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Minnesota sink Sharks to offset miserable month

China Daily | Updated: 2009-01-02 07:28

ST. PAUL, Minnesota: Brett Burns scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Minnesota Wild to an upset 3-2 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.

The Minnesota defenseman put a wrister past San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov after 1:38 of the extra session to help the Wild snap an eight-game losing streak against the Sharks.

It was the 10th career game-winner for Burns, who also added two assists.

Minnesota (18-16-2) entered the contest with a 3-9-1 record for a miserable December that saw them drop to last place in the Northwest Division.

In the last game of the calendar year, the Wild met the challenge of the Pacific division-leading Sharks, buoyed by 32 saves from goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

"It was a good way to end a really tough month," Backstrom said. "Hopefully, we can turn things around. There's still time, but it has to happen now."

Owen Nolan gave Minnesota a 1-0 edge 10:09 into the first period and the teams traded goals for the remainder of the game.

Nolan, who was playing in his first game since Dec 5 due to a leg injury, gathered a tip-in to put his team on the board.

Devin Setoguchi tied things up with his 18th goal of the year in the second, and Krystofer Kolanos answered for the Wild at 14:14 in the third followed by Milan Michalek's game-tying score with just 26 seconds remaining.

Islanders 4, Panthers 2

At Uniondale, New York, Mike Comrie scored twice in New York's three-goal second period, and Sean Bergenheim and Mark Streit added goals.

Joey MacDonald, subbing for a third straight game for oft-injured regular Rick DiPietro, made 27 saves for his 11th win of the season - and the Islanders' first over Florida since Dec 9, 2006. Brett McLean and Nathan Horton scored for Florida.

Stars 4, Devils 2

At Dallas, Loui Eriksson scored Dallas' first short-handed goal of the season and added an empty-netter with 40 seconds left in a win over New Jersey.

Mark Parrish had a power-play goal, Landon Wilson also scored, and Marty Turco made 25 saves for the Stars, 5-1-1 in their last seven.

David Clarkson had a power-play goal, and Mike Mottau also scored for New Jersey.

Hurricanes 3, Thrashers 1

At Raleigh, North Carolina, Sergei Samsonov had two goals and an assist, Joe Corvo also scored for Carolina, and Cam Ward made 20 saves in a win over Atlanta.

The Hurricanes have won five of eight while picking up points in nine of their 13 games under new coach Paul Maurice.

Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk scored to end a career-worst nine-game goal drought.

Coyotes 3, Avalanche 1

At Glendale, Arizona, Peter Mueller scored twice in a 2:05 span in the second period, and Olli Jokinen also scored as Phoenix downed Colorado.

Shane Doan had a pair of assists, and Mikael Tellqvist made 28 saves in place of the ailing Ilya Bryzgalov, allowing only T.J. Hensick's goal.

Agencies

(China Daily 01/02/2009 page12)

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