NHL: EDMONTON (5-9) at MINNESOTA (8-6) <h3>Backstrom, Wild face banged up Oilers</h3> Edmonton (5-9-0) at Minnesota (8-4-2) 8:00 pm EST ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - Niklas Backstrom is healthy andthe Minnesota Wild couldn't be happier. Backstrom and the Wild aim for consecutive wins for the firsttime in more than two weeks when they host their NorthwestDivision rival Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Minnesota stormed out of the gate with five straight wins, butlost six of its last eight games. Four of those losses came without Backstrom, who missed timewith a strained groin, but returned to stop 23 shots in a 4-1win over Calgary on Saturday. The second-year goaltender has been impressive this season,posting a 6-1-1 record with a 1.68 goals-against average thusfar. Marion Gaborik, who returned from a groin injury on Friday,scored two goals and added an assist in the win. In the last meeting between the clubs, Backstrom stopped 21shots to record his second shutout of the season in a 2-0 win onOctober 10. As for Edmonton, it is coming off a 4-1 setback to Nashville onSaturday, and has been plagued by injuries. The Oilers' blue line is missing key members like Matt Greene(broken ankle) and Sheldon Souray (shoulder) as well as JoniPitkanen (knee). Edmonton, which has lost five of seven, also lost defensemanMathieu Roy to a shoulder injury in Saturday's loss.
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL AT MINNESOTA STARTING GOALIES: EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM OFFICIALS: REF - KEVIN POLLOCK, STEVE KOZARI LIN - JONNY MURRAY, RYAN GALLOWAY</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">EDMONTON VS MINNESOTA - SCRATCHES EDMONTON MINNESOTA M ROY SHOULDER P DEMITRA GROIN J PITKANEN KNEE INJURY M GABORIK GROIN M GREENE ANKLE INJURY W WALZ PERSONAL REASONS</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 0 MINNESOTA 1 1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 5 (PETTERI NUMMELIN, MIKKO KOIVU) 4:55</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 0 MINNESOTA 2 1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 4 (MIKKO KOIVU, ERIC BELANGER) 18:57</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 0 MINNESOTA 3 1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) KURTIS FOSTER 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD) 19:08</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- EDMONTON 0 0 MINNESOTA 3 3 END OF THE 1ST GOAL SCORING: 1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 5 (PETTERI NUMMELIN, MIKKO KOIVU) 4:55 MIN - (PP) PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 4 (MIKKO KOIVU, ERIC BELANGER) 18:57 MIN - (PP) KURTIS FOSTER 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD) 19:08 SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- EDM 5 5 MIN 8 8 GOALIES: EDM - DWAYNE ROLOSON MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------ Edmonton 0 --0 Minnesota 3 --3 ------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Minnesota, Mark Parrish 5 (power play) (Petteri Nummelin, Mikko Koivu), 4:55. 2, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 4 (power play) (Mikko Koivu, Eric Belanger), 18:57. 3, Minnesota, Kurtis Foster 1 (power play) (Pierre-Marc Bouchard), 19:08. Penalties: R Nilsson, Edm (hooking), 4:13; K Johnsson, Min (interference), 5:43; J Stoll, Edm (interference), 6:30; S Staios, Edm (delay of game), 8:16; E Belanger, Min (holding), 12:55; D Grebeshkov, Edm (hooking), 17:19; D Tarnstrom, Edm (hooking), 18:57. Shots on goal: ----------------------------- Edmonton 5 --5 Minnesota 8 --8 ----------------------------- Goalies : Edmonton, Dwayne Roloson (8 shots, 5 saves). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (5 shots, 5 saves). Referees: Kevin Pollock, Steve Kozari. Linesmen: Jonny Murray, Ryan Galloway.</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 0 MINNESOTA 4 2ND PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 6 (KURTIS FOSTER, PETTERI NUMMELIN) 3:21</div>
NHL: EDMONTON at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL EDMONTON 1 MINNESOTA 4 2ND PRD: EDM - (PP) DUSTIN PENNER 3 (ALES HEMSKY, JARRET STOLL) 13:57</div>
