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Zidlicky, Miettinen shine in shootout for Wild

Nov 16, 2008 - 5:42 AM ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild are off to a rousing start to their favorable home stretch.

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky scored the decisive goal in the first round of the shootout and Antti Miettinen also tallied in the third round as the Wild skated to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

In the midst of a stretch in which they are playing 10 of 12 contests at home, the Wild received a 24-save performance from Niklas Backstrom before he denied Kristian Huselius and rookie Derick Brassard in the bonus format to clinch the triumph.

Benoit Pouliot scored a power-play goal and defenseman Erik Reitz also tallied for Minnesota, which posted back-to-back wins for the first time this month. The Wild blanked the Phoenix Coyotes, 4-0, on Thursday.

Captain Rick Nash recorded a goal and an assist and Huselius added his sixth tally of the season for the Blue Jackets, who fell to 1-8-2 in their last 11 road games against the Wild.

They also endured a game decided by one goal for the seventh time in the last 12, a span in which they have gone 5-4-3.

"We've had only one poor hockey game in the last 12," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "It's hard to fault our effort."

After Zidlicky struck and Brassard was denied in the second round, Miettinen beat goaltender Chris Mason with a hard wrist shot to seal the win.

"I decided before what I was doing," Miettinen said. "I thought I would fake high and then go (between the pads). (Mason) stood up a couple of times during the game when I tried to shoot high."

"He came in slow," Mason said. "I'm not sure how much of the puck I got, but I guess I didn't read it very well."

Minnesota has allowed only 30 goals in 15 games this season, and Backstrom's brilliance has been a major factor in its success. The 30-year-old netminder is 14-3-1 in his last 18 games dating back to last season and has yielded more than two goals just three times in 14 contests this campaign.

After Pouliot grabbed a rebound and converted from the left doorstep with 2:24 left in the first period, Huselius evened the game just before intermission.

Nash rushed up the right wing and passed to Brassard, who unleashed a shot from the right side of the crease. The puck then bounced near the left goalpost to Huselius, who beat Backstrom to make it 1-1.

Reitz snapped the tie with a slap shot that sailed just inside the right post 1:48 into the third for his first NHL career goal.

"I just closed my eyes and shot it, and it went off a guy's skate," Reitz said. "I'll take that one. It's been a long journey being down in the minors. This year, I finally stuck for a little bit, and I'm trying to make the most of it."

But Nash pulled Columbus even once again, fooling Backstrom with a backhander 5 1/2 minutes later. The 24-year-old has scored in three consecutive contests.

"He's really picked up the pace the last four games," Hitchcock said of Nash. "He's playing his power game again."

"You have to work them," Nash said. "They trap everywhere and they shut down a lot of areas of the ice, so the only way you can score is if you get it deep. I thought we had a good effort and we had a lot of chances to win the game. We showed a lot of character to come back."

Starting for the fifth time in six games, the 20-year-old Mason made 28 saves for Columbus but dropped to 3-1-1.

"I think we showed some character. It was a huge point," Huselius said. "(Mason is) still a young kid, but he's so calm. It's too bad he couldn't get the win."