Minnesota lost for the first time in six games, dropping to a record of 13-13-3. Andrew Ebbett, who has been impressive for the Wild since being claimed off waivers, got hit hard by Ed Jovanovski in a borderline hit and left the ice slowly. Phoenix improved to 18-11-1, placing sixth in the Western Conference. The Coyotes have outscored opponents 15-7 during their five-game winning streak, the longest in the conference. The Minnesota Wild were the hottest team in the West—until they faced the new hottest team in the conference, the Phoenix Coyotes. Scottie Upshall and Taylor Pyatt scored 44 seconds apart midway through the second period, finally breaking through against Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom, who finished with 29 saves.
Minnesota forward Martin Havlat beat Bryzgalov midway through the third, but his shot hit the post. Not long after Bryzgalov stopped an Owen Nolan slap shot, the Coyotes drew first blood. Upshall recovered from a hard hit into the glass, drove to the net, and converted Peter Mueller’s pass. On the second goal, a quick pass from Keith Yandle sent the puck up ice. Shane Doan then split the Wild defenders before slipping a pass to Pyatt. Ilya Bryzgalov earned his NHL-leading fourth shutout as Phoenix skated to a 2-0 home victory over the Wild. The Russian goaltender made 28 saves, 19 of them in the second period.
The bad blood led to a scrum on the next shift, and a full-fledged fight after the final buzzer between Vernon Fiddler of the Coyotes and Minnesota's James Sheppard, splitting defenders in the process.