Wild discovers a strange way to end its skid

The winning goalie was pulled, and a defenseman who never scores did. It all added to a victory.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: November 18, 2007 - 11:47 PM

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - The power play was atrocious, yet it connected twice. The legs were mush, yet they motored in the third period. The starting goaltender, Niklas Backstrom, was pulled -- with the lead, no less -- and winds up with a 'W' in the win column.

In terms of weird victories, the Wild's 4-2 clubbing of the Oilers on Thursday night could be featured in Seinfeld's Bizarro World.

How unusual was this one? Martin Skoula scored. It's true. The defenseman ended the NHL's sixth-longest active goal drought and got ribbing after from teammates like Brent Burns, who said, "We got the puck for him."I thought Steph [Veilleux] tipped it, so I didn't even know it was my goal," Skoula chuckled at his first goal since March 12, 2006, to end a 113-game goal drought. "It's been a pretty long time, I can tell you."

With the Wild slumping, the Oilers, as usual, were exactly what the doctor ordered. It was the Wild's 15th victory in 19 meetings as it improved to 8-0-1 in its past nine against Edmonton.

Marian Gaborik, back from a three-game hiatus to rest his wonky groin, scored one goal and had an assist for his third consecutive multipoint game. Defenseman Kurtis Foster scored his second consecutive winner in 10 days against the Oilers and Mark Parrish added a big insurance goal early in the third.

Eric Belanger notched four points, all assists, to establish career highs in both categories. The four assists tied a team record.

Still, coach Jacques Lemaire wasn't smiling.

"I don't think it was one of our best games, but the result was good," Lemaire said. "... We score goals on the power play, but I'm telling you, from behind the bench, it looks ugly, really ugly."

Lemaire was especially displeased with Backstrom, whom he called out along with General Manager Doug Risebrough for Tuesday's last-minute losing goal in Calgary. Backstrom stopped all 16 Oilers shots in the first period Thursday, but Lemaire wasn't happy with "two weak goals" by Jarret Stoll.

The Wild rallied from the 2-1 deficit on power-play tallies by Gaborik and Foster, but Lemaire still yanked Backstrom for Josh Harding with a 3-2 lead to start the third. "I felt, I don't know, for some reason, I said I'm going to switch it," Lemaire said. "I make [the decision] for the club and it's my call."

Said Backstrom, who improved to 7-0 against Edmonton with 24 saves, "It's not my choice. I can only control how I play and play as hard as I can."

After Stoll's shorthanded goal, Gaborik responded on the same power play by one-timing Belanger's pass to tie the score at 2-2. "It was a big boost of confidence to get the goal right back," said Gaborik, who said he plans to play tonight in Vancouver.

Seconds into a last-minute second-period power play, Foster scored through Parrish's screen.

"We didn't play the prettiest game," Foster said, "but the guys beared down and when your best players are your best players, you win games."

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com

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