NHL: EDMONTON (2-1) at MINNESOTA (2-0) <h3>Super sophomore G Backstrom leads Wild against Oilers</h3> <div class="pre">Edmonton (2-1-0) at Minnesota (2-0-0) 8:00 pm EDT</div> ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- Goaltender Niklas Backstrom andthe Minnesota Wild will look to continue their red-hot start tothe new campaign when they face Northwest Division rival, theEdmonton Oilers. Backstrom, the super sophomore, is picking up right where heleft off last season. After leading the NHL in his rookieseason with a 1.97 goals-against average, the 29-year-old Finnhas allowed just two goals while making 48 saves in his firsttwo games - including a shutout against the Chicago Blackhawksin the season opener. Despite his limited NHL experience, the Wild have plenty ofconfidence in their young netminder, trading veteran MannyFernandez to the Boston Bruins during the offseason after thetwo shared time in the crease during 2006-07. Fernandez and Backstrom won the Jennings Trophy last season,allowing just 184 goals, the lowest total in the NHL. It hasyet to be seen whether Backstrom can be successful carrying theentire load, but he is off to a strong start. Backstrom and the Wild dominated the Oilers during last season,winning six of the eight contests between the teams. Backstromposted a perfect record in four starts against Edmonton in2006-07, allowing just two goals while registering two shutoutsand 90 saves. Not only will the Oilers have to solve Backstrom, but they willhave to beat the Wild at home, something that has only happenedonce over their last 10 games as Minnesota has posted a 9-1-1record at the Xcel Energy Center.
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL AT MINNESOTA STARTING GOALIES: EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM OFFICIALS: REF - KEVIN POLLOCK, TIM PEEL LIN - BRIAN MACH, DEREK MANSEN</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">EDMONTON VS MINNESOTA - SCRATCHES EDMONTON MINNESOTA E MOREAU FOOT INJURY K CARNEY HEALTHY D GREBESHKOV HEALTHY M FOY HEALTHY S GAGNER HEALTHY D MOORE ABDOMINAL</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 0 MINNESOTA 1 1ST PRD: MIN - BRENT BURNS 2 (MARIAN GABORIK, PAVOL DEMITRA) 12:22</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- EDMONTON 0 0 MINNESOTA 1 1 END OF THE 1ST GOAL SCORING: 1ST PRD: MIN - BRENT BURNS 2 (MARIAN GABORIK, PAVOL DEMITRA) 12:22 SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- EDM 5 5 MIN 10 10 GOALIES: EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------ Edmonton 0 --0 Minnesota 1 --1 ------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Brent Burns 2 (Marian Gaborik, Pavol Demitra), 12:22. Penalties: K Foster, Min (high sticking), 2:09. Shots on goal: ----------------------------- Edmonton 5 --5 Minnesota 10 --10 ----------------------------- Goalies : Edmonton, Dwayne Roloson (10 shots, 9 saves). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (5 shots, 5 saves). Referees: Kevin Pollock, Tim Peel. Linesmen: Brian Mach, Derek Mansen.</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 0 MINNESOTA 2 2ND PRD: MIN - PAVOL DEMITRA 1 (MIKKO KOIVU, MARIAN GABORIK) 7:48</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- EDMONTON 0 0 0 MINNESOTA 1 1 2 END OF THE 2ND GOAL SCORING: 1ST PRD: MIN - BRENT BURNS 2 (MARIAN GABORIK, PAVOL DEMITRA) 12:22 2ND PRD: MIN - PAVOL DEMITRA 1 (MIKKO KOIVU, MARIAN GABORIK) 7:48 SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- EDM 5 5 10 MIN 10 8 18 GOALIES: EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM</div>
