-The Penguins' starters are Arron Asham, Pascal Dupuis, Richard Park, Paul Martin, Zbyenek Michalek and Brent Johnson.

-Their scratches are Kris Letang, Tyler Kennedy and Evgeni Malkin.

-The Wild's starters are Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Matt Cullen, Guillame Latendresse, Nick Schultz, Marek Zidlicky and Nicklas Backstrom.

-Its scratches are Justin Faulk, Nick Johnson and Matt Kassian.

FIRST PERIOD

19:26: It doesn't take long:

x2.

17:46: Vitale chucks a wrister on net from the right wing. Backstrom knocks it down and covers.

16:58: The Wild get to show off that dazzling Mike Yeo power play as Matt Cullen makes a nice move around Ben Lovejoy and gets hooked up by Matt Niskanen. That's two minutes. Jordan Staal, Matt Cooke, Michalek and Martin take the ice.

16:14: Zidlicky booms a one-timer from the left point. Cooke blocks and has his stick broken in the process.

16:06: Martin pushes the puck up ice and rips a wrister from the right circle. Backstrom eats it up.

14:58: Shockingly, a Mike Yeo power play doesn't yeild results.

13:56: Engelland fires a one-timer from the left point. It's blocked in front.

13:35: Staal zips up the left wing and uncorks a wrister from above the left circle. Backstrom punches it to the near corner with his blocker.

13:05: Mikko Koivu gains the offensive zone and fires a slapper from above the left circle. Johnson punches it away. Engelland fumbles the rebound. Dany Heatley  jumps on it and punches it high of the cage.

11:37: Park drives the puck into the right wing corner and is slammed to the boards by Marco Scandella.

11:06: Staal lugs the puck up the right wing and leaves a drop pass at the right point for Michalek. Michalek steps up and drives a one-timer. Clayton Stoner blocks it.

10:05: Longtime EN rader Elizabeth Krenzelok spots a Capitals fan in attendance:

8:14: Kyle Brodziak cuts across the slot from the left wing and flings a backhander on net. Johnson falls to his right and fights it off with his lid.

7:53: Dupuis is called for holding Stoner. Craig Adams, Cooke, Michalek and Martin take the ice.

6:34: After a turover by Latendresse, Latendresse has a few chances in tight but can't punch it in. Staal carries the puck out of danger.

5:58: Heatley tries to do an inside-out move on Niskanen but Niskanen holds his ground. Good defensive play against an elite scorer.

5:53: The Penguins kill off another penalty.

5:05: Neal grips and rips a wrister from the right circle. Backstrom fights it off as Vitale crashes in. A scrum develops.

4:57: Neal flings a wrister from above the left circle. He fights it off despite having Vitale crashing in once again.

3:46: Letestu snaps off a wriste rfrom the slot. It's blocked out of play by puck magnet Greg Zanon.

2:47: Lovejoy goes in deep on the right wing and is smacked to the ic with a tough hit by Stoner.

0:53: Michalek picks up a loose puck on the right half wall and whips it on net. Backstrom fights it off.

0:03: Off a faceoff win by Park in the right circle, Niskanen whips a wrister at the cage. Backstrom punches it away.

0:00: End of period. Penguins 0, Wild 0.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-That was a surprisingly even period. The Penguins are at a disadvantage tonight on account of having played last night and Kris Letang's suspension. But the Wild didn't exactly blow anyone away that period.

-Joe Vitale is playing hungry. He looked like he wants to earn an elevated role with all these injured centers.

-Brian Strait was hardly noticeable. And that's probably a good thing.

-James Neal just keeps shooting, shooting, shooting. Good. He's the only guy on the roster with that type of natural scoring ability.

-Johnson looked solid. The Wild did create a few solid chances on account of the power plays.

-The Penguins have a 9-6 lead in shots.

-Neal, Koivu and Latendresse each lead the game with two.

-Michalek leads the game with 9:12 of ice time.

-Zidlicky leads the Wild with 7:11.

-The Penguins control faceoffs, 15-23 (65 percent).

-Park is 5 for 5 (83 percent).

