Nov 1, 2009 7:16 am US/Eastern
Pens Lose 2-1 As Backstrom Makes 34 Saves For Wild
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) ―
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Niklas Backstrom No. 32 of the Minnesota Wild in goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the game at the Honda Center on Oct. 14, 2009.
Harry How/Getty Images
The Penguins lost their third game of the season Saturday as Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom made 34 saves for a win at Mellon Arena.
It was the Wild's first road win this season as they defeated the Pens 2-1. But the Pens had more shots on goal in the first (16) than Minnesota had in the entire game.
All the scoring came in the first period as the Wild's Kyle Brodziak got the opening goal.
Later in the period, the Pens' Pascal Dupuis tied it up with a one-timed slap shot. Craig Adams won a faceoff back to point man Martin Skoula, who quickly fed Dupuis in the slot.
But the Wild's Eric Belanger gave the Wild the lead for good with 0.6 seconds to play in the first. Martin Havlat found him wide open in the right circle, and Belanger fired a wrist shot past Marc-Andre Fleury, who lost for the second time this season.
Backstrom stopped multiple Penguins during a flurry when the teams were playing 4-on-4 with nine minutes left. He also robbed Kris Letang, who was in alone, about two minutes later.
The Penguins, who own the NHL's best record, outshot Minnesota 35-15. The Wild are 3-0 against Eastern Conference opponents.
The Pens now head to the west coast for games against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, Los Angeles Kings on Thursday and San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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