Associated Press
Coyle's Game-Winning Goal From Behind The Net
Nino Niederreiter also scored for the Wild, who snapped a two-game skid and have only three wins in their last 11 games. Devan Dubnyk stopped 23 shots.
Boyd Gordon scored for the Oilers, who snapped a rare two-game winning streak and dropped to 3-20-8 this season against fellow Western Conference opponents. Viktor Fasth finished with 27 saves.
On the winning goal, Jordan Eberle lost the puck on a drop pass and Coyle went in on a breakaway. He waited for Fasth to commit, then tucked the puck behind him on his way behind the net. It was Coyle's fifth goal of the season.
Minnesota scored 9 minutes into the first period as Edmonton's Nail Yakupov completely lost control of a puck in front of his own net on a horrendous giveaway to Justin Fontaine, who quickly passed it to Niederreiter for a gift goal. It was Niederreiter's first goal in 17 games and 15th of the season.
Wild assistant captain Zach Parise took an errant puck in the mouth with just over 7 minutes remaining in the opening period and left the game. He returned to start the second.
Minnesota had 10 shots in the first 20 minutes, while Edmonton responded with five.
Edmonton's best chance in the first half of the game came midway through the second when Justin Schultz had a partial breakaway and got Dubnyk to go down on the play before the Wild goalie made an impressive glove save to deflect the puck over the net.
The Oilers tied it with 2:44 left in the second period as Gordon's backhand wraparound from behind the net hit the skate of Minnesota's Kyle Brodziak in front and deflected into the net.
Edmonton came close to taking the lead early in the third as Dubnyk gave the puck away to Eberle, but Wild defender Ryan Suter kept it out and Minnesota eventually cleared it after a brief scramble in front of the net.
The Oilers missed another opportunity just past the midpoint as Yakupov made a perfect pass on a 2-on-1, but Teddy Purcell shot the puck wide of the Wild net.
Edmonton had a power play for the final 1:22 of the game and pulled Fasth for the sixth attacker, but was unable to tie it.
Game notes
It was the first of three meetings between the two teams this season. Minnesota was 2-0-1 against the Oilers last season and came into the game having won eight of their last nine visits to Edmonton. ... Oilers forward Taylor Hall sat out after taking a shot to the leg in practice on Monday. ... Dubnyk made his first start against his former team since a trade brought him to the Wild from Arizona on Jan. 14. Dubnyk made three appearances against Edmonton with the Coyotes earlier this season, going 3-0-0 with a 0.97 goals-against average. ... Minnesota C Mikael Granlund was back in the lineup after missing 13 games following wrist surgery from an injury sustained in a game on Dec. 27. ... Wild G Darcy Kuemper was assigned to Iowa of the AHL for a conditioning stint on Monday. Minnesota also recalled D Stu Bickel from Iowa.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
Photo Wire
EDMONTON, AB - JANUARY 27: Andrew Ference #21 of the Edmonton Oilers battles for the puck against Jason Pominville...
Scoring Summary
| 1st Period | MIN | EDM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:09 | Nino Niederreiter (15)
Assist: Justin Fontaine |
1 | 0 | |
| 2nd Period | MIN | EDM | ||
| 17:16 | Boyd Gordon (6)
Assists: Matt Hendricks, Oscar Klefbom |
1 | 1 | |
| 3rd Period | MIN | EDM | ||
| 15:37 | Charlie Coyle (6)
Unassisted |
2 | 1 | |
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