored the game's lone goal asthe Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 1-0, on Thursday inthe season opener for both teams. Backstrom's biggest save came just eight minutes into the firstperiod, when Minnesota got caught on a line change. PatrickSharp got behind the defense, but Backstrom made a pad save onhis backhander. Backstrom also was instrumental in the killing of a 5-on-3shorthanded situation midway through the second period. The29-year-old stopped Robert Lang on the doorstep and JasonWilliams' blast from the high slot in a 10-second span. That type of production was one of the reasons Minnesota dealtfellow netminder Manny Fernandez to the Boston Bruins in theoffseason. The fact Backstrom posted a 23-8-6 record and tiedthe franchise record for shutouts in a season with five in 41games also helped, as did the Finn's NHL-best 1.97 goals-againstaverage and .929 save percentage that enabled the Wild tosecure a postseason berth. As a team, the Wild allowed just 191 goals last season - thelowest total in the NHL. Bouchard gave Backstrom all the support he needed with 4:47remaining in the second period. Bouchard, who was a first-round selection - eighth overall - inthe 2002 draft, converted a beautiful pass from Eric Belanger toput Minnesota on the board, backhanding the puck over theoutstretched arm of goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin Khabibulin played well in defeat, stopping 23 shots. Chicago appeared to lose more than two points, however. MartinHavlat, who led the Blackhawks in scoring with 57 points in only56 games last season, left the game with three minutesremaining after suffering an apparent right arm injury and didnot return. The Wild got out of the gate slowly, recording just three shotson goal in the first period. Chicago was outshooting Minnesota,20-8, when the Wild ran off nine straight shots in the finalsix minutes of the second session. Minnesota, which swept the season series in 2006-07, improved to14-2-1 in the last 17 meetings between the clubs. The Wild won for the fourth straight time when they open theseason at home.
NHL: CHICAGO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------------------ Chicago 0 0 0 --0 Minnesota 0 1 0 --1 ------------------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Lapointe, Chi (hooking), 2:11; D Boogaard, Min (roughing), 16:49; A Burish, Chi (roughing served by P Kane), 16:49; P Bouchard, Min (holding), 19:00. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 1 (Eric Belanger, Brian Rolston), 4:47. Penalties: D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 3:06; D Koci, Chi (major fighting), 3:06; J Williams, Chi (tripping), 8:51; P Demitra, Min (interference), 9:55; W Walz, Min (hooking), 11:18; B Seabrook, Chi (hooking), 14:31. THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: B Radivojevic, Min (tripping), 2:07; R Bourque, Chi (roughing), 16:59; B Radivojevic, Min (roughing), 16:59. Shots on goal: --------------------------------------- Chicago 9 11 7 --27 Minnesota 3 14 7 --24 --------------------------------------- Power-play Conversions: Chicago - 0 of 4, Minnesota - 0 of 4. Goalies : Chicago, Nikolai Khabibulin (24 shots, 23 saves; record: 0-1-0). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (27 shots, 27 saves; record: 1-0-0). A: 18,568. Referees: Marc Joannette, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Derek Amell.</div>
NHL: CHICAGO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">----------------------------------------- CHICAGO 0 0 0 --0 MINNESOTA 0 1 0 --1 ----------------------------------------- FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Lapointe, Chi (hooking), 2:11; D Boogaard, Min (roughing), 16:49; A Burish, Chi (roughing served by P Kane), 16:49; P Bouchard, Min (holding), 19:00. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 1 (Eric Belanger, Brian Rolston), 4:47. Penalties: D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 3:06; D Koci, Chi (major fighting), 3:06; J Williams, Chi (tripping), 8:51; P Demitra, Min (interference), 9:55; W Walz, Min (hooking), 11:18; B Seabrook, Chi (hooking), 14:31. THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: B Radivojevic, Min (tripping), 2:07; R Bourque, Chi (roughing), 16:59; B Radivojevic, Min (roughing), 16:59. Shots on goal: ---------------------------------------- CHICAGO 9 11 7 --27 MINNESOTA 3 14 7 --24 ---------------------------------------- Power-play Conversions: CHI - 0 of 4, MIN - 0 of 4. Goalies : Chicago, Nikolai Khabibulin (24 shots, 23 saves; record: 0-1-0). