Recap: Vancouver vs. Minnesota

By Sports Network

Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Mikael Samuelsson netted the game-winner early in the third period, and the Vancouver Canucks earned a 2-1 win against the Minnesota Wild at General Motors Place.

Ryan Kesler had the other goal and Roberto Luongo turned back all but one of the Wild's 18 shots on net as Vancouver won its third game in four tries.

Mikko Koivu produced the lone score for Minnesota, which lost each of its games on a five-game road trip. The Wild are 0-6-0 as the visiting team thus far with their lone win of the season coming at home.

Niklas Backstrom faced 39 shots and allowed both goals in taking the loss.

The Wild were again without a pair of key offensive contributors in forwards Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora, both of whom are nursing groin injuries.

Koivu opened the scoring at 10:30 of the first period but the Canucks evened the score on Kesler's third of the season early in the second and Samuelsson buried his fourth goal on the young season 3:49 into the final session for a 2-1 edge.

Luongo allowed the score to stand up with 10 saves over the final 20 minutes.