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Koivu's late strike lifts Wild over Senators

Nov 21, 2013 - 4:30 AM Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Mikko Koivu's tally inside of three minutes left in regulation sent Minnesota past Ottawa, 4-3, on Wednesday.

Dany Heatley and Jonas Brodin added a goal and assist apiece for the Wild, who rebounded from a 6-2 loss in Montreal on Monday to win for the fifth time in the last six games.

"We've been playing great hockey the last month or so, so we can't change things based on one game. I think we showed that tonight," Koivu admitted.

Josh Harding made 34 saves for the victory, Minnesota's first over Ottawa since a 5-2 triumph on Mar. 16, 2004.

Kyle Turris, Mika Zibanejad and Milan Michalek scored for the Senators, who have dropped three in a row and four of five.

Craig Anderson surrendered all four goals on just 25 shots in the setback.

Koivu gave Minnesota a 4-3 edge with 2:57 remaining in the contest. After taking a lead pass from Zach Parise, he was allowed to skate up the right wing by the Senators defense, and unleashed a successful shot just to the left of the faceoff dot.

Anderson was pulled for an extra skater inside the final minute but the hosts failed to find an equalizer.

"Well it's disappointing. We got the game tied up again, but again, we're chasing the game. Anytime you're chasing the game it makes it hard," said Senators head coach Paul MacLean.

The clubs scored within a 59-second span early in the first period. Only 18 seconds into a Jared Cowen minor, Turris tallied off a between-the-legs feed by Clarke MacArthur at 5:54. But the hosts countered before one minute elapsed as Pominville ripped one home from the left side.

Zibanejad put Ottawa on top at 11:11 on a backhander while falling near the crease, but the lead only stood until the three-minute mark of the second when Brodin's long wrister eluded Anderson for a 2-2 game.

Heatley gave the Wild a 3-2 edge just over three minutes later, beating Sens defenseman Erik Karlsson to a loose puck and stuffing it home at the right post.

Michalek evened the score with less than nine minutes gone in the third on a power play, thanks to a slapper from the left circle.

Game Notes

These clubs hadn't played since Ottawa's 4-3 shootout home decision on Oct. 11, 2011 ... Minnesota's win snapped a six-game losing skid (0-5-1) to the Senators ... Prior to the contest, Minnesota recalled forward Jason Zucker from Iowa of the American Hockey League.