Koivu's Third-Period Goal Lifts Wild Past Penguins 2-1
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Mikko Koivu scored midway through the third period to lift the Minnesota Wild over the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Saturday night.
Daniel Winnik also scored for Minnesota and Devan Dubnyk made 29 saves. The Wild, winless in their first four one-goal games this season, have won three of four overall.
Evgeni Malkin scored for Pittsburgh, which is starting a five-game trip that includes a swing through Western Canada.
The Penguins have scored just six goals in four games, yet won two of those, both 2-1 in overtime.
On the winning goal, Kyle Quincey kept the puck in at the left point and zipped a pass across to Mike Reilly at the right wall. His wrist shot from the circle was deflected by Koivu between the pads of Matt Murray at 9:03.
Murray lost for the first time in regulation this season, having won seven straight starts since an overtime loss on opening night. He had 27 saves.
Malkin's slapshot from the right circle deflected off Luke Kunin and Quincey for a power-play goal midway through the first, but Winnik deked Murray to score on a rebound less than two minutes later and tie it 1-1.
Pittsburgh, which entered with the league's fifth-best power play at 27.3 percent, has scored a power-play goal in all seven road games this season and nine of 12 games overall.
NOTES: Malkin has three goals and seven assists in his last seven games against the Wild. ... Minnesota C Matt Cullen got his 2017 Stanley Cup ring earlier in the day. The 40 year old spent the last two seasons with Pittsburgh and strongly considered retiring before signing with his home state Wild in August. ... Wild RW Nino Niederreiter, who's missed six games with a high ankle sprain, is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Pittsburgh: At Winnipeg on Sunday night.
Minnesota: Home on Tuesday night against Winnipeg
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