The Minnesota Wild scored a pair of first period goals, then held on for a 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota improves to 5-3-3 on the season with the win.

Minnesota got their first goal at 8:21 of the opening period on the power play when Mikael Granlund found Nino Niederreiter with a brilliant backhand pass that El Nino buried for his second goal of the year.

The Wild struck again 3:30 later when Zach Parise scored his team-high fifth of the season, assisted by defensemen Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Suter.

Alexander Semin's second period power play goal for the Hurricanes cut the Wild lead to 2-1 with over half a game remaining to play.

The Wild kept Carolina off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game, then notched an empty net goal late in the third period for the 3-1 win.

Minnesota goalie Josh Harding was relieved by Niklas Backstrom after two periods due to an undisclosed injury. Harding made 20 saves and allowed one goal through two periods, with Backstrom saving all seven shots he faced in the third.

 

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