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NHL: Minnesota 2, New Jersey 1

NEWARK, N.J., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A fluke goal by Clayton Stoner, the first tally of his career, proved decisive Tuesday in the Minnesota Wild's 2-1 victory over New Jersey.

The Minnesota defenseman got credit for the score when his third-period dump-in from the blue line took a strange bounce off the right halfboards, caroming into a net left unguarded by Johan Hedberg, who had left the crease in anticipation of playing the puck behind the net.

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Hedberg made a desperate dive but could only partially deflect the puck with his stick, and the Wild went on to win their second straight to start the new year.

Cal Clutterbuck got Minnesota's other goal and Jose Theodore stopped 21 shots.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored and Hedberg ended up making 18 saves for New Jersey, which lost for the eighth time in its last nine games overall.

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