Final Score: Vancouver 2, Minnesota 1

Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Mattias Ohlund scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period, as the Vancouver Canucks edged the Minnesota Wild, 2-1, at General Motors Place for the opener of a home-and-home series.

Trevor Linden scored the other goal for the Canucks, who won their third straight. Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin assisted both goals. Roberto Luongo blocked 28-of-29 shots.

"It was big," Luongo said. "We won our last game against Calgary and that was another big divisional match-up. We didn't come out very well in the first period, but we played really well in the third period. We got a lot of shots on goal and scored a big power play goal. We'll take this win, knowing that we've got to play a little better if we want to beat them next time."

Pavol Demitra scored for the Wild, who have lost seven straight on the road. Kim Johnsson assisted the goal. Niklas Backstrom assisted on the play.

Linden took a pass from Daniel Sedin and scored a tip-in from the left side of the net on the power play 15:30 into the first period to put Vancouver ahead, 1-0.

Demitra then scored on a slap shot from the blue line 2:29 into the second to tie the score, 1-1.

The Wild had a goal disallowed later in the second when Pascal Dupuis' rebound shot hit off Luongo's mask, but the puck never clearly went over the goal line.

"I still think it was in and we all do," Dupuis said. "I saw behind the line. He was lying back there, it hit his facemask and it laid on him."

Henrik Sedin slid the puck across the slot to Ohlund, who hit a slap shot over the netminder's right shoulder on the power play for the game-winner 9:04 into the third.

Luongo prevented the go-ahead score late in the second when Nick Schultz had a breakaway opportunity out of the penalty box.

Game Notes

Minnesota has taken two games from Vancouver this season, however, both were played at the XCel Energy Center...The Wild had a three-game winning streak in the series snapped, but seven of the last eight games played between the teams have been decided by a single goal...The clubs will meet again Tuesday evening in St. Paul.