Wild 3, Thrashers 2

<p>With a sharp centering pass and a quick one-timer, the Atlanta Thrashers thought they had tied the game.</p><p>They were wrong.</p><p>Vyacheslav Kozlovs shot in the final moments clanged off the right post and slid across the goal line, just inches from tying the score. But the puck was cleared and the Minnesota Wild held on _ barely _ for a 3-2 win Thursday night.</p><p>They are another team that doesnt know when to give up, Minnesota goaltender Manny Fernandez said.</p><p>Andrew Brunette and Filip Kuba each had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who opened up a 3-1 lead in the third period.</p><p>Ilya Kovalchuks NHL-leading 11th goal with 3:54 left pulled Atlanta within one. The young and scrappy Thrashers, who bear a resemblance to last years Minnesota team, stormed the net in the final minute, generating at least three great scoring chances, but couldnt convert.</p><p>They are very similar to what we did last year, Brunette said of his former team. They are a good hockey club.</p><p>Pascal Dupuis, playing in just his second game since ending a contract holdout Sunday, had a pair of assists for Minnesota. Getting Dupuis back has helped the Wild, who are still missing holdout Marian Gaborik, their leading scorer from last season.</p><p>Im surprised by the way he skates, Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire said. Hes not as sharp as he could be, but hell get there.</p><p>In the first period, Dupuis deflected a shot by Kuba, and the puck trickled under Thrashers goaltender Byron Dafoe. Brunette was there to tap it in for his second goal of the season.</p><p>Wes Walz made it 2-0 midway through the second period when his shot from the left point ricocheted through traffic and got between Dafoes pads.</p><p>Atlanta drew within a goal on Frantisek Kaberles power-play goal later in the second. Kaberle, waiting in the right slot, took Shawn McEacherns feed from along the goal line and one-timed a shot past Fernandez.</p><p>Brunette and Kuba teamed up for a nearly identical goal at 6:45 of the third as Brunettes pass from along the goal line found Kuba alone in the left slot.</p><p>Notes:@ The Wild have scored at least one power-play goal in a club-record eight straight games. ... Atlanta goaltender Pasi Nurminen, who had played every minute of the Thrashers first nine games, sat out for the first time.</p>

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