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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Wild added another team
jockeying for playoff position to their list of recent victims.
The Wild handed the San Jose Sharks their first loss in 11 road
games, 3-1 on Sunday before an overflow crowd of 18,568 at Xcel Energy
Center.
|  | | Scott Pellerin's power-play goal in the second period gave the Wild a 2-1 edge, a lead they would not relinquish to the Sharks. |
They also became the first team in three games to score on the
Sharks. Antti Laaksonen beat Steve Shields with a slap shot in the
second period, ending the Sharks' stretch of holding opponents
scoreless at a team-record 152 minutes, 53 seconds.
The expansion Wild also have beaten the Pittsburgh Penguins and
Dallas Stars in their last three games.
"We're not talking like we did early in the season, when it was
a miracle every time we beat a good team," said Wild goaltender
Manny Fernandez, who saved 27 shots.
The Sharks were coming off the first back-to-back shutouts in
franchise history and had not allowed a goal since Chicago's Steve
Sullivan scored short-handed on Feb. 10.
They also had not lost on the road since Dec. 23 at Buffalo,
covering a league-best 10-game stretch (6-0-4). They were unbeaten
(3-0-2) and had won three in a row while allowing three goals over
the All-Star break.
"We can't expect to win in any building playing short-handed
that much," the Sharks' Gary Suter said.
The Sharks still managed to shut out the Wild during the first
period, despite logging 21 minutes in the penalty box, by killing
five penalties. The Wild thought they might have missed their
opportunity right there.
"That's all you think about, the bad things you did," Wild
coach Jacques Lemaire said. "After that first goal, the difference
was black and white."
The Wild's Scott Pellerin scored on a power play later in the
second period.
"That blew the whole house up," Fernandez said. "When the
guys get goose bumps, that means a lot. From there on, it seemed
like the game was easier to play."
Sylvain Blouin scored his first career goal in the third period.
The Wild allowed their third power-play goal in two games in the
first period, on a shot by Marco Sturm. They had killed 33
consecutive penalties over a nine-game stretch before giving up a
pair of power-play goals Friday night against the Los Angeles
Kings.
Game notes
San Jose lost for the first time without captain Owen
Nolan, whose appeal of an 11-game suspension for hitting Dallas
forward Grant Marshall was upheld Saturday by the NHL. ... The
Sharks' Patrick Marleau was given a 10-minute match penalty in the
third period for his hit on Marian Gaborik. ... The Wild's Darby
Hendrickson sat out his second consecutive game because of a head
injury. ... Left wing Pavel Patera played his first game for the
Wild after being called up Saturday from the Cleveland Lumberjacks
of the IHL.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
San Jose Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Carolina 5
Boston 4
Minnesota 3
San Jose 1
Chicago 3
Los Angeles 0
Ottawa 4
Montreal 0
Detroit 2
Dallas 1
Nashville 3
Tampa Bay 2
Calgary 4
Phoenix 1
Vancouver 3
NY Islanders 2
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