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (27 shots, 27 saves; record: 1-0-0). A: 18,568. Referees: Marc Joannette, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Derek Amell. INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS CHICAGO MINNESOTA G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots P Sharp 0 0 -1 1 M Gaborik 0 0 even 1 R Bourque 0 0 even 2 B Rolston 0 1 +1 6 S Samsonov 0 0 -1 1 D Moore 0 0 even 2 K Adams 0 0 even 0 S Veilleux 0 0 even 1 D Keith 0 0 -1 0 M Parrish 0 0 even 1 R Lang 0 0 even 2 D Boogaard 0 0 even 1 M Lapointe 0 0 even 0 E Belanger 0 1 +1 3 J Vandermeer 0 0 even 0 K Carney 0 0 even 0 M Havlat 0 0 even 2 P Nummelin 0 0 +1 2 J Williams 0 0 even 4 W Walz 0 0 even 0 A Burish 0 0 -1 1 P Demitra 0 0 even 1 J Wisniewski 0 0 even 2 M Skoula 0 0 even 0 D Koci 0 0 even 0 K Johnsson 0 0 even 0 B Sopel 0 0 even 3 N Schultz 0 0 even 0 M Johansson 0 0 even 3 B Burns 0 0 +1 0 B Seabrook 0 0 -1 1 M Koivu 0 0 even 2 P Kane 0 0 even 2 B Radivojevic 0 0 even 1 Y Perreault 0 0 even 3 P Bouchard 1 0 +1 3 D Richmond HEALTHY K Foster GROIN T Ruutu KNEE INJURY M Foy HEALTHY J Toews FINGER INJURY J Sheppard HEALTHY</div>
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild showed agreat deal of faith in Niklas Backstrom when they re-signed himover the summer. On Thursday, the second-year goaltender showeda glimpse as to why it was warranted. Backstrom stopped all 27 shots he faced for his sixth careershutout and Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored the game's lone goal asthe Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 1-0, on Thursday inthe season opener for both teams. "I tried to focus like it was a normal game, but when you skateout on the ice on opening night, you get chills through yourwhole body," Backstrom said. "I'll try to remember the momentbecause this is one of the best moments in hockey life." Backstrom's biggest save came just eight minutes into the firstperiod, when Minnesota got caught on a line change. PatrickSharp got behind the defense, but Backstrom made a pad save onhis backhander. Backstrom also was instrumental in the killing of a 5-on-3shorthanded situation midway through the second period. The29-year-old stopped Robert Lang on the doorstep and JasonWilliams' blast from the high slot in a 10-second span. "I think they had 40 seconds (at 5-on-3), so usually you get acouple of scoring chances," said Backstrom, who made nine savesin the first period, 11 in the second and seven in the third."It was a big thing for us to kill that. That was a big turningpoint in the game for us." That type of production was one of the reasons Minnesota dealtfellow netminder Manny Fernandez to the Boston Bruins in theoffseason. The fact Backstrom posted a 23-8-6 record and tiedthe franchise record for shutouts in a season with five in 41games also helped, as did the Finn's NHL-best 1.97 goals-againstaverage and .929 save percentage that enabled the Wild tosecure a postseason berth. As a team, the Wild allowed just 191 goals last season - thelowest total in the NHL. Bouchard gave Backstrom all the support he needed with 4:47remaining in the second period. Bouchard, who was a first-round selection - eighth overall - inthe 2002 draft, converted a beautiful pass from Eric Belanger toput Minnesota on the board, backhanding the puck over theoutstretched arm of goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin. "The three of us were clicking, and we hope we can keep it thatway," Bouchard said of he and his linemates. "(Brian Rolston)made a nice play to Belanger down low, and Eric made a greatpass to me in the slot." "We feel pretty good as a line right now," Belanger added. "Thechemistry is there." Khabibulin played well in defeat, stopping 23 shots. "(Khabibulin) stood on his head today," said Chicago's PatrickKane, the No. 1 selection in the 2007 draft. "We just need tostart scoring goals. We need to help him out back there." "He was tremendous again," Blackhawks coach Denis Savard added. Chicago appeared to lose more than two points, however. MartinHavlat, who led the Blackhawks in scoring with 57 points in only56 games last season, left the game with three minutesremaining after suffering an apparent right arm injury and didnot return. "A guy got a free punch at him, and he lifted up his shoulder toprotect himself," Savard said. The Wild got out of the gate slowly, recording just three shotson goal in the first period. Chicago was outshooting Minnesota,20-8, when the Wild ran off nine straight shots in the finalsix minutes of the second session. "It was the first game, maybe we were a little bit nervous atthe beginning," Bouchard said. Minnesota, which swept the season series in 2006-07, improved to14-2-1 in the last 17 meetings between the clubs. The Wild won for the fourth straight time when they open theseason at home.
