NHL: Phoenix 3, Minnesota 2

ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Radim Vrbata gave Phoenix a two-goal lead early in the third period Wednesday and Coyotes held on to defeat Minnesota 3-2.

The Wild went into the game with a 20-6-2 home record this season, but the Coyotes stayed hot and won for the eighth time in nine outings.

Guillaume Latendresse gave Minnesota the early lead with a power-play goal 4:46 into the contest, but the Wild could not score again until just 2:28 remained in the game.

Martin Hanzal and Matthew Lombardi produced the other Phoenix goals and Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 29 shots to pick up his 32nd win of the season.

Niklas Backstrom made 28 saves for Minnesota, which had won the first two games of a five-game homestand.