-Cullen is 4 for 7 (57 percent).

-Engelland, Cooke, Zanon and Stoner each lead the game with two blocked shots.

-Sidney Crosby grew long hair and became a goaltender apparently:

9:39: Michalek flings a wrister from the right half wall on net. Backstrom punches it away.

7:56: Cooke jumps on a puck in the right circle and snaps off a wrister to the far side. It pings off the post and deflects out of play.

7:55: Gilles Meloche used to be a North Star:

6:40: Devin Setoguchi pushes the puck up the left wing and tries to deke around Niskanen but Niskanen comes through with another nice poke check.

6:21: Gillies has a chance in tight with Johnson out of position but can't get a shot off.

5:12: Cooke gets absolutely hammered to the ice in the right wing corner by Staubitz.

3:10: Dan Bylsma calls a timeout to get his team a breather.

2:42: On a delayed penalty, Nick Schultz chucks a wrister from the top of the slot wide to the left of the cage.

2:34: Niskanen is sent off for holding Setoguchi. That's two minutes. Staal, Dupuis, Martin and Michalek take the ice.

1:30: Latendresse backhand flips a puck on net from the slot. Johnson traps it against his chest.

1:02: Cullen circles around in the right circle and snaps off a wrister which strikes Engelland in the left side of the face. He falls to the ice. Latendresse has a chance in tight but Johnson covers it. Engelland returns to the bench holding a cut on his face which keeps re-opening:

0:34: Niskanen's penalty is killed.

0:12: Sullivan has a chance in the slot but he puts a shot wide to the left of the cage.

0:00: End of period. Penguins 2-1.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-Talk about an opportunistic period. Each team took advantage of the other's mistakes and cashed in goals.

-The injuries the Penguins are dealing with never seem to end. This is just staggering.

-At this point, the Penguins are just trying to survive. You never want to play safe, but the Penguins really have no other options.

-Brent Johnson has been very strong. If not for a bad turnover on the power play, he has a shutout.

-Niskanen and Michalek have really stepped up in the face of some adversity on the blue line.

-The Wild look rather bland. They have some fire power with the like sof Koivu and Heatley. But they just don't look like a threat to score.

-The Wild is definitely extracting a physical toll on the Penguins. Minnesota's players are going in hard on the forecheck.

-The Penguins have a 17-16 edge in shots.

-Dupuis leads the game wth four.

-Latendresse leads the Wild with three.

-Michalek has logged a massive 17:23 of ice time.

-Zidlicky leads the Wild with 13:47.

-The Penguins control faceoffs, 26-15 (63 percent).

-Park is 10 for 15 (67 percent).

-Koivu is 5 for 12 (42 percent).

-Engelland leads the Penguins with three blocked shots.

-Stoner and Zanon each lead the Wild with two.

-Before the start of the period, Ben Lovejoy makes this face:

19:44: Vitale is shown back on the bench with a nasty cut on his upper lip:

16:44: Setoguchi wheels around Martin and and snaps off a wrister. Johnson fights it off. Cullen follows up on the rebound but can't beat Johnson who is swimming in his crease. Huge save.

16:22: James Neal. Goal scorer. Scandella loses the puck in front of his bench. Neal takes it off him, caosts in off the left wing and rips a wrister by the five hole of Backstrom. What a play. The goal is unassisted. Vitale pressured Scandella into making that turnover. Penguins 3-1.

13:40: Stoner has a chance in deep in the left circle but Niskanen forces him to push the shot wide to the near side.

13:18: Vitale tries to jam in a backhanded wraparound attempt but Backstrom's stick holds it out.

12:19: Cooke appears to get away with a trip on Zanon.

11:43: Setoguchi fires a wrister from the right wing. Johnson kicks it out but Vitale and Niskanen crash in on net. Niskanen appears to jam Johnson's right leg into the right post. Play is halted. Athletic trainer Chris Stewart attends to him. Johnson takes a few minutes to get composed but he stays in the game.

11:23: Brodziak has a chance in the slot but punches it wide of the cage.

