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Wild earns shootout victory over Flames

Jan 27, 2007 - 4:16 AM ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild are heading out on a long road trip in style.

Pavol Demitra and defenseman Petteri Nummelin scored during the shootout to lead the Wild to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames.

After Minnesota goaltender Niklas Backstrom stopped Alex Tanguay with his left pad to lead off the shootout, Demitra wristed the puck over the right pad of Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.

Byron Ritchie rifled his shot wide of the net for the Flames and Nummelin sealed the win with a backhander that floated over the prone Kiprusoff.

Brian Rolston opened the scoring in regulation for the Wild with a power-play goal, tipping the puck past Kiprusoff just off the left post with 2:33 to play in the second period.

Backstrom made 23 saves for Minnesota, which begins a five-game road trip on Saturday. The Wild outshot Calgary, 41-24, including a 27-14 margin over the final two periods.

The Flames tied the game, 1-1, on Mark Giordano's power-play goal 3:24 into the third session. Giordano received a cross-ice pass from Kristian Huselius and one-timed it past the stick side of Backstrom.

Kiprusoff stopped 40 shots for Calgary, who were 1-for-3 on the power play.