Islanders 2 - 1 Wild
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Islanders down Wild in shootout

Dec 18, 2011 - 4:50 AM St. Paul, MN (Sports Network) - Frans Nielsen scored in the second round of the shootout, lifting the New York Islanders over the Minnesota Wild, 2-1.

Andrew MacDonald scored in regulation for the Islanders, who snapped a four- game skid. Al Montoya made 20 saves.

"It was a pretty important win for us tonight," MacDonald said. "I think we pushed back after they tied it."

Cal Clutterbuck lit the lamp for the Wild, who have lost three straight for the first time since April 2-7 of last season. Niklas Backstrom made 35 saves in defeat.

MacDonald's slapper from the top of the right circle made it 1-0 at the 11:13 mark of the middle stanza.

The Wild tied the game at the 8:22 mark of the third. After New York turned the puck over in its own zone, Dany Heatley fired a shot on net from the high slot. Clutterbuck put home the rebound to make it 1-1.

In the shootout, Nielsen made a nice move before putting a backhander past Backstrom. Minnesota's Matt Cullen, Marek Zidlicky and Heatley were stopped by Montoya in the shootout.

"We didn't have the spark that we needed tonight," Cullen said.

Game Notes

New York posted a 2-1 home win over the Wild on October 10 and has won three straight in this series after losing the previous five encounters...Wild forwards Mikko Koivu (leg) and Casey Wellman (wrist) missed the game... Islanders forward Brian Rolston and defenseman Steve Staios both missed the game with concussions.






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