10:13: HUGE saves. Bouchard is denied in tight by Johnson. As the world crashes down around Johnson, Koivu follows up on the rebound to the left of the crease and is robbed by the right leg of Johnson

9:36: The 12-year-old in us totally wants to point out that this looks like Johnson is throwing up into a bucket:

8:01: From behind the net, Heatley deals a puck to Zidlicky in the right circle. Zidlicky booms it on net. Johnson fights it off.

7:39: Game. Set. Match. Cooke steals a puck off Bouchard at the right point and backhands it up ice. Dupuis picks it up and is off on a brekaaway. He coasts in on net, freezes up Backstrom and lifts a backhander over the right leg of the Wild goaltender. What an effort shorthanded tonight. Cooke gets the only assist. Penguins 4-1.

7:15: The Staal minor is killed.

6:48: No so fast. Brett Bulmer forces Staal into a turnover behind the Penguins' net. He deals a pass to Cullen in the left circle. Cullen swipes a one-timer on net. Johnson kicks it out. Latendresse is there for the rebound and pounds it into the net. Great play by Bulmer to set that up. Penguins 4-2.

5:03: Another big save. Setoguchi races behind the Penguins' net, spins off a check and deals a pass to Latendresse in the slot. Latendresse rips a one-timer on net. Johnson knocks it dead and covers.

4:34: Niskanen bumps Cullen to the ice in the right wing corner. Cullen goes down a little too easily. No call.

3:20: Bob Errey calls James Neal "Hockey's Mr. October." That's generally a bad thing in this sport.

1:34: Backstrom is pulled for an extra attacker.

0:55: Neal picks up a loose puck just outside the Minnesota blue line and flings it wide of the cage.

0:23: Neal spin and guns another attempt at the empty net from the red line wide of the cage.

0:04: 

x3.

0:00: End of game. Penguins 4, Wild 2.

POSTGAME

-What a gutsy effort. Coming off a tough loss the night before, the Penguins were without Kris Letang, saw his replacement Brian Strait go down and watched Brent Johnson and Joe Vitale get dinged up but still grinded out a nice win on the road.

-Brent Johnson was lights out. He just shut the door on the Wild on multiple occasions and stole some goals. He earned this win.

-The Penguins' defense gutted this one out. Strait's injury heaped a lot of minutes on the other five blue liners. Zbynek Michalek, Paul Martin and Matt Niskanen really stepped up.

-The Chris Kunitz, Jordan Staal, Pascal Dupuis line was strong. It forced plenty of turnovers by the Wild in its own zone and created plenty of offensive chances.

-Like everyone said, James Neal would get on track once he was on a line with Sidney Cro... Evgeni Mal... Richard Park? Okay. Regardless of his wingers, Neal is the Penguins' most valuable player to this point.

-Joe Vitale played like his job was on the line. He was hungry. He created a few turnovers down low just through hard work.

-The Penguins came through with a power-play goal. It's still a work in progress, but the power play does have a heart beat.

-The penalty kill is still the team's biggest weapon.

-For adding a few offensive weapons this offseason, the Wild's offense was pretty weak. It just didn't look like a threat whatsoever.

-The Mike Yeo/Power play jokes are just too obvious.

-For an all-star, Niklas Backstrom looked rather ordinary.

-The Wild had a 26-25 edge in shots.

-Dupuis led the game with six.

-Guillaume Latendresse led the Wild with five.

-Michalek logged a massive 29:20 of ice time.

-Martin was right behind him at 29:04.

-Zidlicky led the Wild with 21:32.

-The Penguins controlled faceoffs, 36-29 (55 percent).

-Vitale was 8 for 13 (62 percent).

-Cullen was 12 for 26 (46 percent).

-Deryk Engelland, Clayton Stoner and Greg Zanon each led the game with three blocked shots.

-Staal (204 points) moved past Paul Gardner (203) for 35th place on the franchise's all-time scoring list.

-Dupuis moved past Val Fonteyne for 65th place. Both players have 121 points, but Dupuis (51) has more goals than Fonteyne (39).

-Game summary.

-Event summary.

-Highlights: