Coyotes howl, nip Wild

Dallas Stars' Steve Ott (29) watches and celebrates teammate Mike Ribeiro's goal on Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

- Carlos Osorio

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Radim Vrbata had a goal and an assist, and Ilya Bryzgalov made 24 saves in the Phoenix Coyotes' 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.

The Wild's Antti Miettinen tied it at 2 with 4:58 to play, but Phoenix countered 19 seconds later, with Scotty Upshall blasting in the rebound of Keith Yandle's shot.

James Vandermeer also scored for Phoenix.

Andrew Brunette added a goal for the Wild, 0-2-2 in their last four games. Minnesota was outshot for long stretches of the game and repeatedly frustrated by Bryzgalov.

The teams emerged from the first period scoreless, despite the Coyotes repeatedly pouncing on Wild giveaways and outshooting Minnesota 15-5.

The Coyotes scored on their 16th shot when Vrbata's wrister eluded a crowd in front of Minnesota's Nicklas Backstrom and sailed over the line before the goalie could get a look at the puck. It was Vrbata's sixth goal of the season.

The goal early in the second period came on a controversial Phoenix power play. In the final seconds of the opening period, Minnesota's Owen Nolan was whistled for slashing Sami Lepisto of the Coyotes. Replays showed Nolan raised his stick, but did not make contact with Lepisto, just as the Phoenix player's stick snapped. Fans serenaded the officials with boos when replays of the call were shown, and when Vrbata scored on the ensuing man-advantage.

The Wild finally solved Bryzgalov early in the third period. The goalie deflected Miettinen's close-range pass, but could not control the puck, leaving it free for Brunette to backhand into the net. It was the team-leading eighth goal of the season for Brunette, who had not scored in the Wild's previous nine games.

Stephen Weiss and Cory Stillman also scored for the Panthers (8-9-2), who have turned things around after a 2-7-1 start. Florida, which beat Buffalo for the first time in five games, is 6-2-1 in its last eight games.

Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur scored, and Ryan Miller made 18 saves for Buffalo (12-5-1). The loss ended the Sabres' winning streak at three.

Stars 3, Red Wings 1

DETROIT — Alex Auld made 31 saves, and Mike Ribeiro, Matt Niskanen and Loui Eriksson scored, and Brad Richards and James Neal each had two assists for Dallas.

Henrik Zetterberg scored for Detroit, and Jimmy Howard stopped 29 shots. The loss snapped the Red Wings' winning streak at three.