Backstrom backstops Wild over Coyotes

Brian Rolston recorded the eventual game-winning goal, and Brent Burns had two assists for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Mark Parrish also scored for the Wild, who beat the Coyotes for the sixth straight time.

Enver Lisin and Joel Perrault recorded goals for Phoenix, which has lost two in a row after winning four straight. Ilya Bryzgalov turned away 23 shots in defeat.

Already up by a goal heading into the third period, Rolston gave the Wild some breathing room 3:51 in. He blasted a shot from just below the center of the blue line, which found its way past a screened Bryzgalov to put the Wild up 3-1.

Lisin scored his first goal of the season late in the period, as the puck bounced off a Minnesota player's skate and left the disc right in front of an open net. Lisin poked the puck in for the goal, but it came with 2:27 left in the contest, and Backstrom kept Phoenix off the board from there to preserve the win.

Belanger scored the only goal of the first period, just 2:08 into the game, knocking in a rebound that bounced off the boards behind the Coyotes net.

Just 3:23 into the second period, however, Perrault tied the game at 1-1 on the power play, wristing in the puck just to the left of the crease.

Midway through the middle stanza, Parrish put the Wild up 2-1 on the odd-man rush. Belanger sent a slightly forward pass from the left side of the ice to just right of the slot, and Parrish flipped it over Bryzgalov.

Game Notes

Lisin was recalled from San Antonio (AHL) on Wednesday, and played in his first NHL game in more than a month...Phoenix was 1-of-6 on the power play...Minnesota returns home for the next two games, and hosts Edmonton on Saturday...The Coyotes fell to 0-2 on their current four-game homestand, and continue it Saturday against Detroit.