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Koivu Lifts Wild Past Leafs

POSTED: 11:35 pm EST November 10, 2009

(Sports Network) - Mikko Koivu registered a goal and two assists, and the Minnesota Wild continued their recent strong play with a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.

Marek Zidlicky tallied a goal and an assist for the Wild, who have won four of their last five games and recorded their first-ever victory in Toronto. Greg Zanon and Martin Havlat also scored in the win, only Minnesota's second out of 10 road games this season.

"The first game of a road trip is always huge," Koivu said of the start to the team's four-game trip. "It's easier to move on. We'll enjoy this one and head to Tampa and get ready for the next one."

Niklas Backstrom made 37 stops for the Wild in the victory.

Alexei Ponikarovsky and Phil Kessel scored for Toronto, which had a seven-game point streak (3-0-4) come to an end. Jonas Gustavsson allowed four goals on 30 shots in defeat, Toronto's first in three games.

"We played like it was Tuesday night," said Leafs head coach Ron Wilson. "We seem to struggle when it's not a Saturday night game at home. Emotionally, we came out a little flat -- we were just content to move along. We got called for a couple penalties in the first period; I thought their goal in the first period was a little lucky."

The Wild got the game's first goal with 2:18 left in the opening period. Havlat took a rebound and attempted a wraparound shot, and the puck bounced off Gustavsson's leg and bounced into the net.

Toronto answered 26 seconds later on Ponikarovsky's wrist shot that beat the netminder up high for a 1-1 game after the first period.

Minnesota got a 5-on-3 advantage early in the second period, and Zidlicky gave the Wild a 2-1 lead on a slapshot from the point at 5:44.

Then, two goals in 26 seconds by the Wild gave the visitors a commanding 4-1 lead heading to the third. Koivu's fifth tally of the year made it a two-goal game at the 17:29 mark, and Zanon netted his first of the season at 17:55 to extend the advantage.

Kessel added a goal with just under two minutes to play to bring the Maple Leafs to within two, but after pulling the goaltender with a 5-on-3 advantage already in progress, Toronto was unable to get any closer.

Game Notes

This was the only meeting for these two teams this season...The Leafs are just 1-5-2 at home this season...Toronto defenseman Michael Komisarek left the game with a lower body injury...The Leafs have still taken five of the eight all- time meetings between the two clubs...Toronto's Tomas Kaberle had two assists.

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