Wild Take Win in Hard Fought Game

Philippe Boucher played in his first game as a Penguin after being acquired from the Dallas Stars for now former Penguin Darryl Sydor. To give the new face a space on the Pens blue line Mark Eaton was scratched for the fourth time in seven games.

Early in the first period the Wild got themselves on the board first and they didn`t even need to touch the puck to do so. Mike Zigomanis won the face-off cleanly and back to his defense, however the defense never touched the puck as it slid past them Sabourin, and the goal line. Mikko Koivu was given credit for the goal at 7:57.

But the Pens were determined to tie the game and they did so just ten seconds later for the quickest goal after an opponent's this season. Matt Cooke scored his second of the season after Staal got the puck to the net where Cooke picked up the rebound. Rob Scuderi also assisted on the goal at 8:07.

That`s all of the scoring for the entire game. For the remaining fifty-two minutes both team's defense stood strong.

In the second period Jordan Staal took a hit from Erik Reitz that he felt was unnecessary and he dropped the gloves for only the second time in his career. This fight however has better than his last against Matt Petttinger last season. This time he got a few punches in before falling to the ice at 4:34.

Also in the second period NHL point leader Evgeni Malkin took a puck to the face and went to the locker room with a towel to his face and blood on the ice. He did return to play in the third but he did not manage to get a point on the night bring his 13-game point streak to an end. Malkin now has points in every game this season but two.

Overtime ended with both teams still tied at one on the scoreboard and tied at 25 shots.

In the shoot-out the Pens opted to shoot first but all three shooters, Petr Sykora, Alex Goligoski, and Sidney Crosby, failed to score. Dany Sabourin who started in the absence of the injured Marc-Andre Fleury had the Wild Marek Zidlicky score the winning goal.

The Pens had won six straight before this game and hope to start another streak Thursday when they take on former teammates Erik Christensen and Colby Armstrong in Atlanta at 7:08.

The three stars of this one were 3. Mikko Koivu, 2. Matt Cooke, 1. Niklas Backstrom.

Ryan Whitney (foot), Sergei Gonchar (shoulder), and Marc-Andre Fleury (undisclosed) all missed the game along with healthy scratch Mark Eaton. John Curry was called up to back-up Sabourin.