In this season's first meeting between two
teams that figure to be among the best in the NHL's Western
Conference, the Ducks were a little bit better than the Wild.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 27 saves, defencemen Scott
Niedermayer and Sean O'Donnell scored second-period goals, and
Anaheim ended Minnesota's season-opening winning streak at six games
with a 2-1 victory Friday night.
The loss left Buffalo as the NHL's only team with a perfect
record. The Sabres defeated Carolina 5-4 earlier Friday to run their
record to 7-0, the first team to win its first seven games since
Pittsburgh in 1994-95.
The Ducks won for the fifth time in their seven games, losing two
games in shootouts.
Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle knew the Ducks would be in for a test
against the much-improved Wild.
``They did some things that forced us a little bit out of our
comfort zone,'' he said. ``But we found a way to get our game going
in the second period.
``They're a team that's very difficult to play against. They
force you to make real strong, structured plays all the time.
They're a great defensive team.''
Niedermayer also complimented the Wild.
``They're a good team, getting their sticks in and knocking pucks
around. We knew what we had to try and do against them _ control the
puck and not give it to them,'' Niedermayer said.
``Their forwards do a really good job of controlling the puck.''
Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored the Wild's lone score, closing the
gap to 2-1 at 12:18 of the second period with what turned out to be
the game's final goal.
``It could have gone either way,'' Minnesota defenceman Keith
Carney said of the tight game against his former teammates. ``They
got a good bounce on their first goal and got the lead on us. We
just didn't take advantage of our chances. Both teams played well.''
Bouchard swatted a shot around Giguere from some 10 feet to the
left of the crease for his first goal of the season. Kurtis Foster
and Brian Rolston assisted on the score at 12:18 of the period, with
Rolston picking up his fourth assist and team-high ninth point.
Niedermayer scored Anaheim's first goal with an alert play at
3:25 of the second period. Seeing that Manny Fernandez had his stick
knocked from his hand, Niedermayer quickly wristed a shot from the
right corner that slid between the goalie's pads.
``It looked like there was a little bit of chaos,'' Niedermayer
said. ``That's all I was able to pick up. A little bit of luck.''
The goal was Niedermayer's second of the season, with Todd
Fedoruk and Corey Perry getting assists.
O'Donnell gave Anaheim a 2-0 lead with his first goal of the
season, taking a pass across the crease from Samuel Pahlsson and
flicking the puck past Fernandez at 10:59 of the second.
Fernandez, who made a number of fine saves, faced 29 shots in
losing for the first time in six starts this season.
Giguere and Fernandez each survived a close call in the opening
period to keep the game scoreless.
Giguere, flat on his back near the top of the crease, managed to
reach behind him and secure the puck during a scramble in front of
the goal about midway through the period. Fernandez made a similar
save a few minutes later.
Notes: Minnesota C Wes Walz, out with a left hip flexor, skated
during the morning workout but did not play. ... The Ducks have
beaten the Wild four of their last five meetings in Anaheim. ... The
Wild's first five games were at home. They beat Los Angeles 2-1 in
overtime Wednesday in their first stop on a three-game road trip.
They wrap it up in San Jose on Saturday night before returning home
to host the Kings and the Ducks.
